Chomsky vs Buckley

Two political super-powers go head to head in this 1969 debate

[@LastAvailableAlias]

Buckley always tried to look so casual that I expected him to slide onto the floor by the end of a show

[@roughhabit9085]

Yes but he did sit bolt upright for the great man Friedrich Hayek .

[@fierypandaofdoom]

@@roughhabit9085 who

[@millpond0809]

Slink like a snake

[@Nantosuelta]

It would be hilarious if he very slowly slid further and further down over the 20 minutes, until for the last few minutes, he's debating him from the floor

[@shawnriffhard]

@@Nantosuelta Richard Dreyfuss came VERY close to doing exactly that on Bill Maher. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIuniqWPmbKCo5o

[@2Cerealbox]

Man, to think this was the level of political discourse in our country at one point.

[@princeandrey]

Perhaps, but Buckley is so full of bloated sophistry (not to mention full of himself) that it's an annoying debate. WB's posturing is no better--in effect--than, say, Paul Ryan's or Marco Rubio's, notwithstanding their apparent differences in style and education.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

True, the level of discourse was vastly superior to what’s on offer these days, but Buckley was a smug, loathsome windbag. Still, even he would have been disturbed by the cringeworthy brand of ‘journalism’ on FOX News - not to mention the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Alex Jones (yikes)!

[@princeandrey]

Noam Chomsky maniacal? I can only aspire to such maniacal thinking and speaking. I am certainly one of these maniacs who is not guilty at all about the US, but have the same critique as Chomsky, and proudly dissociate myself from the US government and State Department!

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Bachagaloop Jones - If Chomsky is maniacal, the ‘libertarian’ neocons are downright sparagmatic.

[@atreuslione1013]

Buckley's voice, posture and vocabulary are so fucking glorious that I don't even mind his sophistry. I wish this was the level of dicussion today, we don't even put intellectuals on TV anymore. Now instead of Chomskies and Foucaults, TV just sends some angry teenage girl to talk nonsense about boys and associate that with the left (who can't deny association because it needs votes).

[@maxmidgett5046]

17:32 "May I complete a sentence?" That sums up this whole discussion.

[@FM-dm8xj]

when your throwing out platitutdes and infactual information the entire discussion, its kinda hard to stay still....

[@saskk2290]

​@@FM-dm8xj or just a motivated interviewer

[@nightmoose]

Buckley's WASPy Yale accent kills me lol. Sounds like he's gargling a martini and getting richer as he speaks.

[@tonyclifton265]

lol his accent is so beautiful. i could listen to him read a telephone directory. shame he never became a satnav voice

[@FrankCoffman]

Buckley had a "mid-Atlantic" accent that many theater people and movie actors had at one time. Vincent Price, Katherine Hepburn and many other actors talked like that. It wasn't a fake accent. It was how they were raised to speak, especially with upper class types in New England.

[@nightmoose]

@@FrankCoffman yeah I wasn't saying it was fake just from a certain social class at a certain time. you're right about actors. the most obvious modern example I can think of is Kelsey Grammar from Frasier who also speaks in a very proper mid atlantic-ish dialect. it sounds interesting, a relic from a different time.

[@HoyaSaxaSD]

Hey, he loved his sailboat and playing his harpsichord.

[@FrankCoffman]

@@HoyaSaxaSD ~ Yes, he was a charming gentleman, not like so-called "con-servatives" now. I didn't usually agree with his politics (nor with Chomsky's obsessive anti-Americanism), but I like Buckley personally.

[@whitedog510]

I like how Buckley was desperately trying to find a historical event that he knew more about than Chomsky. Lol

[@whitedog510]

Richard B I’m a raging libertarian, haha. Even I could see Buckley got steamrolled. Chomsky was a force, no shame in that. Maybe you are the bias one?

[@whitedog510]

Richard B Anyone who can say Chomsky’s mind is mediocre must be an intellectual giant. I’m humbled by your presence and apologies for any offense. Dropping the Dunning-Kruger on me was very humiliating. (And so creative! Certainly something no one ever sees on the internets!). I look forward to you sharing your works with us, I’m assuming you have a long resume of works that crushes Chomsky.

[@bradleysmith681]

Exactly. Buckley's $10 words were no match for Chomsky.

[@soulscanner66]

@Richard B It's pretty obvious that on this subject, Buckley was either uninformed compared to Chomsky, or taking him for an idiot.

[@oilyshoes9969]

@@whitedog510 Yea....sure you are.

[@davidanderson4729]

Chomsky: "What about in 1951 where.." Buckley: "Suppose you are a farmer.."

[@souliaq]

Buckley: "suppose you ask me for fertilizer " Chomsky (thinking): "of course, you are full of sh*t"

[@Baci302]

LOL, good one. True! Good thing I wasn't in the middle of swallowing some food or drink.

[@typicaljoe564]

@@euphoricatheist6694 Homophobe

[@Spardeous]

He's just trying to iron out Chomsky's ideas here. Chomsky moves a mile a minute and it's unclear how much of what he says is actually practical vs some abstract special rule he follows for that one particular instance. Buckley's style had always been to grill people about their stances and get them to entrench their positions, that was literally his job on Firing Line.

[@larrypilgrim12]

@@Spardeous I am into this video about 6 minutes and chomsky won't let Buckley finish his viewpoint before chomsky redirects. Chomsky so far is cherry picking and won't concede the difference between regimes and interests. So far I am getting that communist regime is ok and nothing should be done to help the defenseless people who are losing their freedom. All because a company has interest in creating wealth is his reasoning. Well chomsky south Korea/north Korea is the only measure you need to look at. He doesn't believe in obvious pre measure, he needs a complete invasion to warrant military intervention. I believe in peace, and the way to ensure it is consequences.

[@the-rolandk-channel]

Constantly interrupting someone is not the same as winning an argument. Just thought I'd mention it because it doesn't seem to be clear to some.

[@stanmonzon5788]

Wrong! If you constantly interrupt someone you don’t allow them to make their points whilst at the same time making your own. It’s a tactic I use all the time when debating more intelligent/knowledgeable people than me.

[@asdu4412]

One of Graham Chapman's best bits.

[@jaygonya8383]

Kudos

[@redparallax4442]

And…he’s not the messiah! He’s a very naughty boy;)

[@thesprawl2361]

Chapeau

[@eqx7168]

One of the strangest, most surreal experiences a person can go through is to eat 3 or more grams psilocybin mushrooms and simply observe William Buckley's face.

[@Okay-gn3zr]

You win, this is the best comment.

[@mediolanumhibernicus3353]

It’s strange enough even without the drugs.

[@hunter-xp3nu]

That's a good idea

[@Frozen_Smoke1972]

@@hunter-xp3nu Are you sure about that?

[@beep-beepalula258]

I haven't dropped any and it's surreal all right.

[@Monk-Amani.]

"May I complete a sentence" Noam Chomsky.

[@cliffdariff74]

"May I complete a sentence or idea Mr chompsky without being interrupted?"...

[@dooginmcdoogle393]

That's probably when Chomsky formed the Deep Structure of grammar. "May I complete a sentence? *Sentence.... completeness... I.... hmm. Interesting...*"

[@jakemcclintock8696]

Really, I heard Chumpsky doing precisely that to Buckley.

[@baddogone42]

yes it drove me madd

[@bobwilson360]

@@jakemcclintock8696 of course you did, dumbass

[@israelrojas1985]

Chomsky: can I say something? Buckley: WHY

[@spectralcodec]

Buckley is so intent on running the show that it totally gets in the way of any intellectual argument that he may or may not have actually had.

[@ReisterJP]

Running the show? you mean "firing line" hosted by William Buckley

[@anomimeso7009]

Chomsky: may i... complete a sentence? sums up the video.

