Crush Quote by Noam Chomsky
“...jingoism, racism, fear, religious fundamentalism: these are the ways of appealing to people if you're trying to organize a mass base of support for policies that are really intended to crush them.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on political manipulation, 1990s
Manipulative rhetoric uses fear, racism, and religious zeal to rally mass support for oppressive policies.
In simple terms: Leaders exploit prejudice to gain power.
Key Takeaway
Beware propaganda that targets fear and identity.
Themes
political manipulation
mass persuasion
social control
Mood
cautious
critical
skeptical
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- elections
- policy campaigns
- social movements
- media messaging
Key Concepts
propaganda
identity politics
authoritarianism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you recognize fear‑based appeals?
- What alternatives exist to inclusive organizing?
A Different Perspective
Such tactics can backfire if public becomes aware and resists.
![“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)
