How can a new generation of leftists learn from Chomsky’s practice as well as his theory? Our own conversation with Professor Chomsky on this week’s episode of Krystal Kyle & Friends reveals how important this question is to him. Chomsky hopes that his lifetime of work will provide insight into current political struggles — against corporate looting of workers’ wages, against the repression of organized labor, and against imperialism. After speaking with him about these struggles and about how the left can respond to them, it’s clear that the lessons Chomsky offers us are truly indispensable.
There is a world of difference between Cuba’s approach to vaccine distribution — which recognizes a collective commitment to global health — and the greedy resource grabs of the U.S., which has treated vaccine development as a race to prove its supremacy. In our discussion, Chomsky points out how the U.S.’s response to the coronavirus is a disaster with international implications. His argument for international solidarity also extends through another crisis of our time: the struggle against climate change. While wealthy countries continue to exploit resources like fossil fuels, threatening communities and destroying the environment in the process, stressing individual responsibility for climate disaster won’t save us. We need international solidarity, and we need solid organizing strategies that will help us to achieve it. To hear more about Chomsky’s ideas on leftists’ challenges and goals, as well as his political journey, join us for this week’s episode of Krystal Kyle & Friends.
Audio is available on major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. To access the video, which drops on Friday through Substack, click the button below:
Episode 6 Audio: Noam Chomsky