[@khav11]

chomsy appeals to neckbeard losers like you

[@cattyteamonheight4]

@@khav11 you triggered, snowflake?

[@oatmealeater7711]

@@cattyteamonheight4 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@patrickwilliams7496]

@@headie3737 lmfao, bro the pictures are literally cherry picked, depending on what youre watching, Fox would pick pictures of the better looking ones, where cnn would pick the ugliest pictures. Just like every picture of Trump on CNN is bad and every picture of Obama on Fox is bad.

[@adohmnail6445]

It is mostly stuttering nonsense so we aren't missing much.

[@MaoTseFunkadelic]

Buckley: Imagine a world where my premises aren't imaginary. Chomsky: No.

[@svpearlsailacapegeorgesail4758]

Sums up the whole debate!

[@jackriver1999]

Good one!

[@roughhabit9085]

Imagine if Chomsky was a Greek man living in Greece and in fact that country had succumbed to communism. As a university professor he would be one of the first to be lined up against the wall and shot . Does anybody see the irony in that ? People think that during the Cold War the KGB’s psychological warfare and ideological subversion was limited to third world countries! On the contrary their major target was the United States, and what a wonderful job they did.

[@jopalolive]

@@roughhabit9085 somewhat disagree, if he had been a communist professor he would be one of the first to line people up against a wall and then shoot them. That type of thinking is unfortunately still with us, maybe always will be.

[@TachiMang]

@@jopalolive he said, “as a university professor” not “as a communist university professor” loll

[@anaccount8474]

Buckley does that thing people always do when they can't argue a point, keep the discussion superficial and keep moving to one point after another.

[@danielbowers4008]

Ben Shapiro does that.

[@HocusPocus6969]

Noam is straight forward, Buckley is very conscious of the image he projects (i.e., acting).

[@gregbors8364]

@@JonathanCarterAny right-winger who can string two thoughts together is considered an intellectual giant by today’s conservatives (Shapiro and Jordan Peterson come to mind)

[@dohpam1ne]

it's funny to see how quickly Buckley backs off each specific example when he realizes Chomsky knows way more about it than he does

[@tiborosz1825]

Except he doesn't..Chomsky just bombards with semantics and doesn't let WFB to even finish a sentence.

[@markhiggins8315]

​@@tiborosz1825Reality is a stranger to you. Either you don't understand the history of points made where it's clear that Chomsky is correct factually, historically and yes the moral points may be debated but issue by issue Buckley pivots every time Chomsky exposes his factually incorrect claims. Again this isn't who is correct in terms of ideology simply who clearly knows the facts of each situation.

[@tiborosz1825]

@@markhiggins8315 well what is fact in a historical perspective? One might argue there was never a communist state in existence since neither a hívek íz through socialism. Now all arguments against the ideology is null and void because there is no control of the experiment? Bullshit. Chomsky is nitpicking.

[@evanstj5]

Chomsky clearly is more informed of the issues and has the better analysis.

[@tiborosz1825]

@@evanstj5 that is a matter of opinion. Most of his points are based on his views and assumptions. His analysis on the intentions of the thrird reich is way off and highly debateable. His onvious nitpicking in semantics just shows he is here for a brawl not a discussion.fuck him and his ilk.

[@nson4319]

Buckley can't stop jumping around, preventing Chomsky from talking about anything deeply. Mind boggling amount of goal post shifting

[@robmorgan1214]

Buckley was CIA and purposefully fuzzing up the debate and blurring/confusing the historical narrative to ensure consistency with the approved version of events when faced with someone aquainted with the actual historical record. Common disinformation technique at the time. Less used today we mostly just repeat a lie enough till it becomes familiar to enough people to capture the zeitgeist.

[@robmorgan1214]

@onelove he definitely got that. He was literally captured and tortured to death by terrorists in Lebanon in 1985. He was a high ranking CIA officer.

[@robmorgan1214]

@onelove lol. George Hebert Walker a bush CIA officer and CIA Director! Take that jerry Lewis!

[@robmorgan1214]

@onelove welcome to mirror world: The Farm edition.

[@robmorgan1214]

@onelove also... don't feel like an asshole. He was NOT a nice person. Given his role in the Intel community he was almost certainly a war criminal and psychopath or inhumanely negligent and dishonest. The only time you grieve the passing of a monster is when you consider how LONG it took some other monster to catch and devour him. He like many evolutionary throwbacks probably did much worse than was done to him and ENJOYED it.

[@williamsmith9248]

"If I just keep talking in a smug condescending manner no will notice Im getting my ass kicked"

[@ampark09]

Chomsky. You're talking about Chomsky right? Bc he lost the argument.

[@notthisnotthat]

@@ampark09 congratulations on being a moron.

[@ampark09]

@@notthisnotthat congrats on not replying to my points at all.

[@emmanueloluga9770]

@@ampark09 Actually Buckley did....There are way more reputable right wingers that could have given Chomsky a better debate. Honestly, at that point in time, Buckley to me had fallen from his glory days and was just a poster boy. Friedman for example would have been a better equal. Also note, many of this high profile and prominent figures of political ideas come from many varying backgrounds of expertise far and wide. I truly believe political expertise to be the most complex and troubling of all due to its scope and impact. This is why you barely see any political experts without heavy bias and full scope of "understanding"

[@notthisnotthat]

@@ampark09 By points, you must mean your unsupported assertion that Chomsky lost? Just curious why you think Chomsky lost... I'm guessing it's because Buckley looked and sounded very snarky when he got the last word in. I find no substantive argument to conclude that Buckley did anything but dodge and deflect while interrupting Chomsky every time he was about to make a point. So please, clarify to me what about Buckley's position you found compelling. Be specific now!

[@Sandedoremi]

This interview is one of only two I can recall in which Mr Buckley's guest simply reduces him to veritable mincemeat. Who was that other guest? James Baldwin, of course, during a Cambridge Union meeting in 1965. Baldwin is superb.

[@fhebert20]

I believe Gore Vidal also ripped him one.

[@ArloCollier]

Yeah James Baldwin is my favourite in the 'Buckley is the only intellectual on the right therefore he must debate everyone' genre. Gore Vidal is fun but as you say Baldwin literally put him in the ground.

[@jennifergottliebel-azhari149]

I'm not on mushrooms but the guy is really a trip. So full of himself. Is he giving an interview? He is talking endlessly and I dont perceive any questions.

[@antoniovasquez9946]

And a drunk Kerouac. Kerouac was a conservative but he didn’t go along with Buckley with the whole Vietnam thing.

[@billbillings8635]

Oh, brother, this "argument" is about as "real" as the Scopes "trial." This was simply round two between the two "limited hangouts" meant to be the "archetypes" for their two camps.

[@PaulDowsettUK]

6:40 Chomsky: “Your history is quite confused here” 20th Century Buckley: ”this is a matter of nomenclature” 21st Century Buckley: ”this is *my* truth”

[@TSE_WOODY]

Actual translation: I’m chatting bollocks but I don’t care that you know

[@SeanusAurelius]

20th Century Chomsky: (Echoes one communist scholar while everyone else, left or right disagrees) Those Vietnamese boat people are a myth. 21st Century Chomsky: How was I supposed to know they weren't a myth? This guy *sounds* convincing and knowledgable, but all he did was uncritically echo any US-critical source while minimising what the USSR and Chinese were doing.

[@johnroscoe2406]

shush, this is social media, you're supposed to worship Chomsky.@@SeanusAurelius

[@codyvandal2860]

@@SeanusAurelius This is the kind of generalizations we get. What *specifically* did he say that was not true? He makes very *specific* arguments and yet the rebuttals are always of a nebulous general quality.

