Yanis Varoufakis with Professor Noam Chomsky at NYPL, April 16, 2016 | DiEM25

Yanis Varoufakis considers himself a politician by necessity, not by choice. An economist and academic by training, he became Greece’s finance minister amidst the country's financial crisis, creating an image for himself both beloved and reviled. He discusses his complicated role in his new book, And the Weak Suffer What They Must?: Europe's Crisis and America's Economic Future, and on the live stage alongside renowned academic and theorist Noam Chomsky.
Noam Chomsky is widely credited with having revolutionised the field of modern linguistics. Chomsky is the author of numerous best-selling political works, which have been translated into scores of countries worldwide. Among his most recent books are Hegemony or Survival, Failed States, Hopes and Prospects, and Masters of Mankind. Haymarket Books recently released twelve of his classic works in new editions. His latest books are What Kind of Creatures Are We? And Who Rules the World?
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[Rollo Groast]

I have literally never seen Chomsky in a better mood than this; it was such a joy to see! He was sort of conducting this as an interview, which I've never seen him do! Also Varoufakis is obviously brilliant and one of the heroes of our generation. Long Live Noam Chomsky!

[Kinky]

+Rollo Groast - Yeah. I felt like he was delighting throughout in learning and engaging with a man of equal intellect. He seemed so happy!

[C_R_O_M__________]

Sure they are at of the same intellectual calibre. Both are 100% theory and 0% practicality. Pseudo-scientists/pseudo-intellectuals is the better description for both. Mr Chomsky a professor of linguistics who understands very little about economics (apart that his net worth is over 2 million $) yet favours the socialistic direction in politics and Mr Varoufakis a megalomaniac who transformed from a nobody to somebody through a disastrous role as the Greek minister of finance. While he was in office he burdened the Greek economy with another 100 billion Euros of debt. I hope that with these lucrative speeches he saves money to at least pay back some of it to the Greek people that are now being taxed to pay those back. I don't hold my breath though!!

[Ongo Gablogian]

If I could I would give Chomsky 10 years of my life just to keep him on this earth a little longer. He is an international treasure.

[darmok1134]

One day from each person who would like to keep him on this earth a little longer would be more than 10 years (10X365=3652=persons). You would have over the 6+K already at my reply. I did not give you a thumbs for this reason. A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. - George Bernard Shaw

[Becca Reynolds]

Mantis Toboggan oh my god me too...

[Grip 47]

Except for linguistics Highly overrated marxist. Distorting the reality.

[ricky dee]

@Grip 47 you should get one

[Miguel Murillo]

@darmok1134 I second that. Put me on the list.

[Spotlight New Media]

Noam Chomsky is not only a "great thinker" but also a "great listener" which makes this conversation such a treat. Yanis Varoufakis is a brave man who takes responsibility for the decisions he made. Watching these two individuals sitting together gives new meaning to the word "enlightenment".

[Antonios Panayiotou]

yes, he turned his back on all those criminal politicians to save his Soul!

[Daniel Lackey]

AGREED!

[Ralph Baier]

and hope. I lose it every day when listening the utterances of politicians. In my german home we just elected a new government. I.e. we somehow didn't because none of the parties can govern the country alone. The way they creep up each others arse to get to power, you can't shovel in as much as you want to vomit.

[Abdulsattar Cassim]

.

[Abdulsattar Cassim]

O

[Hans R.]

Chomsky and Varoufakis are a vital part of something like a new avant-garde of public intellectuals who express an extremely well-grounded anticapitalism and new sense of social justice. Let's hope they'll keep on providing us with such precious content in the future!

[CaradhrasAiguo49]

+Hans R. I think true socialist economics (i.e. at least as left as Corbyn, not Sanders / Warren, etc) is a bit naive in its means, but these two have my infinite respect (Yanis for standing up to the Troika, Chomsky for his anti-imperialist critique) . Consummate standard bearers for the true Left.

[danzel55]

+CaradhrasAiguo49 Corbyn can only be said to be naive when measured against current capitalist, realist, expectations. If we were to surmount these, and we must if we are to progress, then his policies are more than realizable.

[Marc]

JEZZAAAA

[Jim Davis]

Yesterday's men. Communists.

