Is Noam Chomsky Wrong About Propaganda?

Note: This essay is incomplete and a work in progress. Sections may be missing, arguments may be disjointed. Noam Chomsky is an absolutely titanic figure on the American left. For most of the Cold War, he served as the premier public intellectual for anyone of a more radical disposition. In the modern day, the figure of the public intellectual carries less importance – which might explain why it’s difficult to really point to anyone who has definitively carried his torch. Sure, one can pick out current-day left-wing academics and media figures, but there’s none which have really struck the balance he has. This was a man whose ideas had wide-reach among the activist base while also having enough rigor to earn academic respect. His talent came in his ability to apply his thought to the cycle of current events while also still providing meaningful theoretical innovations: he could speak at a common level without blowing hot air.