[@hadronoftheseus8829]

He actually said something even more inane: "This _is not_ a nomenclature." Buckley's implication, obviously, is that Chomsky is somehow being pedantic by insisting on semantic clarity when drawing nontrivial distinctions, but this is just a desperate attempt at obfuscatory evasion on Buckley's part.

[@acobster]

Buckley: We never occupied the Dominican Republic. Chomsky: uh yes we did Buckley: You're being evasive!

[@y2m226]

I'm so glad these Third World banana republics come begging us for help and these hard lefties call Americans imperialists. You know Bosnia has a race war America has to go over and stop these assholes and some hippie chants where some Cal-Berkeley professor of Peace Studies craps on the country that got his asshole a job. "Well, I think you mean of course you know I mean I know America is a nippiyty imperialist nation" Well go to Honduras asshole. See how much money you make

[@primeroultimo6776]

Who is this “us” that are supposedly being begged for help? I seriously doubt that anybody with actual political power in America is shitposting and LARPing as a country in the comments of a 50-year-old debate.

[@2010woodcutter]

y2m you sound like an angry man, see your doctor tell him how you feel princess...........PS.. America is a continent did you mean the US? most of your sentence does'nt make a whole lot of sense only saying! Byeeee now remember dont be afraid to ask for help!

[@y2m226]

@@2010woodcutter Well I assume it's America because everytime someone from a Latin country comes fleeing into this awful place, they'll be the first ones to say Me me Meri-kahn. Also you'll hear some great fucking anger the minute my tax dollars doesn't go to foreign aid or the fact that Americans send the Red Cross and doctors all over the world but hey you have American created social media platforms to shit on America excuse the United States of America

[@FknAzzMuncher]

@@2010woodcutter well, it is called the United States of America, and other nations do call north Americans, Americans. Just food for thought, that's all.

[@mozfan2436]

this Chomsky guy has read a book or two, hasn't he?

[@richardlongmore9301]

Chomskys written 100 books or so. There realy good. Buckleys not that smart is he

[@mozfan2436]

*****​ you're one of those nearly extinct, outdated, backward-thinking creatures they call a "Republican" aren't you? 

[@mozfan2436]

Richard Longmore Buckley is kind of thick headed yes. I get the feeling he thinks he's clever though

[@mozfan2436]

***** You sound like a troubled individual who has trouble maintaining relationships with other people

[@michaelbenjamin8]

***** that explains your deluded self view and inability to understand anything other than the simplest view of anything .

[@aircomp]

A master linguist like Chomsky just isn't going to let any sloppiness slide. Amazing to watch. Knowledge, language, and logic seldom co-exist in human beings as they do in Chomsky.

[@therainman7777]

He’s a brilliant linguist and an absurdity on politics.

[@myclocktowermansion]

@@therainman7777 And you're an absurdist on reality, apparently.

[@sixmillionaccountssilenced6721]

@@myclocktowermansion Or he just can't refute Chomsky on politics, that's all.

[@sammauldin1402]

2:46 Why can’t something so simple and entertaining as his particular mannerisms here be found anywhere on any television station today?

[@cwzialor]

I think its normal on British TV

[@coffeebot7016]

16:02 his face just screams "how the hell do i get out of this i can't trip him up on anything!"

[@retroray58warby98]

Buckley sure does love the sound of his own voice.

[@flame-sky7148]

I would too, if I had it. But I think Chomsky turned out correct when the time settled.

[@flame-sky7148]

@Art Deco I guess so, I think his mother is Irish or something, but yea, if you're American, you have no reason to sound like that.

[@retroray58warby98]

pattherealist - Pushing up daisies my friend, he died back in February 2008 aged 82.

[@cjpj72]

And the smell of his own farts, I'm sure.

[@comanchedase]

so does every english man

[@kurtjohnson3917]

One of the rare circumstances where Buckley found himself scrambling and interrupting in order to avoid the salience of Chomsky's points.

[@coconutmacaroon7226]

Out classed.

[@JerseyJD24]

This is not the first. he is almost always saying nothing of substance

[@justinp5661]

I am a Buckley fan. But Chomsky had him reeling the whole time.

[@JerseyJD24]

@@froggin-zp4nr amen.

[@sayno2lolzisback]

That's a nice use of salience

[@patmax9005]

These Interviews Are Fascinating To Me To Go Back & Watch With 21stCentary Eyes With All That Has Come To Pass & Much Which Was Warned Of & Sometimes Laughed Off & Guests Mocked For😕

[@thucy2]

And his comment on Guatemala is amazing. The US in the 1950s overthrew a democratically elected government, leading to decades of repression and civil war. I'm amazed Chomsky is able to stay so cool, while being continually interrupted by one bogus cold war talking point after another.

[@hmmob3956]

thucy2 I was thinking something similar. But that is exactly the way to go. He would not have done anyone a favor, certainly not himself, getting upset. Instead, he stayed calm and destroyed Buckley very calmly with facts and reason. I have listened to this a few times now, and I feel Buckley himself realized that we as in a debate with someone that he could not compete with. In my book, Buckley got utterly destroyed and, best of all, very very clearly realized that.

[@patrickbates3228]

HM MOB I have never seen Chomsky, or Buckley for that matter, get really upset or loud. I hope everyone has seen the debates between Buckley and Gore Vidal. Gore is every bit as pompous as Buckley, but much smarter. If you guys like this, you will love that. I think most intelligent people can argue without getting angry, or at least are able to manage the anger in the moment. I enjoy a heated debate that doesn't include Jerry Springer behavior.

[@procinctu1]

So what? The USA was fighting the spread of global communism. Would the people of Guatemala been better off with communist death camps and door to door purges? This simple minded fault finding is an excuse for critical thinking. Chomsky continuously spit out half-learned factoids of questionable veracity. I think intellectual honesty is important, but Chomsky is more of snake oil salesman than an actual scholar.

[@ItsCronk]

That Guy Are you actually arguing the people of Guatemala can't vote for themselves? Because that is what I'm reading here.

[@bloopersdude1309]

@@procinctu1 baha yeah because that was totally gonna happen 😂

[@handdancin]

this is like watching a 4th grader repeatedly try to score on michael jordan 1 on 1

[@numbo655]

A really fucking smug 4th grader

[@jms-wo7dm]

David Barnes dude Chomsky destroyed that fucking twat

[@seandevine5836]

@@CrasterFamily are you an idiot or are you being as willfully obtuse as buckley?

[@funny3291]

@@CrasterFamily Ha! Trolling bitch right here!

[@vincemeghrouni7805]

@@CrasterFamily Chomsky exposed Buckley again and again for being dead wrong historically, factually, and just plain making up BS, then dodging his extemporized falsehoods by talking over Chomsky. Buckley projects an act that signifies intellectual verbalizing to some people, but it is dismantled easily and unavoidably by someone with the ability to follow a logical train of thought, in this case, Chomsky.

[@ShermerHighSchool]

This level of debating has completely disappeared from the face of the earth. I mean WOW!

[@micahbaxt565]

I think Chomsky made Buckley nervous! Buckley realizes early on that Chomsky was crisp and on point in his responses. He wasn't expecting to have a debate with someone who was well prepared. You can see Buckley shift in his chair and he was sweating(metaphorically).

[@tonyclifton2230]

Yeah Buckley realised he forgot to do his homework and was going to wing it. He came off real bad.

[@tradcath2976]

LOL. Buckley always shifted in his chair.

[@mileshall9235]

Sorry, Chomsky got destroyed.

[@tonyclifton2230]

@@mileshall9235 you must have been watching it on mute to come out with that opinion. No way Buckley even competed never mind won.

