Laura Ingraham calls Chomsky a moron

[the_outsider]

<rant>
and she refers to him as that "statistics" professor from MIT. She was talking to Daniel Flynn about his new book. Statistics and linguistics do not seem to make any difference to her. I bet she has no ideas about Chomsky's pioneering, groundbreaking theoretical work on universal grammar, "deep structure", natural language syntax and semantics and their application to cognitive science and foundation of theoretical computer science which means foundation of modern computers. The ignorance does not bother her the slightest bit and does not stop her from name-calling Chomsky who according to NYT is "arguably the most important intellectual alive". NYT does not enjoy Chomsky's politics either, but they can at least respect Chomsky as a linguist and scientist.I happen to think Chomsky's works on political theories, US foreign policies and media are at least as important as his linguistic research, but that's beside the point.

I just wanted to note that the right-wing/neo-con agenda (all the way from top political echelons to their media shills) displays a remarkable combination of ignorance, arrogance and deep derision of anything intelligently different from their worldview. They sometimes wonder why people hate * (and them). I believe deep down most Americans feel very uncomfortable with this combination no matter where they stand on some wedge issues even though they may not always be able to articulate it. Eventually that discomfort will show up in the election results. IMO the dumbing down of creative and analytical American mind is the most dangerous trait of their agenda - even more dangerous than their imperial agenda - because without the first the second can not continue.
<end of rant>

[teach1st]

1. Thank you

The popular trend toward anti-intellectualism is alarming.

[Maestro]

2. Ditto

Very scary...as a teacher, I find most of our leaders to absolute twits who couldn't even pass one of the exit level tests that they are imposing on our kids.

[Killarney]

14. Yes, I have a big problem with this trend, too.

Anyone intelligent is called "elitist" etc. It's alarming.

[Englander]

3. Well,fuck her...

and the horse she rode into town on

[Mandate My Ass]

4. The Nazis (original Nazis) rounded up the intellectuals first

nuff said.

[ender]

5. yeh... first thing that comes to my mind, when desribing an MIT'er...

is "moron"

[MatrixEscape]

6. Winston Thinks:

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right. The obvious, the silly, and the true had got to be defended. Truisms are true, hold on to that! The solid world exists, its laws do not change. Stones are hard, water is wet, objects unsupported fall towards the earth's centre."

- 1984, George Orwell

[displacedtexan]

7. Well, she would know now, wouldn't she?

Read this to understand Laura et al:

http://www.apa.org/journals/psp/psp7761121.html

Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments

Justin Kruger and David Dunning
Department of Psychology
Cornell University

Abstract
People tend to hold overly favorable views of their abilities in many social and intellectual domains. The authors suggest that this overestimation occurs, in part, because people who are unskilled in these domains suffer a dual burden: Not only do these people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it. Across 4 studies, the authors found that participants scoring in the bottom quartile on tests of humor, grammar, and logic grossly overestimated their test performance and ability. Although their test scores put them in the 12th percentile, they estimated themselves to be in the 62nd. Several analyses linked this miscalibration to deficits in metacognitive skill, or the capacity to distinguish accuracy from error. Paradoxically, improving the skills of participants, and thus increasing their metacognitive competence, helped them recognize the limitations of their abilities.

[OnionPatch]

8. Laura Ingraham isn't worth

a pimple on Noam Chomsky's ass.

[Cat Atomic]

9. Ingraham is a conservative propagandist. It's an honor to be hated

by people like that.

[ladybugg33]

10. It's typical Republican tactics. When they can't win with truth and facts

they resort to lying.

[MARALE]

11. Welcome!

Enjoy DU Outsider!:toast:

[i_c_a_White_Ghost]

12. she's a nasal voice whore

[GRLMGC]

13. And she's a fuck

what's her point?

[meow2u3]

15. fed2dneck calls Laura Ingraham a lying bitch!

[noiretextatique]

16. LMAO...don't mean to be flippant

your point about anti-intellectualism is painfully obvious: gw bush.
but i do find ingraham's comment an unintentional assessment of her obviously limited intellectual capacity. it's clear to me that she has never read a word chomsky has written, nor would she be able to comprehend it if she tried. her "opinion" should be deposited here :hurts:

[toddaa]

17. Turn off your computer, Laura Ingraham

It's filled with Context Free Grammars. DAMN YOU CHOMSKY!!!