[PiroXiline]

Oh, that new sense of social justice. Social support for work. Work safety & regular medial check-ups to be healthy to work, to live longer and so be more effective in volume of benefits brought to community and to not become early disabled detriment to family. Having no worries, having home and necessities met, having enough for food if you are working full time and paying taxes. I know, seem like radical statements and new kind of an outlook. Who would amortise financial crisis we have? Me not having a third manshion with a yat I panned for, or if it is not my volume of excess capital - we need to tear Dow millions of grandparent, young people, mature people and children not having necessities, I think cutting the necessities seems logical.

[Lee Alexander]

Seeing these two together is such a treat. They are two of my favorite intellectuals and both are what I consider worthwhile and decent people.

[kk34]

This conversation between Yanis Varoufakis and Professor Noam Chomsky is as always an enlightening exchange of ideas that sheds light on pressing issues. Their intellectual synergy is seriously inspiring

[Eric MacRae]

I am a Political Science and Economics major and as I listen to this conversation about how economics is taught I absolutely agree with them. It is all taught in a "perfect world" scenario. If they do a case study it is always a frozen moment in time. In other words, it is all this make-belief world of how economies operate. Throughout my education, it literally frustrated me of how can I apply these concepts in the real world. Which of course none of my courses actually teaches you the real-world impact. Nor did I had a single course who taught what happened during the 2008 recession or even the 1930 Great Depression. I actually became a Marxist not because of my economic background but rather after taking 2 courses who briefly talk about what Karl Marx talks about what a Marxist believe such has the capitalist is the one who controls the market/government. Which right away I agree with. Yet, I haven't assigned a single reading of Karl Marx. For that matter, none of my courses actually assign me the wealth of the nation of Adam Smith either. Only 1 class who briefly looks into the primary source of John Lock. In other words, the university hides so much stuff from its students. When I first went to university I taught I was going to learn on ho the world operates. What I have now come to realize is that academic-only wants to show you 1 side of the story and hide a vast amount of information from their student. What it did allow me is to develop my critical thinking skills on how to analyze data. I have now reached a point in my education that I have like 3000 books that I want to purchase and read but of course, I don't have the money to buy them and study them. All I can do I to buy 1 book at a time and eventually i will get all the books I need. The one thing that I found about intellectuals they all have a mini-library in their homes. Well, I guess I will become of such a person.

[Carolina QUANONNE]

Use toilet paper stop educating wipe clean eat again try planting seed in toilet

[hajihajiwa]

read plenty online! there’s free pdf’s everywhere on the internet!

[Eric MacRae]

​@hajihajiwa My original comment was made 2 years ago. Sense that time I have read plenty of stuff online and soon I will be starting a new podcast where I will be teaching my friend theories

[hajihajiwa]

@Eric MacRae Wonderful! whats the name? I'd love to tune in!

[Alla Maz]

Seeing Chomsky in the process of learning is fascinating, he is so humble and eager, really inspiring

[Joe K]

i o lol, those are about as literal antonyms you could give describing Chomsky. Demagogue: "a political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument." That sounds exactly like Chomsky right?... You know how he's always appealing to our prejudices... lol

[the confused armchair philosopher]

i o accusation of systematic racism is not an appeal to prejudice if the accusation is correct or supported by logical impartial arguements or studies. Also, wealth redistribution does not inherently indicate prejudice. Towards who would this prejudice be targeted? billionares? It is not all leftists that justify wealth redistribution through advocacy of eating the rich....

[CSGraves]

Yes, I was thinking that I had never seen him spend so much time listening intently rather than being listened to! I only got around to reading Varoufakis' book last year... I'm no economist but it was still an interesting read.

[kiwitrainguy]

"Seeing Chomsky in the process of learning is fascinating, he is so humble and eager, really inspiring" - an example to us all.

[Luther Blissett]

Varoufakis has been badly misrepresented by the media. He is a good, honest, man.

[Andy aka Rudolf Hessiansack]

The good are always demonised. So much so - that anyone who is ridiculed, I take a personal interest in researching.

[Ορθόδοξο Μονοπάτι]

@Andy aka Rudolf Hessiansack agree im greek and the guy is honest bcause he isnt actually a politician,he teaches till now around worlds universities.

[Andy aka Rudolf Hessiansack]

paul w Even so...they have systematic ways of warping perceptions. Read Chomsky's "manufacturing consent". Great read it is.

[minotauros13]

Varoufakis is a great academic, that foremost acts upon moral duty, rather than utility. His biggest mistake was to take politics, which he had no experience. His taking up politics (Hellenic Ministry of Finance) because of duty, is rather erroneous; one should take upon something that one has experience upon - and this is the essence of recognising our limitations, before taking up something...

