I alway appreciate Noam Chomsky and his ability to discuss that issues are complex, and maybe don't have a clear cut solution. Hearing his thoughts always opens my eyes to the world more. And to have his thoughts together in one place is nice. That said, this collection made the choice to go in reverse chronological order and it feels bizarre to get more and more distant from some of the events being discussed. Conversations like these should be building rather than feeling like you're going back in time and this was an issue then too.

Chomsky is an incredible intellectual, and his ideas and opinions are always supported by a deep understanding of history. This collection of interviews proves no different, as he shares his thoughts on various contemporary issues. What is most compelling is that his strong opinions have a basis in a broad knowledge, and all of his positions feel grounded in a context much bigger than what we are usually given by the media. In that regard I enjoyed all of these interviews and think there is value in them.

With that said, other than as maintaining an archive of his work and thought, I do question who exactly this is for. This is the fourth such collection of interviews that Haymarket Books have published, so I suppose there is an audience for them. As much as I really appreciate Chomsky’s thought, I don’t think I may be that audience. These interviews range from July 2022 through June 2023, and they all cover contemporary events. They are all relatively short and aren’t presenting any larger or cohesive thesis or argument; they are responses to specific events as they happen. As such the collection feels like a time capsule, but not, more than a year after the final interview took place, while the history and deep understanding that birthed Chomsky’s position hasn’t changed, the circumstances certainly have. Everything feels so topical that it is hard to grasp onto to one thing as a core idea or take away, other than the refrains Chomsky has been singing for decades (which boil down to how neoliberalism is a “savage class warfare,” and greed and wealth inequality, from which grow militarism and so forth, will basically doom us all). It is not that his responses aren’t still relevant, but, given how fast the world is moving they sometimes feel like they are out of step with the scale of issues happening at the moment.

Plus, there is the curious decision to structure the interviews in reverse chronological order, so the newest is first in the collection, and the oldest is last. Especially with the number of essays on the war in Ukraine this just feels odd, because instead of seeing the growth and development and commitment to his position we see almost a regression. Maybe there is a useful reason for reverse chronological order, but it didn’t feel useful to me, it felt like it stripped away context even more. Additionally, the format led to a lot of overlap, not just in ideas but in turns of phrase, and that level of repetition didn’t reinforce his thought as much as made it expected, by the end. In a similar vein, it is hard to feel like the interviews live up to the title. In the introduction we are reminded that Chomsky always insists on “optimism over despair,” that he believes in humanity. But to suggest that he offers viable solutions to any of the issues would be wildly avoiding reality. Does he propose what would be, if they were ever implemented, actually effective at combatting the issues he addresses? Yes, certainly. But none of those solutions are pragmatic, insofar as they would require billionaires and oppressive governments and those most empowered and strengthened by their greed and lack of human decency to entirely reverse course and choose to work for humanity instead of for themselves. It is almost the opposite of hope, because it shows that things don’t have to be the way they are but the mechanisms for actually changing things seem to lie far outside of the hands of ordinary people. Basically, if those with all the power chose to give up their power than we could fix things, but otherwise… ?

In short, Chomsky’s thought is always engaging, and even at 95 he is a deep well of expansive insight. This book serves as a great archive of his engagement with contemporary issues, to which he brings an incredibly detailed understanding of the history of power. It that it succeeds and can be a valuable resource in that way.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Haymarket Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Seeing the world through Chomsky's eyes is truly enriching, but it is also dramatic and frightening.

Vedere il mondo con gli occhi di Chomsky é veramente un'arricchimento, ma é anche drammatico e spaventoso.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

A collection of conversations Chomsky has had over the years, compiled in this easy to read volume on a variety of subjects. This might be a good introduction to someone unfamiliar with Chomsky's writing but treads well covered ground for those more versed in his speeches and writing.

A well-organized transcripts of Noam Chomsky’s interviews discussing AI, sustainability, and human rights with Chomsky's trademark of clarity and open-to-discussion approach. His diplomatic approach underscores the complexity of these issues, highlighting that most do not have clear-cut answers but instead require open dialogue and ongoing analysis.

It is a fine book in the stle of late Chomsky books. He is arguably a more compelling speaker than writer so these books that are well edited transcripts in some ways are more digestible than some of his written books.