New Blog

Noam Chomsky has started a blog; Turning the Tide (via Crooked Timber). I hope this can become an intersting read.

Comments

[David (TEFL Smiler)]

Hopefully it should be interesting, yes, but I don't think he'll be able to keep the comments feature available, as it's just clogging up with abuse from right-wingers and bigots of all descriptions.

[ksbrorson]

Another problem, which I think is allready visible, is that this will not really work as a blog. This seems to be more like a newspaper article/comment with the comments as un-edited letters to the editor. I cannot see how Chomsky should have the time to read and comment upon the comments when they come in such a great number. As you point out the comment feature might be removed and I perhaps a blog like this will not really have much value without the comments. Why not read Chomsky's comments/articles elsewhere?

[David (TEFL Smiler)]

I doubt it's his intention to read the comments, anyway, but rather to have them there to enable others to discuss his declarations.

The reason for having a blog is, I suppose, one of access: a lot of people might not go out and buy or borrow a whole book by Chomsky on American politics (both domestic and foreign policy) - myself included - but they might be more willing to read snippets of his thoughts in a very accessible blog.

Given the name of the blog, and the tone of its content so far, it seems to me that it's nothing less than electioneering. And why not? It's what we all do, one way or another, in every communicative situation we enter into, I would suggest! (Clearly I'm defining 'electioneering' in the broadest possible terms here, but it can also be understood with a narrower definition.)

What should be interesting to see, in this year of campaigning for the American presidential election in November, is whether or not Chomsky becomes party political in his desire to rid the States of Bush. (Maybe he is already? I don't follow these things closely enough to know.)

Finally: starting a blog can be frightening in a way, anyway, as most people don't seem to be sure which direction it will go in, or even whether or not they'll update it regularly, or how long it will last. For someone like Chomsky to begin blogging is a total commitment, though - timewise more than anything else. I would guess could be why he's delayed writing one until now. He's not really in a position to start a blog and then decide after a few weeks that he no longer wants to keep it up. Basically, he's now committed himself, I would imagine, simply due to the reaction there would be if he stopped.

[ksbrorson]

I usually don't read political blogs, because of the simple reason that they often attract lots of people to comment and I don't feel I have the time to update myself on the post all the time. I suppose I already spend too much time on blogs.

Perhaps Chomsky's blog is supposed to be a counter-attack on the American Presidential candidates and their blogs. In our information society it is necessary to keep up with the other side. I have not had a look at American politician's blog, but I asume that they too blog posts more as personal statements than for the purpose of commenting on comments.

I agree with you that Chomsky now have commited himself to blog. I am quite happy that I am not under the same pressure.

I have never seen a blog with that many comments before. Yesterday people bloged about the massive number of comments that were left as goodbye's to Invisible Adjunct, but when I checked to day it was "only" 139 comments and 24 trackbacks.