[Sira Castori]

That's partly due to the fact that the Greek people who supported Syriza in big numbers were highly disappointed in the failure brought about by the negotiations with Europe. He's a great economist and thinker, but he has not been a great politician.

[John Chessant]

"The one deficit that the Greeks could not bear was a deficit of dignity." That is a beautiful, tear-inducing line

[Jim Lyon]

Being Scots I can understand that. After the Battle of Culloden we suffered ethnic cleansing bordering on Genocide called the Highland Clearances that resulted in the Scottish Diaspora. The main reason we still exist is self belief & pride - that's all we had to keep us going !

[g75hdöäk]

1:07:00

[Dean C]

+

[Mary Spanidi]

Being Greek, I verify you this was exactly the case.

[xtc2v]

Is that the same 'dignity' they use when they charge the visitor more for an ice cream than the locals?

[David Carlyon]

I have been waiting to watch this all week. It's hard to think of two people doing more to further public discourse, both intellectually and morally.

[The harmony community The Inventor]

Here, here. I hope you are one those prepared to take action. Intelligent discourse is a prerequisite. Do you know Global Citizen? Take a look - pick a cause join us. Sing out load and clear. We are legion...

[SleekMinister]

Don't kid yourself!

[elli botonaki]

Pl

[Michaël Boireau]

This is gold. At first, I thought the organiser should have provided a host, but once the two get warmed up and launched, you find yourself appreciating every second of it. Enjoyment is reached quickly and lasts a long time with this one.

[BlueFM]

Mr. Chomsky I have followed and read many of his writing through my lifetime, 64 years. Yanis is new to me and very much encouraged for the generations to come. Great work, thank you, stay safe🙏🏻❤️

[CharBAM]

Varoufakis is a brilliant thinker, expert, and human being - those of us who are sick of corruption and cronyism in our institutions and politics should pay attention to what he has to tell us!

[A DEK]

The best talk I’ve heard in years. And I am an economist.

[Emilie53]

I appreciate their mutual respect. Two great minds sharing knowledge...I have so much to learn.

[Kyle Duncan]

Wonderful watch as expected with these two on the same stage. Rest of the world needs to take note when we're fortunate enough to have people of this intelligence and calibre voicing the wrongs to the world rather than being the oppressor.

[Mr T]

We have an extraordinary oportuniy to be educated by the world's greatest.. grab it while you still can..

[Nikos Mitas]

+JNClaffey I am no big fan of Varoufakis. He is an all talk idealist(in contrast to pragmatism) and has some very dangerous ideas on how to negotiate the fate of generations of his own fellow Greek people (based on his work on game theory). Secondly yes the Greeks have "falsified" budgets (through shady financial tools) with disastrous concequences on them (including myself). BUT that does not alter the fact that his view on how EU operates is correct. Neoliberals have gotten grasp of the fates of more than 300 million people are imposing catastrophic financial measures on some of them creating new elites without a hint of democracy. And I dont know whether this austerity course of action for Greece, Spain and Portugal and other periphery countries is the correct one but one thing is for sure...the EU is not meant to be a democratic union of countries that would result in financial union. It was meant to be a financial construct ("free move of movement of people, goods, services and capital") not a democratic institution.That is an afterthought and you can tell that since the will of the people is not expressed in the EU laws (which according to EU supercede national laws and constitutions). So yes the emperor has no clothes...

[JNClaffey]

Good reply, I'm no fan of Europe, or rather the mess that has been made of the ideal, the closer you try to bind Europe together the faster it will fly apart. Europe never had a homogeneous culture or people. The euro was designed for German interests by Germans. They exported inflation while running huge budget surpluses. The Greeks should have got a big write down of debt in line with serious reforms, but socialist governments won't do that. They are too wedded to an ideology to face reality. I'm Irish and we also got fucked over. We made huge mistakes, spending on the public service tripled in a decade while services got worse. It was about priming the vote pump. The bailouts were really about protecting French and German banks. Germany has 75 trillion of derivatives, they have the most at risk banking service in Europe. The narrative here has been to blame greedy capitalist, capitalism isn't just about maximising profits it's also about minimising losses. We have worst of both systems in Europe. Socialist parties, and they do run most European countries need large budgets to function. Corporatism is the offspring. I was more of a centrist before all this happened, now I'm a firm believer in small government and the free market

[Nikos Mitas]

