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| Editor's Note The last quarter saw a lot happening, the most significant being Chomsky’s visit to Pakistan. Keeping this in perspective, it was not merely a temptation to give him utmost coverage in our latest issue of EDucate! it was an important responsibility. I say responsibility for these reasons: 1) Noam Chomsky is hardly known in this part of the world where we live, therefore, it’s necessary to talk about him and all that he stands for, 2) Those who know him (like the majority present at his talks in both the cosmopolitan cities) misinterpreted him as being merely a critic of his country’s foreign policies and did not acknowledge him for what he really is: a world–renowned linguist, philosopher and political analyst of our times, 3) People are overwhelmed by his prowess for linguistics and politics and tend to “idolize” him, which he has remained vehemently opposed to. Chomsky is a pursuer of freedom and social justice, who denies any cult following. It’s important to understand and learn from his struggle for truth rather than ‘glamorize’ it. This EDucate! celebrates the life and works of Noam Chomsky, the most cited revolutionary of our times. It would not be an overstatement to say that he is to us what Socrates was to the Grecians. In fact in the history of intellectual pacesetters, he ranks eighth, just behind Plato and Freud. Also he is one of the ten most quoted sources in the humanities along with Marx, Shakespeare and the Bible. James Peck, in his introduction to the Chomsky Reader, writes, “In all American history, no one’s writings are more unsettling than Noam Chomsky’s… No intellectual tradition quite captures his voice… No party claims him; he is a spokesman for no ideology.” Professor of Linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he has to his credit some 70 books and a steady stream of articles, not to mention his assiduous speaking schedule that frequently takes him around the world. His enigmatic flair for both linguistics and politics sets him apart from the typical academic faction and makes him, in the words of David Barsamian, “a very special person to many people – not just in the United States, but around the world.” Although never truly brought in the limelight by the mainstream media, Chomsky’s works still dominate the progressive global academia, journals and the Internet. His words exude the supremacy to draw audiences in the thousands even though he is not a charismatic speaker, as he himself admits. “Learning from Chomsky” – a comprehensive feature that glimpses into his works, beliefs and teachings will hopefully prove invaluable to all those who want to learn more about Chomsky and understand his standpoints on a number of issues. Compiling it was surely an enlightening experience. The readers will find some parts missing from this issue; the Urdu glossaries (farhang), some regulars like “Global Media for Global Control”, “Devil–opment”, etc. But since this is entirely a Chomsky special, therefore, we tried hard to include articles that exclusively revolved around him and his teachings. We promise to bring you EDucate! including all its customary attributes next quarter. Chomsky gives us a message of hope… He is the embodiment of hope and he teaches us to scrutinize and challenge our conditions rather than being submissive to them. It is important to learn from him because his relentless logic and “razor–sharp intellect” are a guiding light in these hours of ignorance, despair and privation. Through EDucate! we aspire to propagate the same hopefulness and we believe that you too will share our spirit and struggle. Ambreena Aziz |
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