[@thomaskamkar5197]

​@@mileshall9235 the only possible way I can guess that you made this take is if you're either entirely judging victory by word count, or that this is bait

[@vsimoul]

I must admit, I admire how Buckley is taking such a pounding and yet maintains his pompous style.

[@baddogone42]

Stiff upper lip old chat... Very Brits

[@earuption]

Reminds me of Huckabee Sanders in that respect

[@blackphillip564]

Being "pompous" or "pretentious" is always an insult thrown at people you disagree with who are also more educated than you. Chomsky is a guy who's spent his whole life in the Ivy League, why isn't he pompous? You don't like Buckley's mid Atlantic accent? Have you listened to Baldwin or the over the top preacherly style of mlk?

[@Hyperbolika]

vsimoul LOL!

[@Hyperbolika]

Black Sheep Chomsky’s not pompous because he’s not pompous. It doesn’t matter what “league” you’re from. An ass is an ass in any setting, as Buckley so amply proves. The outward presentation of Buckley is so shallow that it almost comes off as a parody. The sad thing is that it wasn’t.

[@panathatube]

Buckley seems to be deeply in love with himself.

[@DMG118]

Would you be, if you were William F. Buckley Jr.?

[@panathatube]

@@DMG118 Not necessarily. There have been a lot more brilliant people than him and often a lot more humble self sarcastic even.

[@DeaconShadow]

He simply loved the sound of his own voice. There was nothing else there but naked ideology pretending to be rationale.

[@dingusfartacus9624]

I thought that was any garden variety American, blissfully unaware of the rest

[@wanettarenay8215]

HE SEEMS ON THE VERGE OF CONSUMATING THAT RELATIONSHIP RIGHT ON CAMERA IN FROUNT OF GOD AND EVERYBODY

[@terryhill4732]

And I still don't know what Buckley was ever talking about

[@monotech20.14]

Its gish gallop. Not a lot of actual facts in what he is saying, just what ifs and opinion.

[@xa25ja]

Same. Thought it was just me.

[@truincanada]

He wasnt talking about anything, he was getting his proverbial verbosity kicked in. Had no chance to talk about anything because all of his moves...were erroneous and the wonderfully polite Chomsky continued to lather his face layer after layer with humble pie. 🎉

[@timbateman4680]

Buckley clearly realizes he's getting knocked out here and goes for the clinch. Chomsky still easily wins a unanimous decision.

[@2lostbikes]

Chomsky is giving a masterclass on how to deal with dishonest debate tactics here. It can be difficult to maintain your composure when someone you're speaking with is constantly interrupting you, mischaracterizing what you say, and jumping around from topic to topic. Chomsky handled all of this well and calmly dressed down Buckley.

[@AdamBechtol]

indeed

[@pochi3977]

Sadly these tactics still exist today and people are still falling for it. Just look at every “debate bro” in twitch popularising the same garbage all over again

[@monotech20.14]

Rightwingers continue to do it today.

[@havefunbesafe]

Buckley hit the bottle hard that night.

[@lawrence1318]

@@monotech20.14 If you're not right wing you should be ashamed of yourself.

[@NorwegianDean]

8:24 "Look the world is a complex place" This is one of my favorite Chomsky-quotes.

[@raginald7mars408]

And we haste to make it ever more complex- to make it easier for the Tyrants to Hijack it...

[@lemonsarebitter2069]

@onelove no there not, read the 5 lessons: www.thecommentator.com/article/646/does_socialism_work_a_classroom_experiment

[@duanesworld001]

@@lemonsarebitter2069 the experiment conducted in this article isn't even close to a proper representation of democratic socialism.

[@johnnypresberg4515]

The problem is that almost anything can be justified by that logic.

[@Andrew-py6hd]

Are my eyes deceiving me? Did I witness the host pick the conversation back up at 9:44, where it left off before the commercial break, instead of moving on to the next segment? Impossible.

[@Chakirisan]

Buckley gets constantly caught in inaccuracies by Chomsky and his defense is to change the direction and point of view of the conversation.

[@vibratingstring]

What credit I give Buckley is his willingness to expose himself to great thinkers who would ultimately "defeat" him--Chomsky and Baldwin being especially good at this

[@michaelschaefer7962]

@@vibratingstringOf course, Buckley was so stubbornly mired in his mistaken opinions that he never realized he’d been defeated.

[@vibratingstring]

@@michaelschaefer7962 I think you may be right!

[@michaelschaefer7962]

@@vibratingstring 🖖

[@VACatholic]

@@vibratingstringThis is a tour de force by Chomsky in showing why he's a linguist, and not an intellectual.

[@jamadon2780]

Buckley cuts Chomsky off relentlessly. Chomsky is rarely allowed to speak for more than 10 seconds without interruption. Chomsky is a man of infinite patience.

[@The93ssfd]

i agree. buckley is so full of himself.

[@ingregulous3141]

@@The93ssfd . . . and Chomsky full of something else.

[@EstraNiato]

@@ingregulous3141 knowledge ? :D

[@tomover9905]

@@ingregulous3141 Yep...the decades long capacity to help his fellow Americans shake off the stupor of all the imperialist propaganda we've been fed, plus brilliant research in linguistics. If we want to have a future for our country, we need to come to terms with reality

[@michaelsmith8665]

@@ingregulous3141 "Chomsky full of something else." . . . Yes, facts and logic and honesty.

[@irsalman]

So glad he had that pencil, it was the only thing left that made him slightly in control.

[@johncastino2730]

Why can’t we have these debates today?

[@user-wp9mt2mw2e]

If you think there was a time were two different views were so much fun to listen to. And in the US!!!

[@cloudlight9784]

It makes me sick what kind of cheap tricks these so called intellectuals use in debates (interrupt, switch to topics when the first one failed or ask trick question) simply to win the debate in the eyes of the viewer. To them its not about learning something new and coming to a more clear conclusion they just simply want to be right and assert dominance. How Prof. Chomsky keeps his composure while handling vast amount of historical facts is remarkable.

[@politure]

+Gabrijel Anic I agree wholeheartedly, but have you heard of Huey Lewis and The News?

[@cloudlight9784]

+Lint Their early work was a little too new wave for my tastes, but when Sports came out in '83, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He's been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Huey has a far more bitter, cynical sense of humor.

[@politure]

Gabrijel Anic You've taken the words right our of my mouth.

[@koezkoez1939]

+Gabrijel Anic Very good.I suppose you like Phil Collins too,huh?

[@aliofly]

This is "Sussudio", a great, great song, a personal favourite.

[@notsoancientpelican]

There is a point at which discourse is of no further use, and that point is when one side or other demonstrates the intention to hold to the point despite evidence and logic, for reasons that have nothing to do with the subject at hand. Upton Sinclair wrote, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on his not understanding it."

[@cihuacoatl1887]

Sounds like the living of some people: defending ideas and values without knowing anything about them or about anything.

[@Howy_Produce]

The word for these people is "obstinate". Octavia Butler has a good quote about them too. " Beware: All too often, We say What we hear others say. We think What we’re told that we think. We see What we’re permitted to see. Worse! We see what we’re told that we see. Repetition and pride are the keys to this. To hear and to see Even an obvious lie Again And again and again May be to say it, Almost by reflex Then to defend it Because we’ve said it And at last to embrace it Because we’ve defended it And because we cannot admit That we’ve embraced and defended An obvious lie. Thus, without thought, Without intent, We make Mere echoes Of ourselves- And we say What we hear others say."

[@JimCampbell777]

Thank you for your response, brother.