+JNClaffey I mostly agree. Yes we dont have a european identity. We identify ourselves by our nationality first, whether it be Greeks, Irish, Germans... we identify as europeans a distant second. True about the Germans as well. As for us we thought we were on par with Germany's economy just because money was cheap (easy to get credit when you hide behind Germany). I see what you mean on Ireland... did not follow that story closely but I think that you are at least out of the woods. As for the narrative yes... these are two people that have really radical ideas (too unstable to my view) on how things should be. As an ideology now I am still a centrist but would probably go along with capitalism when and only when there is oversight and control (dont want us to end up with social inequalities like in the US) especially with banks. I think that leads to corporatism. But I dont think we are there yet. You are right that in principle socialist parties run on larger budgets but Europe is not socialist. Majority is liberals and right wing governments : www.theguardian.com/world/datablog/2015/jun/22/third-eu-governed-by-centre-left-data . But tags alone dont make for good or bad politicians or policies. And just to give an example of a good idealist our current labour minister passed just 4 days ago a fine piece of legislation that covers social security, pensions taxing middle and higher incomes (over 12k euros anually... yes were are there now) without touching the employers contribution in order not to kill growth and create unemployement. And he identifies himself as a sworn communist.

[Alastair Crawford]

Chomsky and Varoufakis are amazing speakers who can draw on so much reading and personal experience and tie it together so fluently. Thanks NY Public library for helping me get to understand the then Greek Finance Minister's position.

[Nyckel]

@D Personal An Israel critical Pro Palestinian Zionist? That a new one.

[EclecticSceptic]

There's always some bizarre crank comment under a Chomsky video - calling Chomsky a pro-Israel Zionist is a bad joke.

[Grip 47]

@EclecticSceptic Chomsky hates Israel, hates America, hates Trump, hates people. He loves doom and gloom.

[EclecticSceptic]

@Grip 47 My friend, that's a hyperbolic rant, not an analysis.

[Seo P]

Yanis's revealing comments on the inner workings of the IMF and more is extraordinary. He also comes across as someone with remarkable intelligence and integrity. That's what a politician and economist should be.

[Ebrelus]

If he was a real economist he would leave EU with Greece when they had the chance and now they would be a growing nations without any debts as Iceland is. But he wanted to be a leecher ever indebted to EU and Germany.

[Jan Martin]

@Ebrelus he tried exactly that and got booted from his party for it

[Cam Tracey]

Powerful, empowering, informative, & long overdue. Thank you!

[Reginald Worthington]

It is not only a privilege to listen to these two enormous intellects discuss such critical issues here but also great to see the passing of the baton from one who is nearing the end of his public life to one who is coming into his prime. We need this type of fearless critical thought and public expression so desperately in the days ahead and Mr Chomsky could not have endorsed a better man to take on this important mission.

[larry jeffers]

This was the best economics and finance discussion I've ever heard. This is must-viewing for everyone. This should be the most popular video on KZbin.

[Lz. Mirandix]

Yes, and probably would be more popular if had English legends

[ambert ho]

Snappingturtle 267 and you have? What's your LinkedIn?

[ambert ho]

​Snappingturtle 267 You must work in a blue collar business then. No offense, those are incredibly valuable, but with most application in finance and tech, engineering, etc. you have a blending of theory and practice. For instance, I'm a software engineer and there are plenty of people who talk about "practical" vs "theory". But you look at the systems designed at Amazon and Google, they use formal methods that are "academic" and "theoretical", but they are applied to practical uses. Same goes with finance.

[ambert ho]

​Snappingturtle 267 But I understand where you are coming from. A lot of things economists say, you can detect their biases in how they talk. They often only speak at a 100,000 foot level and it's clear they don't really have an idea of what it means to have "boots on the ground".... still, these are valuable ideas to have, no? They point is that people take the ideas developed by academics and refine/adapt them (this is the example I am describing with Amazon lamport.azurewebsites.net/tla/formal-methods-amazon.pdf)

[ambert ho]

Snappingturtle 267 it’s not your fault!

