Bias Quote by Noam Chomsky
““This bias is politically advantageous to U.S. policy-makers, for focusing on victims of enemy states shows those states to be wicked and deserving of U.S. hostility; while ignoring U.S. and client-state victims allows ongoing U.S. policies to proceed more easily, unburdened by the interference of concern over the politically inconvenient victims.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on US foreign policy, 2005
Politicians highlight enemy victims to justify hostility while overlooking domestic harms, easing policy execution.
In simple terms: Focusing on enemy victims justifies aggression; ignoring own victims eases policy.
Key Takeaway
Recognize all victims before forming policy.
Themes
politics
ethics
media
foreign policy
victimhood
Mood
critical
analytical
concerned
Type
political
ethical
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- human rights advocacy
- media analysis
Key Concepts
propaganda
moral bias
strategic framing
Questions to Reflect On
- How does selective victim focus shape public opinion?
- What are the risks of ignoring domestic suffering?
A Different Perspective
Neglecting own victims can erode moral authority and lead to unchecked aggression.
![“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)
