There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
Noam ChomskyRead
Growing up in the place I did I never was aware of any other option but to question everything.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and questioning one's surroundings.
Noam Chomsky reflects on his upbringing, suggesting that it instilled in him a deep-seated inclination to question the status quo. This perspective highlights the necessity of curiosity and skepticism in understanding the world, advocating for an approach that values inquiry over acceptance.
In practice
In a classroom discussion about philosophy, this quote can highlight the importance of questioning established beliefs.
There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
The 'free-floating intellectual' may occupy himself with problems because of their inherent interest and importance, perhaps to little effect.
If you're teaching today what you were teaching five years ago, either the field is dead or you are.
There are very few people who are going to look into the mirror and say, 'That person I see is a savage monster;' instead, they make up some construction that justifies what they do.
The Republican Party has become overwhelmingly so extreme that it's hardly a traditional political party anymore.
There is still much debate about whether torture has been effective in eliciting information - the assumption being, apparently, that if it is effective, then it may be justified.
We cannot have a world where everyone is a victim. "I'm this way because my father made me this way. I'm this way because my husband made me this way." Yes, we are indeed formed by traumas that happen to us. But you must take charge, you must take over, you are responsible.
All that time is lost which might be better employed.
O that men's ears should be To counsel deaf but not to flattery!
The body shuts down when it has too much to bear; goes its own way quietly inside, waiting for a better time, leaving you numb and half alive.
I don't go in for being sorry for people. For one thing it's insulting. One is only sorry for people when they're sorry for themselves. Self-pity is one of the biggest stumbling blocks in the world today.
No man really becomes a fool until he stops asking questions.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.