[Mariam Karjiker]

I have enormous respect for Chomsky. He is generous in sharing his knowledge and I believe he genuinely wants to help create a just and equitable world. God bless this good man💗

[Miles Drenic]

I liked seeing Yanis help Chomsky to his seat. You can tell that these men have so much respect for each other that comes from careers telling truth to power. Thank you both for this wonderful talk

[assimina tri]

So enlightening, so explicit , you get to understand so many things you never hear around. Why such a few persons speak out the truth? Apparently they need to be great personnalities with intellectual , philosofical background as well as a deep knowledge of all aspects of economy . Courageous and daring . I feel grateful for their presence

[Elizabeth Connor]

An absolutely brilliant exchange. Noam's torch as a leftwing public intellectual is still burning bright, and I think it will be carried into the future in Yanis's safe hands.

[Prof. M. Otto Zeee JCD ECS]

Excellent talk of two of my favorite minds of today. Fortunately we have a new generation, in Yanis. So, I am somewhat hopeful!

[f1l4nn1m]

I met Prof. Chomsky today for the first time. His civility and kindness really impressed me. I would like to invite the viewers to notice, at 1:41:07, the first thing he does is saying "thank you for this" to Mr. Varoufakis referring to the pin the latter gave to him. He's a great human being.

[Gerk]

+Michele Filannino It is a Jedi mind trick Chomsky uses. He is really quite an insidious person.

[Gerk]

Deep Thought Where did you see a debate between Chomsky and Harris? I was unaware they had one. Could you link it please.

[Gerk]

Deep Thought You are a liar. They never debated. They had a private email exchange that was later published by Harris. I am sorry I defamed your idol. I didn't realize the blind passion and faith that was in involved.

[lucu01]

two academics, one who plunged into the public sphere as a public servant and with invaluable real world experience - fascinating discourse with cutting edge and unfogged insights, thank you uploader !

[evilc281]

Fantastic discussion between two giants. Chomsky knew he wasn't as in the know on the topics as much as yanis so listened, asked questions and added value. That says a lot about the man given the ego he could try to impose but instead showed genuine interest, great.

[Mister Methuselah]

Varoufakis is brilliant and a visionary! He is even more relevant today more than ever! Noam is as good as ever.

[Andrew Lohmann]

The power of these two people is there ability to say plainly and honestly. Not defer but as equals. I found it deep and interesting but although I did not understand all I have got the gist. A more thought provoking and a little different understanding of how we have got to where we are now than I though. That understanding largely made clear by putting these two men together one to draw out the points from the other.

[Josh Stead]

Absolutely brilliant in every respect. Much change is needed. Explained brilliantly with knowledge gained from experience. Knowledge and facts gained from personal experiences, shared to educate and inform. This is how change will be made. The powers that be rely on the ignorance of the people, to continue their agenda and continue their reign of tyranny over the population of the world. Secrecy is their tool, transparency is the absolute opposite and is the only way change can be brought about. God bless everyone fighting the good fight.

[ttystikk rocks]

Watching this in November of 2019,I mourn for the opportunities missed and hopeful that the people of the first world will one day soon unite against their elitist oppressors.

[Gavin Taylor]

Two super heroes in one show !

[Naseem Khan]

Keep democracy alive! I really enjoyed this very engaging and informative talk.

[John Smith]

These guys are socialists, not much democracy there, just false claims and intellectual dishonesty.

[Oners82]

"These guys are socialists, not much democracy there," Clearly you know nothing about socialism because there is in fact more democracy in socialism than in capitalism as democracy is spread through non-political institutions as well. As for false claims, name one.

[Marc]

2 Things I want to add to this great video: 1) 46:00 - 50:00 is probably the best part for me in this video. I did not know about this, and it makes me incredibly angry to see elites play with the lifes of people for the sake of power and greed. I knew Schäuble was bad, but I did not know how bad. 2) There is a speech on KZbin from 1996. It was held by Gregor Gysi (German politician in the Bundestag=German parliament of then called PDS=Party of democratic socialism now called Die LINKE=the LEFT) on the topic of creating the EU and introducing the Euro. His main criticism was exactly what Varoufakis was saying, namely that the creation of a common currency without common politicies and laws would eventually lead to massive poverty and the rise of far right parties. He predicted the events of the last few years with scary precision. The main motor of this development is the fact that the Euro chronically underestimates the German economy. In a European system of national currencies a strong German economy was no problem, because the value of the Deutsche Mark(=German currency before the Euro) could be increased according to the economic power, making it easier for competing businesses from other countries to sell their products. Methods to achieve this are to have the federal bank intervene or to raise wages on order to expensify German products. In a monetarily united Europe the first option does not exist anymore, because the authority over currencies is held in Brussels. The second option is off the table, because it contradicts with neoliberal policies, that have been and still are pursued. Fast forward to today, where Germany has the biggest low wage sector in Europe, because of the policies called "Agenda 2010" and "HartzIV" implemented in the 2000s, which rapidly boost the German economy to the expense of the German workers and the rest of Europe, strengthening the crisis and worsening the austerity.