[@j.criquette3334]

@Cliff Hanley Except that Buckley doesn't resort to ad hominem. He may at times be a bit sarcastic, and people love to point to his attitude as arrogant and holier than though. But the man still resorted to reason and facts as he understood them. That is light years away from "the O'Reillys and Hannitys" of the world. We need this sort of intellect more than ever. That doesn't mean Buckley is right and Chomsky is wrong. It does mean that there is a valid and different perspective that has a right to be aired. But the inheritors of Buckley are cheap imitators at best, and hucksters at worst.

[@zyotich]

@@j.criquette3334 But his manner is bullying and obstinate. He doesn't listen or allow his opponent a complete response, he spends the majority of this exchange interrupting or talking over Chomsky. I don't know if he did this because he felt his own arguments couldn't stand on their own against Chomsky's or not, but knowing how intelligent Mr. Buckley was, I have my own opinion of his motivation.

[@f-14btomcat]

Buckley seems to be in deep and mutual love with himself.

[@edwardharvey7687]

Notice that every time Buckley’s assertions are shown to be false, he smiles and pivots the conversation.

[@nikolaivista920]

That was his trademark of being a scum-bag!!!

[@mc-lb9dk]

arrogant bastard this Buckley guy

[@saucyrossy3698]

Lolol what debate are you watching? You liberals and your detachment from reality is adorable.

[@nikolaivista920]

@@saucyrossy3698 Liberal? GTFOH!! I am not a liberal. I don't like either one of these two media personalities. Stop making everything about left or right. Your side or my side. You flipping clown. Everyone knows that Noam had way much more knowledge on the debate topics than William. Go get a life!

[@mcmanustony]

@@saucyrossy3698 He's watching this one. Try to get your head out of you arse and watch it yourself.

[@victorblackley8372]

Buckley looks like the murderer in an episode of Columbo.

[@mixolydian]

COLUMBO: “Professor Buckley, you're so smart! I really admire what you people do... my wife's a big fan...” PROFESSOR BUCKLEY: “Well I, in turn, admire what you people do! After all, it takes a different kind of intellect to trudge through a heap of clues and come up with a solution to a petty little case like the one you're involved in now - a more pedestrian intellect, perhaps, but we can't all rise to the genius level, can we?” COLUMBO: “Now you told me that you recorded your lecture onto a Dictaphone - a great little machine, by the way - and you gave the tape to the late Mrs Gray to type up...” PROFESSOR BUCKLEY: “What of it, Mr Columbo? You'll appreciate that I'm a very busy man and I - ” COLUMBO: “The thing is, Professor Buckley, I took a look at your Dictaphone...”

[@victorblackley8372]

@Neil Harrison I liked that. A very good comedy pastiche. Thumbs up.

[@mixolydian]

@@victorblackley8372 Thank you. Your comment made me laugh out loud!

[@Johnconno]

@ Peter Boyle. Fucking Hilarious!

[@mistermax3034]

@@mixolydian "One more thing, professor..."

[@dkshotwell]

This is how you debate in a free country, with amiable men. No knives, no guns, no bloodshed, just an exchange of ideas, wonderful.

[@phukgugle4880]

trha2222 HAHAHA yes, once we have your guns you will be powerless to stop our bath salt fueled aggression. Your White women WILL. BE. OURS.

[@jaemabry7569]

I've enjoyed the tour of your page. One more invitation and I'll not mention it again ;- ) politicalbullpen(dot)come

[@princeandrey]

I'd hardly have called Buckley amiable. He's angry and pissed that Chomsky bests him at every turn.

[@one4320]

Hardly a wonderful exchange of ideas. One man is an arrogant imbecile dribbling prejudice, the other humbly offering clarity and facts.

[@essessessesq]

@@one4320 what a sterling, unbiased, and evidence-filled comment! Free of infantile name-calling and unproved conclusory statements! Bravo!

[@Karrllson]

17:38 - The old 'pen scraping the armchair' when you know you've lost the debate.

[@fabiolevi1027]

It would had been nice to hear one of Chomsky's full sentences developed to the end without been interrupted.

[@honeyjbc1]

Chomsky interrupts every tine Buckley is making a point. It is all in one's perspective.

[@juliegotsch3113]

Right? Buckley displays such arrogance and if Chomsky made a legitimate point, then he ridiculed his point.

[@smujismuj]

Being argumentative is not debate. Chomsky has to break down every thing he says to address Buckley's obtuse, and oversimplified interruptions.

[@hoagielamp6543]

This behavior has been simplified today, Innuendo Studios has a great video on the way postmodern conservatives argue. It's way too fitting for this video, Buckley says something short quippy and wrong only for Chomsky to correct him.

[@Magnulus76]

@@hoagielamp6543 It reminds me of the Gish Gallup. Just throw out enough crap and hope it sticks.

[@x0rn312]

Actually, I think Chomsky is the one who's being obtuse - he keeps changing the subject and trying to get them caught up in semantics so that he doesn't have to actually address Buckley's points. He basically comes off as a Communist sympathizer/propagandist.

[@nh7302]

@@x0rn312 He is an Anarchist, and you are a moron

[@robertomelia7770]

buckley is using class debating technique, arguing the anecdote, switching apples with oranges, dissembling, etc. all he’s got is that lazy, sonorous seemingly erudite style that he uses to smother chomsky’s fact-based argument. this philosophical-sounding rhetoric is has one goal-to win. yet another example of “the end justifies the means”. compounding humankind’s struggle with greed,hate, and delusion, and fear if his inevitable demise, i.e. death...

[@Pereogia]

Everytime that guy Buckley winks, I feel somewhat violated....

[@douglasbrowne]

Buckley certainly enjoyed listening to Buckley!

[@jackieboyborden]

nothing beats actual knowledge

[@adamhbrennan]

“Disinterested concern” That’s a good one...

[@businessbuilder92]

Special interest and genuine concern is not one in the same

[@BladeRunner-td8be]

That's also redundant and an example of how shallow Buckley was. His speaking style depended on his ability to impress people by always adding extraneous and unnecessary words as well as interrupting his counter part every 10 seconds.Not only was Buckley a pompous ass he was also very condescending in they way he spoke. Chomsky ate his lunch here.

[@newhorizons2409]

Adam ikr 😂😂😂

[@kennethfisher7013]

it's obvious why buckley never invited chompsky back on his show.

[@jamesanthony5681]

@Johnny West Not true. Chomsky said he was never invited back on Firing Line. I believe him. Now, if you say he was invited back many times, why would Chomsky refuse the invitations? Buckley was angry after the show was aired and with good reason: Chomsky made him look bad. Chomsky's ability to construct an argument and his command of the facts -Greece, the Philippines, colonialism, etc. - you'd have to admit is impressive.

[@beatonthedonis]

@Johnny West Put down the pipe.

[@jamesanthony5681]

@Johnny West How did western (USA) intervention work out for the people of Vietnam and Cambodia during the period 1962-1975? In the case of Vietnam, 2,500,00 Vietnamese were killed (58,000 Americans), and more are dying today from cancers as a result of chemical defoliants (agent orange). The number of Vietnamese deaths is a figure agreed upon by both the left and right.

[@proletariatprincess1]

what you and your love-it-or-leave-it style psuedo patriots refuse to recognize is that the US IS wrong. It has been wrong way back to when the Monroe Doctrine was adopted. Imperialism is wrong and it never lasts. The US empire will fall too, like Rome. But Rome left civilization and roads and bridges in its wake. The Anglo/Zionist Empire leaves only chaos and destruction.

[@joeschmoe1193]

@@proletariatprincess1 While we're not always right we're not always wrong either. If people like you run this country it will certainly fall. Actually the world could use some imperialism. Instead of ruthless dictators ruining countries and forcing emigration to safe haven WESTERN countries, the one's you despise, Imperialist nations could exert more control on backward nations. Ever since nations were freed from imperialism there's been one war after another. Look at the Middle East after Britain left. And who needs Israel to cause wars. There's plenty of animosity between Arab states. Do you have any sense at all?

