Aggressive Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Every great power, every aggressive power has always regarded itself as exceptional and as doing things only for the most moral ends.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 2015
Powerful states claim moral superiority to justify actions, often masking self‑interest behind exceptionalism
In simple terms: Nations say they act morally but hide self‑interest
Key Takeaway
Question claimed moral exceptionalism
Themes
politics
ethics
power
exceptionalism
Mood
critical
analytical
skeptical
Type
political
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- international policy
- human rights advocacy
- media analysis
Key Concepts
realpolitik
moral philosophy
propaganda
Questions to Reflect On
- What motives truly drive great powers?
- Can any power be truly moral?
A Different Perspective
Might overlook genuine altruism in some actions
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