[Benny Clear TV]

Richard Foxx was socialist now I have to widened my horizon with Yanis and Noam...

[andrew]

Two of the outstanding progressive thinkers of our era.

[Nikola Lalev]

Inspirational talk! (even for a non-iconomist like myself) Thanks for the upload!

[Gianfranco Gavianu]

This dialogue shatters the repulsive hypocrisy of 'neoliberalism' and should be known by everyone . Thanks to Varoufakis and Chomsky !

[Sean Afsar]

I love the way Noam almost unknowingly giggles so innocently like a child . He is just an amazingly respectable human being .

[Christopher Lord's Insanity Fair]

Brilliant discussion. Chomsky has read the book and asks very sharp questions to keep Varoufakis on track.

[Issam Rian]

I have never seen Chomsky as happy in a public event as in this one.

[Zachary Weissman]

So true

[Mihai TheMystic]

very good speech, every single time good people talk, you can see the light, even if it is for a brief time.

[Nicolas Kottis]

Noam Chomsky respect. Great mind, great personality, great scientist, great man!

[M CK]

Chomsky is a very intelligent man-But he suffers from the delusion that just because he understands ONE topic (Linguistics), he understands ANYTHING ELSE- -He Doesn't. smh

[Robert Brandywine]

I don't think you would think so if he weren't a Leftist.

[EclecticSceptic]

@M CK Would you prefer if he had a piece of paper saying he understood it (a degree)? He is extremely well read on philosophy, history, politics, etc, and has written dozens of books on politics. If that doesn't qualify him to an informed opinion, nothing could. Chomsky could easily be a professor of politics but chooses to stay in his field of linguistics. Indeed he taught politics courses in MIT on the side. Feel free to disagree with Chomsky but don't pretend he is not informed.

[M CK]

@EclecticSceptic , I’m not sure you are really getting my point here: Just because Chomsky can retain & recite information about Politics, does not mean he really understands Politics. Any more than Chomsky merely retaining & reciting pro football stats, would mean that he understands that sport enough to play or coach for an NFL team!

[EclecticSceptic]

@M CK If Chomsky can't understand politics after his decades of intense study and intervention, then nobody can.

[Ramzi Kawa]

Yanis is actually pushing Noam. I kind of love this.

[icgantshat]

+Ramzi Kawa Yes, but that's what is incredible. How is Noam capable of understanding and contributing at such a sophisticated level on a topic that he seemingly has no background or expertise in? It's mindblowing.

[impCaesarAvg]

+icgantshat Noam is a bright guy. He skipped two grades in school.

[Ramzi Kawa]

icgantshat Well sure, but I think what's cooler is that we're seeing Noam actually personally interested. How things operate at a govt level is something he's always researched and talked about, but now Yanis is acting as a "man on the inside". Noam gets to hear about things not just as they are, but how they feel to be a part of. It's humanising this alien world. Cool stuff, glad it happened. Also glad Noam is still active after a little bit of radio silence from him this year.

[rodoniki Athanasiadou]

+icgantshat We are all starting without even knowing how to speak. Why are you surprised that someone can learn things?

[Thomas Zato]

actually, are we? we learn words and some grammar and sometimes also make it up, but some if not most of it would be innate. why are you not surprised that a person in his 90ies is not just capable to fill lecture halls, but being booked for years in advance?

[C P]

I am hearing this concept for the first time so I must confess that I’m still in shock with what I’m hearing. I studied fundamental economics in college. There were models and formulas that I was told to memorize and understand. So the claims that Varoufakis makes are jarring and yet intriguing..He’s proposing that capitalism is Not democratic; nor is democracy and capitalism beautifully dovetailed together. Wow! I’m going to delve into this research and see if there is a logic to this. I don’t resist change when the truth is irrefutable.

