--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If anybody thinks they should listen to…" description: "\"If anybody thinks they should listen to me because I'm a professor at MIT, that's nonsense. You should decide whether something makes sense by its cont..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/noam-chomsky-42_happiness_if-anybody-thinks-they-should-listen-to_92288.jpg" --- # If anybody thinks they should listen to me because I'm a… ![“If anybody thinks they should listen to me because I'm a professor at MIT, that's nonsense. You should decide whether something makes sense by its content, not by the letters after the name of the person who says it.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/noam-chomsky-42_happiness_if-anybody-thinks-they-should-listen-to_92288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/noam-chomsky-42_happiness_if-anybody-thinks-they-should-listen-to_92288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/noam-chomsky-42_happiness_if-anybody-thinks-they-should-listen-to_92288.jpg) > “If anybody thinks they should listen to me because I'm a professor at MIT, that's nonsense. You should decide whether something makes sense by its content, not by the letters after the name of the person who says it.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authority should be judged by ideas, not institutional titles. **In simple terms:** Ideas over titles Key Takeaway Evaluate arguments on merit Themes critical thinking intellectual humility authority skepticism Mood skeptical inquisitive Type aphor advice When to use this quote - academic debate - media consumption - policy discussion Key Concepts argument evaluation credibility assessment Practical Applications - critical analysis - educational curricula Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between expertise and bias? - When might a title be relevant? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [My brother is a scientist. He's a professor at MIT. He brought science fiction into my world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/my-brother-is-a-scientist-he-s-a-professor-at-mit-he-brought-science/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“ Sometimes I feel like people aren't listening to me. I spend ninety minutes up here talking about the dangers of time travel, advising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/sometimes-i-feel-like-people-aren-t-listening-to-me-i-spend-ninety/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Silicon Valley, after all, feeds off the existence of computers, the internet, the IT systems, satellites, the whole of micro electronics and so on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/silicon-valley-after-all-feeds-off-the-existence-of-computers-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Dr. Karel Culik is an outstanding applied mathematician, a specialist in algebra, logic, computer sciences and mathematical linguistics. In 1965, he visited the linguistics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/dr-karel-culik-is-an-outstanding-applied-mathematician-a-specialist/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The truth is, I have absolutely no professional credentials - literally, which is why I'm teaching at MIT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-truth-is-i-have-absolutely-no-professional-credentials-literally/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you take a look at places like Harvard, it's striking. In the early ,50s, I think there were a handful of Jewish professors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-take-a-look-at-places-like-harvard-it-s-striking-in-the-early/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In the early days of the military Arpanet, my daughter was studying in Nicaragua. Because the U.S. was essentially at war with them, contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-early-days-of-the-military-arpanet-my-daughter-was-studying-in/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [One of the ideas that was developed at MIT in a workshop was, imagine this pipe, and you've got valves, solenoid valves, taps, opening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/one-of-the-ideas-that-was-developed-at-mit-in-a-workshop-was-imagine/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [I thought of killing myself but soon decided that I could always try MIT and then kill myself later if it was that bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-gell-mann/i-thought-of-killing-myself-but-soon-decided-that-i-could-always-try/) [Murray Gell-Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-gell-mann/) > [ We \[MIT Smart Cities research group\] try to identify the fundamental underlying design assumptions that everybody takes as a sort of given and unchallengeable… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-mitchell/we-mit-smart-cities-research-group-try-to-identify-the-fundamental/) [William J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-mitchell/) > [You think the weather is weird now? Just wait. A new MIT study, just published in a peer-reviewed journal, projects that the Earth could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/you-think-the-weather-is-weird-now-just-wait-a-new-mit-study-just/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [How shall we plan, that all be fresh and new-- Important matter yet attractive too? \[Ger., Wie machen wir's, dass alles frisch und neu…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/how-shall-we-plan-that-all-be-fresh-and-new-important-matter-yet/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I want MIT to be the dream of every child who wants to grow up to make the world a better place. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hockfield/i-want-mit-to-be-the-dream-of-every-child-who-wants-to-grow-up-to/) [Susan Hockfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hockfield/) > [My father was a professor of civil engineering at MIT, and my mother taught high school English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-allin-cornell/my-father-was-a-professor-of-civil-engineering-at-mit-and-my-mother/) [Eric Allin Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-allin-cornell/) > [ \[In geology,\] As in history, the material in hand remains silent if no questions are asked. The nature of these questions depends on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-geology-as-in-history-the-material-in-hand-remains-silent-if-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If anybody thinks they should listen to me because I'm a professor at MIT, that's nonsense. 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