--- title: "9 Engaged Quotes By Noam Chomsky" description: "9 Engaged quotes by Noam Chomsky. Plus more from Noam Chomsky and more Engaged sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/noam-chomsky-42_engaged_everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-h_2508799.jpg" --- > [Everyone engaged in research must have had the experience of working with feverish and prolonged intensity to write a paper which no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-had-the-experience-of-working/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/noam-chomsky-42_engaged_everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-h_2508799.jpg) > [If a person chooses not to be a writer, or speaker, then (by definition) the person is choosing not to be engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-a-person-chooses-not-to-be-a-writer-or-speaker-then-by-definition/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/noam-chomsky-42_associates_if-a-person-chooses-not-to-be-a-writer-o_632075.jpg) > [It is one thing for the institution to offer space for serious engagement, in thought and action, and to encourage free and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-is-one-thing-for-the-institution-to-offer-space-for-serious/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/noam-chomsky-42_action_it-is-one-thing-for-the-institution-to-o_1043310.jpg) > [Personally, I am uneasy about the notion of "a politically engaged university," for reasons I wrote about over 30 years ago, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/personally-i-am-uneasy-about-the-notion-of-a-politically-engaged/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/noam-chomsky-42_education_personally-i-am-uneasy-about-the-notion_807940.jpg) > [Individuals in a university - students, faculty, staff - can choose to become politically engaged, and a free university should foster a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/individuals-in-a-university-students-faculty-staff-can-choose-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/noam-chomsky-42_choices_individuals-in-a-university-students-fac_1939909.jpg) > [I have never heard of anyone who was a "model person" in all aspects of his or her life, intellectual life or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-have-never-heard-of-anyone-who-was-a-model-person-in-all-aspects-of/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/noam-chomsky-42_aspect_i-have-never-heard-of-anyone-who-was-a-m_2875158.jpg) > [In a really business-run society like the United States, the business elites are deeply committed to class struggle and are engaged in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-a-really-business-run-society-like-the-united-states-the-business/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/noam-chomsky-42_business_in-a-really-business-run-society-like-th_2628139.jpg) > [American imperialism has suffered a stunning defeat in Indochina. But the same forces are engaged In another war against a much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-imperialism-has-suffered-a-stunning-defeat-in-indochina-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/noam-chomsky-42_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-suffered-a-stun_2460994.jpg) > [Suppose that I see a hungry child in the street, and I am able to offer the child some food. Am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/suppose-that-i-see-a-hungry-child-in-the-street-and-i-am-able-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/noam-chomsky-42_able_suppose-that-i-see-a-hungry-child-in-the_607094.jpg) ## Other authors on Engaged ## 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/engaged/noam-chomsky/#itemlist", "name": "9 Engaged Quotes By Noam Chomsky", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone engaged in research must have had the experience of working with feverish and prolonged intensity to write a paper which no one else will read or to solve a problem which no one else thinks important and which will bring no conceivable reward - which may only confirm a general opinion that the researcher is wasting his time on irrelevancies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-had-the-experience-of-working/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/noam-chomsky-42_engaged_everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-h_2508799.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/noam-chomsky-42_engaged_everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-h_2508799.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/noam-chomsky-42_engaged_everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-h_2508799.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everyone engaged in research must have had the experience of working with feverish and prolonged intensity…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a person chooses not to be a writer, or speaker, then (by definition) the person is choosing not to be engaged in an effort,\"to bring the truth about matters of human significance to an audience that can do something about them,\" apart, perhaps, from some circle of immediate associates.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-a-person-chooses-not-to-be-a-writer-or-speaker-then-by-definition/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/noam-chomsky-42_associates_if-a-person-chooses-not-to-be-a-writer-o_632075.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/noam-chomsky-42_associates_if-a-person-chooses-not-to-be-a-writer-o_632075.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/noam-chomsky-42_associates_if-a-person-chooses-not-to-be-a-writer-o_632075.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a person chooses not to be a writer, or speaker, then (by definition) the person is choosing not to be…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is one thing for the institution to offer space for serious engagement, in thought and action, and to encourage free and independent use of such opportunities; it is something else for the university to become engaged as an institution, beyond a fairly narrow range where true consensus exists, and even that raises questions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-is-one-thing-for-the-institution-to-offer-space-for-serious/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/noam-chomsky-42_action_it-is-one-thing-for-the-institution-to-o_1043310.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/noam-chomsky-42_action_it-is-one-thing-for-the-institution-to-o_1043310.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/noam-chomsky-42_action_it-is-one-thing-for-the-institution-to-o_1043310.