[Alex]

If you haven't checked out 'Doughnut Economics' yet I would recommend that as a great counter point to a lot of prevailing economic theory. Shows how a lot of the assumptions that inform the models you had to memorize are just based on nonsense. It also offers a compelling alternative

[Magnus W]

'He’s proposing that capitalism is Not democratic; nor is democracy and capitalism beautifully dovetailed together. ' lol what a brilliant new insight

[Harshit Pant]

@Alex thanks

[C P]

Snappingturtle 267 I appreciate your comment and perhaps you’re giving a word of warning. I can respect that if the guy truly is a crackpot or his paradigm simply isn’t relative anymore. There are a couple of great brilliant and noteworthy economist that I follow that have inferred that some aspects of capitalism are not perfectly aligned with the concepts of democracy however I don’t just go along with everything an expert claims. I think it’s important to challenge their information and go back to source data that has been peer reviewed.

[RigelOrionBeta]

Capitalism isn't democratic whatsoever, and it doesn't even pretend to be. Private corporations are inherently undemocratic, they are an oligarchic or monarchic organizations. The market is inherently undemocratic. Workers don't vote for their CEOs or bosses, and consumers don't have equal representation due to inherent income inequality in capitalism. Both of these conditions are vital to democracy.

[eee]

What a great conversation on important topics!

[Little Star]

What a fascinating conversation! Thank you.

[MystR E]

I have to say, Yani was his match. I have never really seen Chomski ask questions like he did. Both are my inspirations.

[George Bousoulas]

Υπότιτλους παιδια να το δουν κι όσοι δε ξέρουν καλά αγγλικα Καταπληκτική συζητηση

[Sia Ahmadi]

Oh my god. This video was so amazingly rich and informative. I wish more regular people would try to educate themselves on these issues.

[Skylar Jones]

I want to give Noam Chomsky a hug! 🤗 Huge admiration for both men. Veritable world heavyweights.

[Ignore Alien Orders]

Two of my heroes.

[Dr. Sami]

1:29:10 "I am very honored to be here in front of both of you" I totally feel you sister!

[#Carmen #Diez]

I hope that comes soon the revolution and the poor become rich! I wish much success to Yanis, who sells many books and so can help your people, thank you all for sharing !!

[Sned Meister]

I have always had admiration for Noam Chomsky, but Yanis I never really took to until I watched this. All we ever saw of this man, was that which was portrayed in the media - a rebel who expected too much, and was just trying to ruffle feathers. Yanis conducted himself very well here, and I have found a new perspective of him.

[michil75]

yes, i have exactly the same view

[sam e]

Agreed, Yanis is alway's being badgered. Give him some space and he's brilliant.

[MD]

Yanis was subject to a brutal smear campaign, the same as anyone else who dared question the wisdom of the austerity program. Today, they all admit it was a catastrophe, and yet they are all still in the same jobs.

[Baidhar Sabut]

He's been villified and smeared by the Media but shouldn't form your opinion on him based on your expected established lines of behaviour.

[Blatherskite]

Same. I recall the British media presenting Varoufakis as some kind of trouble-making outsider who didn't really "belong" in the ministerial club. They were more interested in saying "Look! He wears a leather jacket and rides a motorbike! That's not how a real finance minister is supposed to act!" than they were in listening to the substance of what he had to say. Truth is, like Trump, Varoufakis came from outside of the political system and therefore hadn't been trained to play the political game by the rules like a career politician would. That's where the similarity ends, of course, because Varoufakis is an intelligent, principled, decent human being, capable of sharing a stage with Noam Chomsky ... and Trump is the place furthest from that :)

[Dan Mans]

Love this talk! It should be in every school.!

[bigdaz7272]

Thanks for the full upload, i watched a ten minute clip of this last week and thought i would love to see the rest. I could listen to Norm and Yanis pull apart our daily bullshit all day, no wonder they don't get much mainstream airtime the illusion would crumble away completely :)

[rush rana]

A master class in listening. Noam Chomsky allowed Yanis to elaborate his points without interruption and only intervened to make salient points.

[Rosalba Ruiz]

Seria muy importante para muchos seguidores de Chomsky. Fuera traducido en español gracias Dios bendiga a Noam

[Recto Verso]

Noam Chomsky is a very humble man.

[not2tees]

Noam Chomsky seems like a grandpa that the grandkids would favour.

[Adam Piotr]

DIEM25 I know it would be a lot of work, but is there any chance you could create english subtitles for this legendary lecture? Only a minority of people use English as it's native language and understanding writted word is so much easier.

[sam terian]

what a pleasure to listen to both

[SC Telly]

unless one happens to listen "too" closely, then you're only a few minutes into it suddenly [09:10] disappointed...

