Challenges Faced by Noam Chomsky: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Noam Chomsky faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Noam Chomsky is a highly influential American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and political activist. He revolutionized linguistics with his theory of universal grammar. Beyond academia, Chomsky is a prominent critic of US foreign policy, capitalism, and corporate media. He's written extensively on these topics, solidifying his position as a leading intellectual voice on the left. His work spans linguistics, political analysis, and social criticism, making him one of the most cited living authors.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1962: Joined Vietnam War Protests

In 1962, Chomsky joined protests against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, speaking at small gatherings in churches and homes.

1967: Publication of "The Responsibility of Intellectuals"

In 1967, Chomsky's critique of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, "The Responsibility of Intellectuals", was published in The New York Review of Books, marking his debut as a public dissident.

1968: Questioned Student Protests

In 1968, Chomsky questioned the objectives of the student protests, yet regularly lectured to student activist groups and ran undergraduate courses on politics at MIT independently of the conservative-dominated political science department.

1969: Chomsky threatens to protest Rostow's return to MIT.

In 1969, Chomsky threatened to protest publicly if Walt Rostow, a major architect of the Vietnam war, was denied a position at MIT.

1969: Publication of American Power and the New Mandarins

In 1969, Chomsky's first political book, American Power and the New Mandarins, was published, compiling his essay "The Responsibility of Intellectuals" and other political articles.

1970: Publication of At War with Asia

In 1970, Chomsky published the political book, At War with Asia, furthering his critique of U.S. foreign policy.

1970: Visited Southeast Asia

In 1970, Chomsky visited southeast Asia to lecture at Vietnam's Hanoi University of Science and Technology and toured war refugee camps in Laos.

1973: Commemorated War Resisters League Anniversary

In 1973, Chomsky helped lead a committee commemorating the 50th anniversary of the War Resisters League.

1973: Publication of The Backroom Boys and For Reasons of State

In 1973, Chomsky published two political books: The Backroom Boys and For Reasons of State.

1974: Publication of Peace in the Middle East?

In 1974, Chomsky published the political book, Peace in the Middle East?, published by Pantheon Books.

1979: Publication of The Political Economy of Human Rights

In 1979, Chomsky and Herman's revised Counter-Revolutionary Violence was published by South End Press as the two-volume The Political Economy of Human Rights.

1980: Faurisson Affair

In 1980, Chomsky defended Robert Faurisson's right to freedom of speech, leading to widespread condemnation and accusations of Holocaust denial against Chomsky himself.

February 1988: Landau defends Chomsky's exclusion from policy debate

In February 1988, Saul Landau wrote for The Washington Post that Chomsky's insights are excluded from the policy debate and that his relentless prose and rationalist anarchism reflect a justified frustration.

2004: Publication of "The Anti-Chomsky Reader"

In 2004, Peter Collier and David Horowitz published "The Anti-Chomsky Reader", in which they accuse Chomsky of cherry-picking facts to suit his theories. Horowitz has also criticized Chomsky's anti-Americanism.

January 2006: Criticism from Peter Schweizer

In January 2006, Peter Schweizer of the Hoover Institution criticized Chomsky for favoring estate tax and massive income redistribution but protecting his own intellectual property and receiving high speaking fees.

2010: Denial of Entry to West Bank

In 2010, Chomsky was denied entry to the West Bank due to his criticisms of Israel. He was invited to lecture at Bir Zeit University and meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman later stated it was a mistake.

September 2012: Kozloff's Criticism of Chomsky

In September 2012, Nikolas Kozloff wrote for Al Jazeera that Chomsky has drawn attention to misdeeds of the U.S. and its proxies but has turned into an ideologue, avoiding controversy and significant discussion of Belarus or Latin America's leaders.

2016: Rebuke by President Erdoğan

In early 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey publicly rebuked Chomsky after he signed an open letter condemning Erdoğan for his anti-Kurdish repression and double standards on terrorism. Chomsky accused Erdoğan of hypocrisy for supporting al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate.

2023: Chomsky Suffers Stroke

In 2023, Chomsky suffered a massive stroke and was flown to a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, to recuperate. He can no longer walk or communicate, making his return to public life improbable, but he continues to follow current events.

June 2024: Discharge from Hospital

In June 2024, Chomsky was discharged from a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, to continue his recovery at home after suffering a massive stroke in 2023. False reports of his death trended on social media.