Philosopher and social commentator Noam Chomsky thinks recent moments in history indicate the world is heading into another dark age.
In a wide ranging interview with the New Statesman, Chomsky reflected on his 93 years on this Earth and the history-defining moments he has witnessed in nearly a century.
The world's most-quoted modern philosopher first came face-to-face with foreign aggression when he was just 10.
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“The first article that I wrote for the elementary school newspaper was on the fall of Barcelona [in 1939],” Chomsky told the New Statesman.
He explained in the article about the 'grim cloud of fascism' around the globe.
So how does he feel now versus when the Nazis were grabbing for global power? Not too different, it turns out.
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"I haven’t changed my opinion since, it’s just gotten worse,” he said.
In fact, Chomsky believes 'we’re approaching the most dangerous point in human history' because 'we are now facing the prospect of destruction of organised human life on Earth'.
From Trump, to the climate, to the war on Ukraine, Chomsky has an opinion on it all.
Chomsky, a Jewish-American man, was born to parents who immigrated to America in 1913.
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His father was born in what is now Ukraine, and his mother is from Belarus - so naturally, he had a lot to say about the conflict happening in the lands where his family came from. And specifically: Putin's 'criminal aggression'.
“It’s monstrous for Ukraine…Why did he do it?" Chomsky asked.
"There are two ways of looking at this question. One way, the fashionable way in the West, is to plumb the recesses of Putin’s twisted mind and try to determine what’s happening in his deep psyche.”
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Following US president Joe Biden's comments that the Russian leader 'cannot remain in power', Chomksy pointed out that while we should have 'moral outrage about Putin’s actions in Ukraine', we still need to remember to have 'moral outrage about other horrible atrocities'.
"In Afghanistan, literally millions of people are facing imminent starvation," Chomsky said. "Why? There’s food in the markets. "But people who have little money have to watch their children starve because they can’t go to the market to buy food.
"Why? Because the United States, with the backing of Britain, has kept Afghanistan’s funds in New York banks and will not release them.”
Speaking of America, the great thinker had a few choice words for ex-US president Donald Trump.
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“I remember listening to Hitler’s speeches on the radio," Chomsky said.
"I didn’t understand the words...but I understood the mood. And it was frightening and terrifying.
"And when you watch one of Trump’s rallies that can’t fail to come to mind. That’s what we’re facing.”
He then turned to climate change and Trump's supporter base.
“Because of Trump’s fanaticism, the worshipful base of the Republican Party barely regards climate change as a serious problem," he said, adding a grim warning: "That’s a death warrant to the species.”
But, it wasn't all doom and gloom... sort of.
Chomksy has hope for the future of our world, and that comes from our younger generations.
“There are plenty of young people who are appalled by the behaviour of the older generation, rightly, and are dedicated to trying to stop this madness before it consumes us all," he said.
"Well, that’s the hope for the future.”
Fingers crossed.
Featured Image Credit: Dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo. Kremlin Pool / Alamy Stock Photo.Topics: News, Russia, Ukraine, Global Warming, Racism