[@dakrontu]

Imagine 2 such adversaries sitting down for a conversation like this today. There would be difficulty finding the necessary towering intellects to fill the 2 seats on the stage, or finding enough of an audience that would have a clue what they would talk about. A chasm has developed with incompatible languages on each side, in the switch from TV to the disconnected silos of internet social media. No common ground remains to attract consensus or gentlemanly debate.

[@TravisHansenForPresident]

Just like today, except the guest was a legend.

[@NickBrightwell]

Chomsky on his conversation with Buckley "It was of no particular significance as far as I was concerned" "Buckley was quite mad by the end of the interview"

[@jamesanthony5681]

He must have been. He never invited Chomsky back.

[@FakingANerve]

@@jamesanthony5681 Buckley wouldn't invite anyone who could articulate the true nature of his (Buckley's) intentions and beliefs, directly or indirectly. His whole shtick was belittling people who disagreed with him, so yeah, Chomsky wouldn't be invited back.

[@Daily_Llama]

Maybe because he disproves a negative and makes assumptions to find his voice.

[@harry2smart]

@@FakingANerve so basically that time’s tucker Carlson or any other fox host...

[@FakingANerve]

@@harry2smart Hey now! Don't make me not disagree with you! 😉🍻

[@kiwi1fruit]

I used to watch Buckley years ago. Then he sounded so knowledgeable that he got away with his debates with others. He just kept pushing and made his points against weaker debaters. In this case he is dealing with a master of history , language and knowledge. His inept attempts to change directions without answering is sad. Buckley is so outclassed but, because of his ego likely never realized it or just avoided watching this debate ever again so he wouldn't have to see himself in the mirror of this debate!

[@smotnick]

He sounded knowledgable because of his faux British accent. But he wasn't stupid either like some of the talking heads on Faux today.

[@l.w.paradis2108]

Watch his debate with James Baldwin at Cambridge, when he became so flustered he started making fun of Baldwin's accent. It's so bad you'll have to replay it to make sure it really happened.

[@smotnick]

@@l.w.paradis2108 the vote was in Baldwin's favor.

[@l.w.paradis2108]

@@smotnick Yes, of course! But Buckley took it hard when it dawned on him that his usual tricks were not working. ;)

[@fstover5208]

@@smotnick The accent is New Englandish, and is fast disappearing.

[@Gregdevopitts]

Oh for these kind of civilized and civil debates today.

[@darylcumming7119]

You can sense the smouldering of opposites between the two men. An time capsule .

[@TwentyOne_Five]

Buckley got owned. I’m a conservative and this is a beat down of epic proportions. Arrogance is a weakness.

[@joshuajosephson7313]

Buckley is a pseudo-intellectual. Chomsky is the real deal, because he is independent minded.

[@conantheseptuagenarian3824]

@@joshuajosephson7313 cute.

[@joshuajosephson7313]

@@conantheseptuagenarian3824 Wasn't meant to be 'cute'. Please explain how it was cute, how Buckley is an intellectual and/or how Chomsky isn't completely independent-minded (more so than just about anyone in the mainstream I can think of).

[@conantheseptuagenarian3824]

@@joshuajosephson7313 chomsky is a subversive, commie jew who, even when he gets something right, says everything he can to undermine tradition and decency. he argues in bad faith at nearly all points, buckley be damned.

[@SnapCracklePapa]

TwentyOne Five - This was no more a beat down than you are a conservative.

[@terryk777yahoodotcom]

Notice how Mr. Buckley's face reddens as he realizes he is out of his element with this studious and articulate fellow Noam Chomsky.

[@fredericgermay7776]

I absolutely loved that!

[@soundgardener4940]

Karl Marx called him a young girl, in reference to how often he blushes.

[@thegoodguywins1]

He face didn’t do shit you liar. Buckley outwitted him

@@thegoodguywins1 You're talking about something that we've all seen, you fool. It was a clearvictory for Chomsky. Buckley was outmatched, a fact that ive heard honest right-wingers concede.

[@drink_with_the_dead]

@@thegoodguywins1 huh? What are you watching bro?

[@ThePbird1]

“ Never use a small word if a big one can confuse”. I think that’s a rule of some sort.

[@DJRickard2010]

I’m afraid we will never again see open dialogue like this between people with differing perspective in American politics.

[@JoseMejia-pg5cw]

The epitome of privilege. You're using two white men as the rubric for dialogue?

[@MadScientist267]

You're in the wrong circles

[@wwbuirkle]

Well social media doesn't help

[@johnbuglethorp5921]

@@MadScientist267No, you are apparently either ignorant or willfully blind. It is beyond obvious that an exchange like this could never occur on many campuses due to immature goons' disruptions; nor would any mainstream media outlet put it together. The hatred and vitriol for conservatives has been fully exposed and is openly practiced; it is without a doubt that the left are responsible for this.

[@futureshock7425]

Notice how they don’t put this kind of stuff on air anymore, everyone now retreats to their own bubbles

[@joeadm3771]

@Doug Bevins these kinds of discussions are readily available if you look .. Buckley's mannerisms and perspectives went to the grave with him, however, for better or worse

[@noeldown1952]

They do retreat to their own bubbles.

[@smotnick]

They do still have "Firing Line" though it's hosted by a woman whose name I forget. Don't know if she's conservative or liberal.

[@barneymeister1001]

I live on the other side of the planet and have watched Mark Shields and David Brooks on PBS for maybe 25 years... reasoned, logical viewpoints argued with civility, clarity and thoughtfulness. I believe your current "administration" is attacking PBS in the same way RWNJs in power (a ubiquitous and unfortunate US export to the world) are in UK, Australia, NZ, Philippines, Brazil and another few dozen countries. Enjoy it while it's still around because the avaricious bastards will dismantle public broadcasting worldwide. Closer and closer to George Orwell's travails we march...

[@joeldavis5815]

Our masters do not want an educated public. Everything needs to be dumbed down lest the commoners begin to wake up and realize how bad they are getting screwed over. That's just my take...

[@Johnny_Croissant]

This is how you politely take apart your counterpart's arguments. Gotta admire Chomsky for his calmness in the face of Buckley's jumpiness.

[@cisium1184]

Chomsky has a lot of tension in his body language. His voice is calm when he can keep his hands crossed in his lap. When he feels defensive, he opens his hands, his voice pitch rises, and his tempo speeds up. He was clearly scrambling to get away from his France analogy. By the final bell, Chomsky was running very hard.

[@bouzoukiman5000]

It was so simple for Chomsky. Buckley was truly an immature fool

[@manuelfeliciano9602]

All of chomsky arguments are anti American presuming n not with any proof that we are imperialist. Alot of countries want to associate with us for prosperity, safety n leadership which we incur with financial help more than any nation.

[@Maximilian-Robespierre]

It is really impressive. True

[@Maximilian-Robespierre]

@@bouzoukiman5000 It is not simple to try to have conversations with idiots or those that are not willing to have one but try to impress.

[@eddieharcourt6049]

9:45 "I interrupted you, I'm sorry." Couldn't all debates/discussions be this civilized?

[@awol2602]

Chomsky is clearly both more intelligent and more well-informed - so purely to save face Buckley has to truncate his sentences.

[@golfer5636]

I get your point but it’s the opposite of truncate, he embellishes and lengthens his rhetoric

[@awol2602]

@@golfer5636 yes his own - and cuts Chomsky's short - but to echo Ryan N: it's still so much more intelligent and enlightening than present day equivalents.

