Oddbean new post about login | logout #introduction Chomsky once said: “We shouldn't be looking for heroes, we should be looking for good ideas… All over the place, from the popular culture to the propaganda system, there is constant pressure to make people feel that they are helpless, that the only role they can have is to ratify decisions and to consume.” We’ll be sharing Chomsky’s wisdom and related work, not to engage in hero-worship, but to support and inspire all of you here at @nos.social with ideas. Through participation in this project, we’re building revolution together. ✊ Brought to you by Noam’s friends at ZNetwork.org: Noam is one of the most impactful educators of our time and has been an invaluable contributor to @ZNet over the decades. We’re excited to learn about your work and to discuss some essential Chomsky. https://image.nostr.build/6c0abd2d997dbc1aa9e9c583de527ee0de4ddcfbc7f4ae2c7d1852590bf61774.gif
RIP x
The rumors circulated today thay Noam Chomsky had passed away are NOT true. We have spoken to his wife, Valeria, for confirmation today. A few major publications have taken down their obviously pre-prepared Chomsky "memorial" articles that were posted earlier today. A little rigor & decency is in order above the race to be first. Let's honor Chomsky's example in this way.
So sorry! Wow I thought I could at least trust news sources on something like this. A lot of people been taken for a ride.
Yes it was mass confusion yesterday. And to clarify, in calling for rigor and decency i was referring to those publications who shared the fake news without verifying. Not blaming you and others who were just reacting to their announcements.
No problem, there were some very ‘credible sources’ reporting it, not some nym on X. I wonder how this sort of news filters in? Wishing Mr Chomsky well.
On yesterday’s rumor debacle, it’s an interesting reflection of what corporate/mainstream platforms like X elevate. Take Jacobin and The New Statesman, who are both generally considered credible but who ran Noam’s obituaries yesterday without first verifying if he had actually died. This plus millions of tweets blew up in a fake news explosion. Both publications gave into pressure to be first, be shocking, and therefore be the most viral over prioritizing journalistic rigor. This is a demonstration of how the media ecosystem pressures publications to seek virality over trust in a systemic way. It’s only logical that if you want to survive and thrive as a publication or journalist, you will respond to the pressure that this structure applies. So though it’s no excuse, we can understand how it happened. But as users/consumers of media, this does not serve us well at all. Hence why we here and at @ZNet are supporters of @rabble , @nos.social , and all who are working to revolutionize a true people’s media via liberatory platforms and structures.
