--- title: "8 Arena Quotes By Noam Chomsky" description: "8 Arena quotes by Noam Chomsky. Plus more from Noam Chomsky and more Arena sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-suppos_399716.jpg" --- > [In the late 1960s, the masses were supposed to be passive, not entering into the public arena and having their voices heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-supposed-to-be-passive-not-entering/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-suppos_399716.jpg) > [The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-most-effective-way-to-restrict-democracy-is-to-transfer-decision/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/noam-chomsky-42_arena_the-most-effective-way-to-restrict-democ_749645.jpg) > [During the 1960s, large groups of people who are normally passive and apathetic began to try to enter the political arena to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/during-the-1960s-large-groups-of-people-who-are-normally-passive-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_during-the-1960s-large-groups-of-people_759953.jpg) > [People have to be atomized and segregated and alone. They're not supposed to organize, because then they might be something beyond spectators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/people-have-to-be-atomized-and-segregated-and-alone-they-re-not/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/noam-chomsky-42_action_people-have-to-be-atomized-and-segregate_875341.jpg) > [In the 1960s, various parts of the population became energized and began to enter the public arena to call for the rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-1960s-various-parts-of-the-population-became-energized-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-1960s-various-parts-of-the-popula_1617909.jpg) > [Putting it in plain terms, the general public must be reduced to its traditional apathy and obedience, and driven from the arena…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/putting-it-in-plain-terms-the-general-public-must-be-reduced-to-its/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/noam-chomsky-42_action_putting-it-in-plain-terms-the-general-pu_1833307.jpg) > [Democracy was regarded as entering into a crisis in the 1960s. The crisis was that large segments of the population were becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-was-regarded-as-entering-into-a-crisis-in-the-1960s-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_democracy-was-regarded-as-entering-into_1874645.jpg) > [But, that's the whole point of corporatization - to try to remove the public from making decisions over their own fate, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/but-that-s-the-whole-point-of-corporatization-to-try-to-remove-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/noam-chomsky-42_arena_but-that-s-the-whole-point-of-corporatiz_2971540.jpg) ## Other authors on Arena ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/noam-chomsky/#itemlist", "name": "8 Arena Quotes By Noam Chomsky", "numberOfItems": 8, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the late 1960s, the masses were supposed to be passive, not entering into the public arena and having their voices heard.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-supposed-to-be-passive-not-entering/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-suppos_399716.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-suppos_399716.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-suppos_399716.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the late 1960s, the masses were supposed to be passive, not entering into the public arena and having…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-most-effective-way-to-restrict-democracy-is-to-transfer-decision/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/noam-chomsky-42_arena_the-most-effective-way-to-restrict-democ_749645.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/noam-chomsky-42_arena_the-most-effective-way-to-restrict-democ_749645.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddc/noam-chomsky-42_arena_the-most-effective-way-to-restrict-democ_749645.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "During the 1960s, large groups of people who are normally passive and apathetic began to try to enter the political arena to press their demands… The naive might call that democracy, but that's because they don't understand. The sophisticated understand that that's the crisis of democracy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/during-the-1960s-large-groups-of-people-who-are-normally-passive-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_during-the-1960s-large-groups-of-people_759953.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_during-the-1960s-large-groups-of-people_759953.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_during-the-1960s-large-groups-of-people_759953.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“During the 1960s, large groups of people who are normally passive and apathetic began to try to enter the…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People have to be atomized and segregated and alone. They're not supposed to organize, because then they might be something beyond spectators of action. They might actually be participants if many people with limited resources could get together to enter the political arena. That's really threatening.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/people-have-to-be-atomized-and-segregated-and-alone-they-re-not/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/noam-chomsky-42_action_people-have-to-be-atomized-and-segregate_875341.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/noam-chomsky-42_action_people-have-to-be-atomized-and-segregate_875341.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/noam-chomsky-42_action_people-have-to-be-atomized-and-segregate_875341.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People have to be atomized and segregated and alone. They're not supposed to organize, because then they…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the 1960s, various parts of the population became energized and began to enter the public arena to call for the rights of women, students, young people, old people, farmers and workers. What are called \"special interests\" - meaning the whole population - they began to press to enter the public arena. And they said that puts too much pressure on the state and therefore we have to have more moderation in democracy and they should go back and be quiet and obedient.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-1960s-various-parts-of-the-population-became-energized-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-1960s-various-parts-of-the-popula_1617909.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-1960s-various-parts-of-the-popula_1617909.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-1960s-various-parts-of-the-popula_1617909.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the 1960s, various parts of the population became energized and began to enter the public arena to call…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Putting it in plain terms, the general public must be reduced to its traditional apathy and obedience, and driven from the arena of political debate and action, if democracy is to survive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/putting-it-in-plain-terms-the-general-public-must-be-reduced-to-its/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/noam-chomsky-42_action_putting-it-in-plain-terms-the-general-pu_1833307.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/noam-chomsky-42_action_putting-it-in-plain-terms-the-general-pu_1833307.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/noam-chomsky-42_action_putting-it-in-plain-terms-the-general-pu_1833307.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Putting it in plain terms, the general public must be reduced to its traditional apathy and obedience, and…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy was regarded as entering into a crisis in the 1960s. The crisis was that large segments of the population were becoming organized and active and trying to participate in the political arena.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-was-regarded-as-entering-into-a-crisis-in-the-1960s-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_democracy-was-regarded-as-entering-into_1874645.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_democracy-was-regarded-as-entering-into_1874645.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_democracy-was-regarded-as-entering-into_1874645.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy was regarded as entering into a crisis in the 1960s. The crisis was that large segments of the…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But, that's the whole point of corporatization - to try to remove the public from making decisions over their own fate, to limit the public arena, to control opinion, to make sure that the fundamental decisions that determine how the world is going to be run - which includes production, commerce, distribution, thought, social policy, foreign policy, everything - are not in the hands of the public, but rather in the hands of highly concentrated private power. In effect, tyranny unaccountable to the public.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/but-that-s-the-whole-point-of-corporatization-to-try-to-remove-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/noam-chomsky-42_arena_but-that-s-the-whole-point-of-corporatiz_2971540.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/noam-chomsky-42_arena_but-that-s-the-whole-point-of-corporatiz_2971540.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/noam-chomsky-42_arena_but-that-s-the-whole-point-of-corporatiz_2971540.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But, that's the whole point of corporatization - to try to remove the public from making decisions over…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/noam-chomsky/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/noam-chomsky/", "name": "Arena Quotes by Noam Chomsky", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/noam-chomsky/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/noam-chomsky-42_1960s_in-the-late-1960s-the-masses-were-suppos_399716.jpg" }, "description": "8 Arena quotes by Noam Chomsky. 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