[@coraje1388]

The composure that Mr. Chomsky keeps during this interview is legendary. We need more shows like this, especially now. Where there is an actual educational discussion about important issues.

[@bachirmessaouri4772]

Not sure I would like a show where one party just can't finish a sentence... Agreed we are so illiterate on television these days that anything would be better but that's not an ideal debate by any means. Proof? What did you learn about the geopolitical situation back then eventually? Nothing. The only thing that you (or anyone) remember of this is how Buckley was arrogant and Chomsky was brave and consistent. That is pretty much the definition of a clash, not a debate. And in that regard it's very 2020 already. That kind of show would be the 2020 television status quo with a twist: people invited happen to be smart.

[@rnrpeg1]

@@bachirmessaouri4772 ugh. so true. but...the level of vocabulary alone would've already raised the intelligence of any modern network tv viewer, by several IQ points...

[@ca6177]

I totally agree!

[@gregorsamsa1364]

@Jay James I'd bet your life that an 8 year old Chomsky could've easily run intellectual circles around you

[@halfalligator6518]

podcasts... and it's only for niche audiences that are already fairly well-informed so their utility in fixing this anti-intellectual problem is maybe limited.

[@1splat23]

9:42 Buckley: "I interrupted you, I'm sorry" .... just not for the other 75 times

[@rnrpeg1]

bwahahahahaha yep, only because THE COMMERCIAL BREAK interrupted him....that time. lolol

[@peteroconnor6394]

You are WRONG because you did not OBSERVE. Buckley is host and Chomsky guest. Buckley began quite courteously, but let Chomsky's rudeness poison the atmosphere so that some of the time both talked simultaneously. Chomsky is a superficial soul, Buckley oddly hat a moderator when Groucho Marx was guest, but Groucho Marx is a gentleman, as is Christopher Hitchens. Buckley's power of reflection is far superior to Chomsky's, one sees how Buckley's mood is influenced by the demeanor and intelligence of the guest. Chomsky would have been silenced or asked to leave at Oxbridge.

[@peteroconnor6394]

Both Buckley and Chomsky are not what they appear to be. Buckley's CIA affiliation is known, who financed Chomsky's MIT - USG. Both Buckley and Chomsky are part of a puppet theater, Buckley and Chomsky put on a show for the populace. By the way, was Buckley Bonesman?

[@SmokinGun55]

WRONG! Chomsky interrupted Buckley countless times. He refused to let him complete a thought.

[@kerry-ch2zi]

While I find myself agreeing at different times with each gentleman, I appreciate most the simple luxury of being able to discern their relative positions on actual issues within a real discourse. This is not something I'm gambling on being able to do in the next presidential debate. I think I'll just watch the 3 Stooges instead, and pick one of them as the moderator. I realize now that my father wasn't actually putting me on about there being such a thing as 'adults.' If he were alive today, I think he would readily concede that they no longer exist--at least not in politics...

[@JMBluecoat8289]

Woah! This had a studio audience? What kinds of people go along to watch this sort of thing. It’s hardly a laugh a minute!

[@christopherallen9580]

It it has to be explained you wouldn't understand

[@longlakeshore]

Noam Chomsky took Buckley's arguments apart and was never invited back again.

[@ca6177]

Surprise, surprise!?

[@nothingtoitbuttodoit]

Very true, but I appreciate Buckley's attempt and the civil discourse taking place.

[@mikemorgan5394]

Sure he did, his argument about a post industrial, post world war 2 American imperialism was well rehearsed. And has history has proven completely wrong. The EU rose on it's own. Greece went from communism to socialism and never really recovered from bad policy. We helped Europe with soldiers and then the Marshal plan and every time since then whenever they needed funds. We helped our allies, nothing Imperial about that.

[@nothingtoitbuttodoit]

@@dd-vm1hs you're wrong

[@nothingtoitbuttodoit]

@@dd-vm1hs all

[@christopherp.hitchens3902]

If Chomsky had left, Buckley wouldn’t have known for hours.

[@bogdantace5473]

gosh, i thought you were dead

[@angelg5240]

Haa. That's too funny because its true. I think they even have Buckley's mic turned up louder.

[@christopherp.hitchens3902]

@@angelg5240 - I remember watching Buckley’s show with my dad (yeah, I had a rough childhood). Even at 9 years old I remember thinking: “Sheesh this guy talks and talks but doesn’t say anything!”. Now, I can see I was right!!!

[@Maximilian-Robespierre]

@@christopherp.hitchens3902 Thats what I said. He says nothing, he is just trying to make impression. He is even distorting historical facts.

[@AdamBechtol]

lol

[@charlesnielsen1327]

I am a conservative, and generally admire Buckley, but man Chomsky swept the floor in this interview.

[@richardgrant418]

I like this comment I found about Buckley "Buckley created a template for conservative intellectualism that is still used today. Be glib, confident, and a good debater, throw in a dash of wit and some references to the Classics. Do it all with a self-satisfied smile, and the validity or invalidity of your underlying arguments will cease to be a matter of serious discussion."

[@fortunefair]

Did you ever happen to see a video of Yuri Bezmenov?

[@Bridg2Peace]

For all his pomposity, Buckley is shown to be no more than a poseur. Chomsky is the knowledgeable and brilliant intellect.

[@io3213]

@Foggy's Friend All Buckley did was put words in Chomsky's mouth before changing the topic. Under these conditions Chomsky is absolutely right to clarify his stance. If the purpose of this interview/debate is to enable us to compare their respective stances we cannot have people putting words in other people's mouths. That is even more important given Chomsky barely provides an opinion at all and bases his stance on facts. You don't have to believe the facts, instead you are given the ability to check them for yourself: something you can't do with opinions. Buckley also primarily relied on opinions and conjecture. That's a fact for anyone who watches this video, honestly.

[@jley1823]

If released within the past couple of years, this video would've been titled sth like: 'William F. Buckley DESTROYS political dilettante Chomsky'

[@marcellisrobinson]

Buckley is a poseur, but compared to the nitwit hosting the latest version of "Firing Line" (Margaret Hoover), he seems positively erudite

[@clicheguevara5282]

​@Klaa2What? Lmao Nah. Overall, conservatives are the biggest history nerds out there ..and consistently have been throughout history. Conservatives want to "conserve", so they're bound to the past by default. It's fundamental to their identities/ideology.. Just like looking to the future, criticizing tradition, and trying to constantly progress is fundamentally liberal. Save for intellectuals like Chomsky, the modern left simply cherry picks and highlights the parts of history that help further whatever particular narrative they're pushing. (Some of which are totally legitimate narratives.. such as the military industrial complex and its warmongering or the humanitarian crisis in Israel..) But increasingly, universities and even public schools are politicizing (and sometimes downright rewriting) history. ..which has led to the left becoming overwhelmingly fixated on just the last century of history in their own countries. Conservatives study history as a whole. Important difference. Another important difference between the right and left is that in general, the left doesn't really practice the art of "knowing thy enemy". (Which is why you think conservatives are ignorant about history, for example. ..and that couldn't actually be further from the truth. ..Or the old trope that conservatives want to "control women's bodies" with abortion legislation. ..or that Jordan Peterson is "alt right".

[@carlkolchak4437]

@Johnny West like you actually watched this video. too funny!

[@ArvinAsh]

Prime example of how words can be used as a weapon. This was equivalent to the Vietnam war of words.

[@brighampitts]

Fancy seeing you here! Love your videos Arvin!

[@JohnSmith-dj8rp]

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Kids used to know that.

