[Zeno]

I was driving to the big city yesterday, looking for a place to invest my money in durable goods, and also Sponging up my weekly dose of liberalism by listening to NPR (National Public Radio). NPR was broadcasting a recording of a recent address given by Norm Chomsky to the World Social Forum, held, I believe, somewhere in Brazil. After listening to his ravings for about 15 to 20 minutes, everything about his speech started to sound familiar, like some have forgotten dream that suddenly resurfaces. I have heard all this before I thought, the delivery, the sanctimonious tone, the know-it-all-of ness, you can turn on the 700 club and get a daily dose if you so desire. I use to get a weekly dose of the same nonsense, blasted from on high to the huddled masses sheepishly listening, or dosing, in the pews. He is like Billy Sunday, William Jennings Bryant, and any number of Popes or preachers, faith healers, corn doctors, or wild-west salesmen of snake oil.

He was preaching to the faithful, lambasting the evils of Capitalism, Imperialism, Bushism, Blairism, Americanism, and other isms that haunt the world he so much finds fault with. Hosannas rose from the crowd, cheers echoed from on high as he delivered His Gospel to slay the modern demons that infest the entire world. It is amazing that he not only knows so, so, so much, but that: HE HAS A SOLUTON FOR EVERYTHING. He sets up the monsters and then slays them ALL. In this regard he is a replica of the very people he rants so much against – The Politicians. Chomsky is a master propagandist.

The whole Gospel became dreary to me after realizing who and what this man is about. He has a following no doubt, all people of his ilk do. It is the herd nature of humans to muck along in the shadow of any man who can set up the biggest demons and then offer up the best exorcisms. He is a shaman and a modern day messiah. And a good one.


Le Misanthrope