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is one thing for the institution to offer space for serious engagement, in thought and action, and to…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Personally, I am uneasy about the notion of \"a politically engaged university,\" for reasons I wrote about over 30 years ago, at the height of protest and resistance (reprinted in For Reasons of State).", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/personally-i-am-uneasy-about-the-notion-of-a-politically-engaged/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/noam-chomsky-42_education_personally-i-am-uneasy-about-the-notion_807940.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/noam-chomsky-42_education_personally-i-am-uneasy-about-the-notion_807940.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/noam-chomsky-42_education_personally-i-am-uneasy-about-the-notion_807940.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Personally, I am uneasy about the notion of \"a politically engaged university,\" for reasons I wrote about…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Individuals in a university - students, faculty, staff - can choose to become politically engaged, and a free university should foster a climate in which those are natural choices.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/individuals-in-a-university-students-faculty-staff-can-choose-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/noam-chomsky-42_choices_individuals-in-a-university-students-fac_1939909.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/noam-chomsky-42_choices_individuals-in-a-university-students-fac_1939909.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/noam-chomsky-42_choices_individuals-in-a-university-students-fac_1939909.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Individuals in a university - students, faculty, staff - can choose to become politically engaged, and a…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never heard of anyone who was a \"model person\" in all aspects of his or her life, intellectual life or other aspects; nor do I see why anyone should care. We are not engaged in idol worship, after all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-have-never-heard-of-anyone-who-was-a-model-person-in-all-aspects-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/noam-chomsky-42_aspect_i-have-never-heard-of-anyone-who-was-a-m_2875158.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/noam-chomsky-42_aspect_i-have-never-heard-of-anyone-who-was-a-m_2875158.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/noam-chomsky-42_aspect_i-have-never-heard-of-anyone-who-was-a-m_2875158.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have never heard of anyone who was a \"model person\" in all aspects of his or her life, intellectual life…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In a really business-run society like the United States, the business elites are deeply committed to class struggle and are engaged in it all the time. They're instinctive Marxists.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-a-really-business-run-society-like-the-united-states-the-business/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/noam-chomsky-42_business_in-a-really-business-run-society-like-th_2628139.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/noam-chomsky-42_business_in-a-really-business-run-society-like-th_2628139.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/noam-chomsky-42_business_in-a-really-business-run-society-like-th_2628139.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In a really business-run society like the United States, the business elites are deeply committed to class…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "American imperialism has suffered a stunning defeat in Indochina. But the same forces are engaged In another war against a much less resilient enemy, the American people. Here, the prospects for success are much greater. The battleground is ideological, not military. At stake are the lessons to be drawn from the American war in Indochina; the outcome will determine the course and character of new imperial ventures.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-imperialism-has-suffered-a-stunning-defeat-in-indochina-but/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/noam-chomsky-42_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-suffered-a-stun_2460994.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/noam-chomsky-42_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-suffered-a-stun_2460994.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/noam-chomsky-42_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-suffered-a-stun_2460994.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“American imperialism has suffered a stunning defeat in Indochina. But the same forces are engaged In another…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Suppose that I see a hungry child in the street, and I am able to offer the child some food. Am I morally culpable if I refuse to do so? Am I morally culpable if I choose not to do what I easily can about the fact that 1000 children die every hour from easily preventable disease, according to UNICEF? Or the fact that the government of my own \"free and open society\" is engaged in monstrous crimes that can easily be mitigated or terminated? Is it even possible to debate these questions?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/suppose-that-i-see-a-hungry-child-in-the-street-and-i-am-able-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/noam-chomsky-42_able_suppose-that-i-see-a-hungry-child-in-the_607094.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/noam-chomsky-42_able_suppose-that-i-see-a-hungry-child-in-the_607094.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/noam-chomsky-42_able_suppose-that-i-see-a-hungry-child-in-the_607094.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Suppose that I see a hungry child in the street, and I am able to offer the child some food. Am I morally…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/noam-chomsky/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/noam-chomsky/", "name": "Engaged Quotes by Noam Chomsky", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/noam-chomsky/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/noam-chomsky-42_engaged_everyone-engaged-in-research-must-have-h_2508799.jpg" }, "description": "9 Engaged quotes by Noam Chomsky. Plus more from Noam Chomsky and more Engaged sayings from other authors.", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/noam-chomsky/#breadcrumb" } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/noam-chomsky/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Topics", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Engaged", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "name": "Noam Chomsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/noam-chomsky/" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```