--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those lucky enough to qualify as…" description: "\"Those lucky enough to qualify as \"intellectuals\" have their own special responsibilities, deriving from their good fortune. Among these is the task tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/noam-chomsky-42_enough_those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intelle_2561405.jpg" --- # Those lucky enough to qualify as "intellectuals" have… ![“Those lucky enough to qualify as "intellectuals" have their own special responsibilities, deriving from their good fortune. Among these is the task that [Edward] Said describes, surely an important one.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/noam-chomsky-42_enough_those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intelle_2561405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/noam-chomsky-42_enough_those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intelle_2561405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/noam-chomsky-42_enough_those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intelle_2561405.jpg) > “Those lucky enough to qualify as "intellectuals" have their own special responsibilities, deriving from their good fortune. Among these is the task that \[Edward\] Said describes, surely an important one.” [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. Intellectuals, by virtue of privilege, bear a duty to use their insight responsibly, addressing societal inequities. **In simple terms:** Intellectuals must act responsibly because of their privilege. Key Takeaway Use knowledge to serve the public good. Themes responsibility privilege ethics Mood reflective serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - academia - policy making - media commentary - education - activism Key Concepts social justice intellectual duty public discourse Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with academic privilege? - How can scholars impact real-world change? A Different Perspective Intellectuals may lack influence without platforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Good fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-fortune/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Intellectuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectuals/) [Intellectuals Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectuals-special-1610020/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Qualify Intellectuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualify-intellectuals-1610019/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Special Responsibilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-responsibilities-1610021/) [Surely Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surely-important-347965/) [Tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasks/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [I've always worked - I can't stay at home and do Cokes and teas, although I think that for those people who want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalynn-carter/i-ve-always-worked-i-can-t-stay-at-home-and-do-cokes-and-teas/) [Rosalynn Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalynn-carter/) > [I know of people whose actions and words I admire and respect. Some are called "intellectuals," some are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-know-of-people-whose-actions-and-words-i-admire-and-respect-some/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Given their unusual privilege, Western intellectuals can realistically accomplish a great deal. The limits are imposed by will more than objective circumstances. And about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/given-their-unusual-privilege-western-intellectuals-can-realistically/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [So if you look at the writings of intellectuals, there are two kinds. One said, l"Look, if we fought harder we could have won.But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/so-if-you-look-at-the-writings-of-intellectuals-there-are-two-kinds/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Most of intellectuals are false prophets, flatterers of the court. The real prophets are the exception and treated badly. How badly they're treated depends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/most-of-intellectuals-are-false-prophets-flatterers-of-the-court-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [How many educated Americans can even remember the names of the assassinated Jesuit intellectuals of El Salvador, or would know where to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/how-many-educated-americans-can-even-remember-the-names-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Intellectuals of the categories happen to enjoy unusual privilege, unique in history, I suppose. It's easy enough to find ugly illustrations of repression, malice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/intellectuals-of-the-categories-happen-to-enjoy-unusual-privilege/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't bother writing about Fox News. It is too easy. What I talk about are the liberal intellectuals, the ones who portray themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-bother-writing-about-fox-news-it-is-too-easy-what-i-talk/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Dissident intellectuals aren't all beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/dissident-intellectuals-aren-t-all-beautiful/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The beam in our own eye is harder to detect, although - or more accurately because - to detect it, and remove it, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-beam-in-our-own-eye-is-harder-to-detect-although-or-more/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Intellectuals are in a position to expose the lies of governments, to analyze actions according to their causes and motives and often hidden intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/intellectuals-are-in-a-position-to-expose-the-lies-of-governments-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Whenever there is injustice, oppression, aggression, violence, it's standard for it to be supported by those we now call "intellectuals," but typically not by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whenever-there-is-injustice-oppression-aggression-violence-it-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ That is \[Edward Said\] proposal as to how the term should be used. It surely does not describe those who are called "intellectuals" in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/that-is-edward-said-proposal-as-to-how-the-term-should-be-used-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“People are called intellectuals because they're privileged. It's not because they're smart or they know a lot. There are plenty of people who know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/people-are-called-intellectuals-because-they-re-privileged-it-s-not/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ Intellectuals (in the standard sense of the term, not \[ Edward\] Said's prescriptive sense) are the people who write history. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/intellectuals-in-the-standard-sense-of-the-term-not-edward-said-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## 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 Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) [Rena Kornreich Gelissen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rena-kornreich-gelissen/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) [Browse all 23,898 Enough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those lucky enough to qualify as \"intellectuals\" have their own special responsibilities, deriving from their good fortune. Among these is the task that [Edward] Said describes, surely an important one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intellectuals-have-their-own-special/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intellectuals-have-their-own-special/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/noam-chomsky-42_enough_those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intelle_2561405.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/noam-chomsky-42_enough_those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intelle_2561405.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/noam-chomsky-42_enough_those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intelle_2561405.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those lucky enough to qualify as \"intellectuals\" have their own special responsibilities, deriving from…” — 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": "Those lucky enough to qualify as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intellectuals-have-their-own-special/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/those-lucky-enough-to-qualify-as-intellectuals-have-their-own-special/#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 } } ] } ```