The Norwegian left-wing daily "Klassekampen" recently (Aug. 24) carried a long interview with american sociologist Peter L. Berger. I am not acquainted with him, but since he was given so much space in this paper, I thought he was a marxist or left-winger or something similar. But during the interview, he delivered a very primitive attack on Noam Chomsky, and this prompts me to ask the U.S. subscribers to this list: Who is Berger? Here is the relevant sequence from the interview, in my translation: (Klassekampen asks:) "Do you agree with Chomsky when he says that the strong emphasis on globalization (in the media, I assume. I haven't seen this from Chomsky myself - T.A) is a propaganda technique with the only intention to give an impression that something is going on that is beyond our control?" (Berger replies:) "As a general rule, I will not take seriously anything from Chomsky except things he says on linguistics". Ny comment: This seems incredibly arrogant. Does he he say such things to the U.S. media, too, or does he think he may chance it in far-away Norway?? He is also not too smart in his analysis, when we consider his elaboration: "This (the Chomsky statement, - T.A.) is a very meaningless statement. Globalization is a fact. It is not something that was invented by someone. Parly because of mass communication, electronics and technology, we today have a global economy like never before, where enormous amounts of money and power are transferred by the push of a button...". My comments: First, these are neoliberal cliches of the most common kind, in fact exactly the type of repetitive deterministic "T.I.N.A" propaganda that Chomsky (supposedly) criticizes. Secondly (and embarassing for Berger), he misunderstands grossly: No one with an open mind (and I consider Chomsky an eminent example of that) will deny that the world is - and will be - strongly transformed by the advances in computer, communications, and media technology. But that was not the issue here! The issue was and is that these objective developments are MISUSED - through 100% one-sided propaganda - to engender resignation and apathy among the public, thus creating a world (the hopeful goal of the transnationals) which is without active and participating citizens, but full of passive and obedient "consumers". The gross intellectual dishonesty here is that people of Berger's type refuse to even consider, and certainly not examine, OTHER future options, which are ALSO possible, based on these new technologies: One may perfectly well construct furure societies where these tools are used to achieve MORE local autonomy, MORE control with capital flows, MORE democratic processes etc. etc. Berger seems to be one of many in academia who has rescinded all curiosity and creativity on this issue, and thus reduced himself to a playback machine for the neoliberals. If anyone has his e-mail address, feel free to forward this to him! Trond --- Trond Andresen ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) | phone (work) +47 7359 4358 Department of Engineering Cybernetics | fax (work) +47 7359 4399 Norwegian University of Science and Technology| private ph. +47 7353 0823 N-7034 Trondheim, NORWAY | cellular ph. +47 9016 6930 http://www.itk.ntnu.no/ansatte/Andresen_Trond __________________________