[@wanettarenay8215]

AND LIKE VIETNAM, BUCKLEY DIDN'T KNOW WHEN TO PULL OUT, NOR, I SUSPECT, DID HIS FATHER

[@IvanValdez2010]

Whoah! Great to see you here! Best physics channel on KZbin

[@surfwriter8461]

Yeah, Buckley as the imperialist US and its military and Chomsky as the indigenous people trying to achieve some peace and freedom rather than suffering in the role of pawn in a proxy war.

[@thespamdance311]

Was Buckley the inspiration for Bib Fortuna from Star Wars?

[@321bytor]

...yes but how can we get this on TikTok?

[@bobbibrooks3857]

Buckley fits the description of an "upper middle class twit" a la Monty Python. Chomsky owns him.

[@jessesewell7922]

Bobbi Brooks in your imagination.

[@joefoley1480]

@NotJo yayayayayayayay OMG take a Valium kid

[@Thaofus]

Spot on

[@joefoley1480]

@NotJo Oh sweet heart I am late again for I have just chanced upon your witty reply but the people here are so unkind with all name calling even if you do deserve it ..bye

[@petegoestubular]

This was from the year I was born and yet shockingly I, like my forebears, was sucked in by the rhetoric of "necessary war" again and again. Chomsky knew so much. If only he'd been listened to. (from the UK)

[@mindsetsquare]

I was a waitress at belle haven country club in Greenwich, Connecticut in the late 80s and so I "met" Buckley because I was the waitress for his table. I'm from Ireland and William Buckley's "posh CT trying to sound like London" accent was always off putting to me. I could not understand why Americans would want to sound more upper class British than the actual English Royals. When Americans use this accent it comes across as massively phony and elitist instead of highly educated. I can only watch him for a short period before I start judging him as insecure because of that puffed up accent. In this discourse Chomsky sounds more intelligent and so much more grounded because he sounds like a Yank should. The voice puts Mr Buckley on the back foot when he's speaking with someone who has the same intellectual capabilities. All that said, I hope he's in heaven these days, it's not his fault he had that weird accent. God rest his soul.

[@justiniani3585]

2:47 How does one develop such colourful body language?

[@Dave1Klein]

Buckley would have made the interview more interesting if he talked less...way less.

[@dukadarodear2176]

Dave Klein A narcissist would not be a narcissist if he didn't try to do the questioning AND the answering because the subject of the interview must always be he himself.

[@balajis1602]

Thank god it was chomsky....He tolerated all the misrepresentation of facts and consiouss diversion of the topic which buckley took in the first place and last of all not allowing to finish a sentence...woof....😤😤I would have puched buckley's face a dozen time

[@nozemsagogo868]

its not an interview. its a debate. this is from firing line-a debate program. he's not interviewing chomsky.

[@BrentKilgore0404]

Thats a very common critique you could make of Buckley

[@tomtruett1946]

I’m not sure, but do I detect in some of Buckley’s responses the beginning of today’s “what about-ism”?

[@edwardoberman7828]

6:40 Chomsky: “your history is quite confused here” Buckley: ”this is a matter of nomenclature”

[@baronmeduse]

He was empty vessel trying to cover it with vocabulary.

[@AnneALias]

You're such a dummy. That was not what WFB was referring to as being a matter of nomenclature.

[@baronmeduse]

@@AnneALias Enlighten us as to his thoughts genius.

[@JerimiahGentry]

" alternative facts"

[@nexstory]

@@baronmeduse Presumptously, the facts speak alternatively to a loquacious comprehension of that which fills this otherwise empty vessel with hot air, Translation ... ????

[@digitalblasphemy1100]

Who would be ringing the doorbell in the middle of a debate?! How rude

[@ataribattari]

Chomsky totally outclassed Buckley with facts and data and knowledge of history. Buckley's approach is to confuse and unbalance his opponent with diversions constant interruptions.

[@DEeMONsworld]

Buckley is Rhetorician, Chomsky is an intellect, and he destroyed him and his web of words.

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

True. Bill Buckley didn't give a rat's ass what was being said, as long as that TV camera was pointed at **HIM, HIM, HIM!!!** Like his arch-enemy Gore Vidal, all he wanted was attention...

[@mlight6845]

Buckley uses method not substance to support his position making him an intellectual coward.

[@DEeMONsworld]

@@mlight6845 yes a student of debating technique, and semantics.

[@adrianmetzler2523]

He’s like a jordan Peterson prototype.

[@andrew19vato]

Chomsky alway's takes the moral upper hand though, which takes no courage, he is a charlatan of the highest degree

[@FAngus-ly8lk]

I seem to remember that many impressionistists and standup comedians of Buckley's day, up to and including Robin Williams, used to imitate and satirize his odd, supercilious manner of speaking. Bill Buckley was always good for a laugh. Here he tries to deal with a very learned and highly skilled rhetorician and debater (Chomsky) by talking over him, interrupting every point he tries to make, and deflecting every response with pomposity and condescension. Pomposity and condescension were0 Buckley's refuge. They must have worked brilliantly for him in the seminar rooms of Yale and the offices of National Review. When confronted by someone as able and articulate as Chomsky, Buckley comes off as brittle, reactionary, petty - and the loser of the debate.

[@orangesurfboard2238]

Buckley is a classic case of it's not what you say but how you say it. This type of affectation wouldn't fly now I don't think, which shows we are progressing. Although I suppose a different type of bullying exists now, nowhere near as cunning as Buckley.

[@ince55ant]

@@orangesurfboard2238 have you not seen jordan peterson?

[@orangesurfboard2238]

@@ince55ant true, yes I have. A bit different though. I don't think Peterson is nearly as cunning as Buckley

[@MrFluffykat]

ben sha P word w intelligence

[@commandingjudgedredd1841]

Buckley, sounds like he could have been a BBC announcer.

[@lennyglynn4645]

What was the date of this discourse?

[@romarssieverything9667]

1969 I think. They mentioned Biafra.

[@martinmullen1919]

Marvellous to see the clash of two very intelligent men. Not hard to figure out who has the arrogant ego. We enjoy seeing him stalled.

[@rippedtorn2310]

He's smart enough to know Chomsky is leagues above him but arrogant enough to keep on with his irrelevant points .

[@rippedtorn2310]

@TheBrabon1 the half wit of You Tube talks shit again .

[@MichaelTHolman]

Well said, Ripped Torn. So true...

[@SarahJones-wy5us]

Ripped Torn Absolutely right really showed really arrogant bad attitude .

[@rippedtorn2310]

@Jonathan Froger i don't get you ?

[@joeyduvall5025]

Chomsky, an excellent linguist, a horrible political analyst. He needs to stick to writing.

[@thedavescloop]

Even in that suit and with that haircut, Buckley still slithers. Sends shivers up my spine.

[@stephenpayne9120]

Great man, William F. Should have been President. With this snake man in power, we could have nuked our enemies many years ago.

[@dinahnicest6525]

That drawl of his is really creepy.

[@BrentonSucks]

@@dinahnicest6525 pseudo-intellectual mid-atlantic accents are great to make people think you know what youre talking about

[@zachary7897]

@@BrentonSucks It is hard to imagine a single person on the left today that has anything close to the intellect Buckley had. They constantly fall flat in debate. Sounds like you are having trouble coping.

[@fastsavannah7684]

Buckley is the perfect example of convoluted prose that Orwell talked about - pure air.

[@quarter_moon_and_a_guitar]

pure pretense

[@sekenamcmurren2217]

🗣Facts!

[@fastsavannah7684]

@@sekenamcmurren2217 BUt nontheless entertaining to watch.

[@volatilechemicals-wo2yh]

nah, that would be democrats - inadequate in any field and undereducated, unsosphisticated

[@sturgeon2888]

Yes I imagine it would sound like nonsense to the simple mind.

[@walter6574]

I never realized how dishonest Buckley was.