--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some [people] may be \"servants of the…" description: "\"Some [people] may be \"servants of the power structure,\" but that has to be shown. I think it often can be shown, but the burden of proof is on the crit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/noam-chomsky-42_burden_some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power_1167737.jpg" --- # Some \[people\] may be "servants of the power structure,"… ![“Some [people] may be "servants of the power structure," but that has to be shown. I think it often can be shown, but the burden of proof is on the critic who puts forth that thesis in particular cases.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/noam-chomsky-42_burden_some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power_1167737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/noam-chomsky-42_burden_some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power_1167737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/noam-chomsky-42_burden_some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power_1167737.jpg) > “Some \[people\] may be "servants of the power structure," but that has to be shown. I think it often can be shown, but the burden of proof is on the critic who puts forth that thesis in particular cases.” [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. The statement argues that critics must prove claims about individuals serving power structures, emphasizing the burden of proof lies with the accuser. **In simple terms:** Critics must provide evidence when accusing others of supporting power. Key Takeaway Demand evidence before labeling others as power servants. Themes critical thinking politics ethics Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political analysis - media critique - academic debate Key Concepts social theory logic Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure fair evidence in political critique? - What standards should critics follow? A Different Perspective Proof may be hard to obtain, leading to false accusations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Burden of proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden-of-proof/) [Burden Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden-proof-1055410/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Often can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/often-can/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Power Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-structure-282721/) [Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Servants Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servants-power-3371901/) [Shown Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shown-burden-3371902/) [Shown Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shown-think-3371903/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Thesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thesis/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The secret to happiness is to put the burden of proof on unhappiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/the-secret-to-happiness-is-to-put-the-burden-of-proof-on-unhappiness/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Freedom always carries a burden of proof, always throws us back on ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/freedom-always-carries-a-burden-of-proof-always-throws-us-back-on/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [ The threat \[of the U.S. bills SOPA and PIPA\] is the inversion of the burden of proof, where we suddenly are all treated like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/the-threat-of-the-u-s-bills-sopa-and-pipa-is-the-inversion-of-the/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [Wherever any precept of traditional morality is simply challenged to produce its credentials, as though the burden of proof lay on it, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/wherever-any-precept-of-traditional-morality-is-simply-challenged-to/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The very admission of the need to harmonize is an admission that the burden of proof is on the narratives, not on those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-price/the-very-admission-of-the-need-to-harmonize-is-an-admission-that-the/) [Robert M. Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-price/) > [The pictures present an improvised view of life as normal. Life is shown as we think we see it but in fact never do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-salle/the-pictures-present-an-improvised-view-of-life-as-normal-life-is/) [David Salle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-salle/) > [That is what I have always understood to be the essence of anarchism: the conviction that the burden of proof has to be placed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/that-is-what-i-have-always-understood-to-be-the-essence-of-anarchism/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The great soul of power extends far beyond states, to every domain of life, from families to international affairs. And throughout, every form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-great-soul-of-power-extends-far-beyond-states-to-every-domain-of/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Anarchism, in my view, is an expression of the idea that the burden of proof is always on those who argue that authority and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/anarchism-in-my-view-is-an-expression-of-the-idea-that-the-burden-of/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Plenty of women say, "I'm just going to make myself into a sex object." But they often can't stay afloat doing that. They can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-biller/plenty-of-women-say-i-m-just-going-to-make-myself-into-a-sex-object/) [Anna Biller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-biller/) > [Because of the war on drugs, pain patients are treated with skepticism and pain doctors live in fear of being prosecuted for overprescribing. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/because-of-the-war-on-drugs-pain-patients-are-treated-with-skepticism/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [There was a genocide unfolding against Bosnian Muslims and we, in the United Kingdom, were incredibly angered - a teenager at the time, 15…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/there-was-a-genocide-unfolding-against-bosnian-muslims-and-we-in-the/) [Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/) > [When the idea comes, I often can't remember where it came from. I remember very little about writing the first series of Hitchhiker's. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/when-the-idea-comes-i-often-can-t-remember-where-it-came-from-i/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Symbols mean something and symbols often can spark hope and action in people particularly young people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/symbols-mean-something-and-symbols-often-can-spark-hope-and-action-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I often can't remember which scenes are and aren't in the final product, because I saw so many different versions of the Lemony Snicket…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-often-can-t-remember-which-scenes-are-and-aren-t-in-the-final/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) ## 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 Burden quotes > [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) [Simone Abou Samra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-abou-samra/) > [Trump's enduring appeal is a resource to be harnessed by the Republican Party, not a burden to be jettisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/trump-s-enduring-appeal-is-a-resource-to-be-harnessed-by-the/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“What a burden it must be to know all the terrible things you've done and support it with arms unfit to carry it all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-weikel/what-a-burden-it-must-be-to-know-all-the-terrible-things-you-ve-done/) [K. Weikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-weikel/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [It's a burden trying to keep a secret. It's hard. It probably takes more out of you trying to hold it and keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/it-s-a-burden-trying-to-keep-a-secret-it-s-hard-it-probably-takes/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [I've always liked artists like Chris Burden, who would take performances, put them in galleries, and then do things that were on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blaine/i-ve-always-liked-artists-like-chris-burden-who-would-take/) [David Blaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blaine/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Browse all 2,567 Burden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some [people] may be \"servants of the power structure,\" but that has to be shown. I think it often can be shown, but the burden of proof is on the critic who puts forth that thesis in particular cases.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power-structure-but-that-has-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Burden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power-structure-but-that-has-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/noam-chomsky-42_burden_some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power_1167737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/noam-chomsky-42_burden_some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power_1167737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/noam-chomsky-42_burden_some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power_1167737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some [people] may be \"servants of the power structure,\" but that has to be shown. I think it often can be…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Noam Chomsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Some [people] may be \"servants of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power-structure-but-that-has-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/some-people-may-be-servants-of-the-power-structure-but-that-has-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```