Bewildered Quote by Noam Chomsky
“The goal is to keep the bewildered herd bewildered. It's unnecessary for them to trouble themselves with what's happening in the world. In fact, it's undesirable - if they see too much of reality they may set themselves to change it.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Media critique, 1990s
Keeping the public confused prevents them from demanding change, preserving the status quo
In simple terms: Misinformation keeps people from acting on reality
Key Takeaway
Question media narratives and seek truth
Themes
politics
media
control
Mood
critical
alert
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- news consumption
- education
- activism
Key Concepts
propaganda
social engineering
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we stay informed without being overwhelmed?
- What responsibilities do media have?
A Different Perspective
Over-simplification can ignore complexities and agency
![“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)
