Hey Folks,

So I am reading some Chomsky today, when I come across this particular statement. Generally, I like Chomsky; yet, I find too often his favorite phrase is "I've gone over this before in other places, and so won't do it here". That being said, I have two books of his now, so perhaps will find those "other places."

Anyway, here's the quote I wanted your opinion on. It was in his response to a question on fundamentalist Islam.

"The US, in fact, is one of the most fundamentalist cultures in the world; not in the state, but in the popular culture."

As the question dealt with religious fundamentalism, I must assume that is what Chomsky was speaking of. Indeed, I had heard a statement much to the same a few days earlier. I guess, though, I cannot see it. Perhaps due to my proximity to it, or perhaps because it does not exist. I know there are fundamentalist Christians and Muslims in the US, but I do not perceive it as being in the "popular culture". So I'm interested in your take. Is he off the mark, or do you agree?

Uh... while i know very little about Chomsky, I am sure that he was not referring to religious fundamentalism (though one could say that popular culture is a religion). He is referring the the fundamentalism of the culture itself. This is where fundamentalism could be defined where there is a defined set of values that are not broken. Popular culture sets forth values, and it is assumed that you conform to these values. People that don't at shunned and more or less cast out.

In addition the United States is a country which forces its own culture onto other nations. This is very similar to the fundamentalist views of of say... certain islamic people, who feel the need to force their beliefs on. If I am totally misinterpreting who Chomsky is... tell me.


"With the recent accomplishment of the manned lunar landing.... The 1981 manned Mars mission (1982 landing on Mars) is shown as an integral part of the total space program in the next two decades."
- Space Task Group August 4. 1969