Noam Chomsky on the role of sports in propaganda-based authority

[LooseWilly]

91. Wait... how did sports play an *anti-authoritarian* role here?

You seem to be asserting a false equivalence here... Chomsky didn't, as I recall, say that "all sports are propaganda"... he merely indicated that sports has its use as a ... well, I'll call it a "building block" for "loyalty feedback systems"... which is my paraphrasing of what I remember of Chomsky's statements... which may prove wrong... feel free to cite how so.

The fact of the South African Rugby team winning isn't an "anti-authoritarian" role... it is simply something that happened while the government was making anti-authoritarian changes... and it probably did become something of a symbol of the "divine grace" of those changes... but to say that sports played an anti-authoritarian role seems like a bit of a stretch. Better to argue that of the Iranian World Cup players who wore green and were kicked off the team... but their anti-authoritarian "role" was a failure (well, in the concrete short-term... in the long-term, who knows what that demonstration might've sparked).

I would, also, point out that I included myself in the blanket statement that we're all "fucking idiots". If you have a problem with embracing the fact that you're a fucking idiot... well, take it up with Allah... but as I see it we all do idiotic stuff... we're all in the "fucking idiot" boat... no matter how it chafes our personal pride. Me as much as anyone. Not you?...

I don't know what you are trying to say about anything being "inherently" a conduit of "propaganda-based authority"... I don't recall saying anything of the sort... or writing it... or even thinking it. The possibilities of utilizing any of the above, I would assume you wouldn't deny as a possibility?... Sports, technology, media... language... all are easily utilized as a means of transmission of "propaganda-based authority"... inherently?? I never said that. I agree that that is preposterous.