Oppression Quote by Noam Chomsky
““It has to do with conquest, with oppression. If you’re robbing somebody, oppressing them, dictating their lives, it’s a very rare person who can say: Look, I’m a monster. I’m doing this for my own good. Even Himmler didn’t say that. A standard technique of belief formation goes along with oppression, whether it’s throwing them in gas chambers or charging them too much at a corner store, or anything in between. The standard reaction is to say: It’s their depravity. That’s why I’m doing it. Maybe I’m even doing them good. If it’s their depravity, there’s got to be something about them that makes them different from me. What’s different about them will be whatever you can find. And that’s the justification. Then it becomes racism. You can always find something—they have a different color hair or eyes, they’re too fat, or they’re gay. You find something that’s different enough. Of course you can lie about it, so it’s easier to find.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on oppression and belief formation, 2015
Powerful actors justify oppression by dehumanizing victims, creating moral distance and rationalizing cruelty
In simple terms: Oppressors claim victims are bad to excuse harm
Recognize dehumanization and challenge justifications
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- political leadership
- law enforcement
- corporate pricing
- media narratives
- personal bias
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we notice when we’re dehumanizing others?
- What structures enable moral disengagement?
Oppression rationalization can be subtle and self‑serving, making resistance difficult