[IIBizzy]

Well he ist after all an Economist

[Yare Yare Daz3]

@SC Telly well someone can be a great thinker even if they are wrong

[Kilgore Trout]

It's amazing how a system so allegedly thought through can at the end be so chaotic, unpredictable and brutal with the people.

[Sisyphus Productions]

+Kilgore Trout It's not amazing how a system so thought through has succeeded in its objective to be brutal with the people. [explanation: the "chaos" was not chaos, but a replay of the modus operandi used leading up to 1929, of inveigling people to assume enormous debts and then suddenly calling them all in at once, so as to buy up their tangible assets (that they were obliged to sell in order to repay the loans) for a fraction of their value and later sell them back to the market. thereby transferring real wealth from the general populace to the bankmeisters that set the whole thing up ( why else would anyone in their right mind sell a mortgage that the borrower could never repay?!). in 1920-29 the trick was margin calls, in 2001- 08 the trick was credit default swaps; and in they will create a new trick to make it happen again...

[Tilveran]

This was fun to re-watch after a few years. Well, more like terrifying in late 2018.

[Iryumugaba Biko]

Yanis Varoufakis is a brilliant man!!

[Winston Wolfe]

I love how Noam managed Yanis. Obvious who possess the greater intellect... and the most humility. Knowledge talks - wisdom listens.

[Modus Operandi]

Two smart academics arriving at the same conclusions independently is most likely not a coincidence.

[Derfunkmeister]

It's a thrill to listen to some very top intellectuals and I wish we had politicians like them but unfortunately we have to do with scraps that are next to nothing and don't know the difference between a or b and that's why we don't have faith in politicians anymore.

[sfincione2000]

Wow, this is the first time I've heard Varoufakis speak like this. I'm highly impressed. He's a very clever guy.

[Raouf Zanati]

I have great admiration for both men.

[H Makhdoom]

Chomsky is one of the greatest people to ever have lived. He is principled humble and honest.

[Starmer's Barber]

I am totally enjoying this footage. The comments on here are also as life-affirming as the live discussion between YV and NC. Thanks to all.

[Ronan Healy]

Outstanding discussion!

[Stephen Gilbert]

We need intellectuals of good moral fiber to be in positions of power . The corrupt systems in power cause the people to suffer.

[Shantanu Singh]

Power tends to corrupt.

[Bearheart™]

I bloody love these people ❤

[Eusunt Dac]

This was priceless - thank You for the upload!

[Eusunt Dac]

***** So, when You post a comment like the one above, do You see yourself as a bias-free person? I just liked a video I watched and thanked for the upload and that ruffled your feathers .. geez roflmao

[M I]

+liedetector101 You provided nothing to the conversation. I'm generally right wing and found this to be a very interesting primer on the battles between globalism and nationalism, neo liberalism vs democracy, and the economic authoritarianism vs economic liberty .

[Eusunt Dac]

Momma llama In a Can Ohh but You provided something when You wrote: "yes indulge in your SJW confirmation basis"? You could have just farted and that would have been just as good. You can't go around insulting people thinking You are saying something meaningful.

[M I]

Eusunt Dac " Ohh but You provided something when You wrote: "yes indulge in your SJW confirmation basis"? " You're replying to the wrong person.

[Eusunt Dac]

Momma llama In a Can Yes, I provided the knowledge that You are not saying anything. Obviously that's news to You rofl

[ILLYRIO]

Great speech,Respect to both Gentelmans. Thank You .

[Jeffrey Gillespie]

What an astonishing interview. It lays bare the masquerade that is late capitalism. Well worth the time.

[anomalous]

I hope there'll be some more Chomsky - Varoufakis encounters in the future!

[Arjen Smit]

I hope they will come with a new plan and call for global revolution together. Im in :)

[Luther Klien]

Snappingturtle 267 You are unbelievable lol

[Luther Klien]

Snappingturtle 267 speaking in aggregates implies that you are the arbiter of them; I am neither a socialist nor do i hate the truth-a quick look at your public playlists shows that we share some commonalities in our perspectives, in spite of your spite towards certain groups...I encourage you to generate a healthy skepticism of your own beliefs as this is a necessary step towards the truth that you believe you grasp, friend.

[Luther Klien]

Snappingturtle 267 you reply to me with another aggregate, so I wish you well on your journey...I pray for my conviction to equal yours, someday...

[Luther Klien]

Snappingturtle 267 you are a neoliberal , and that is the ultimate irony here.

[Patrick AuCoin]

Yanis Varoufakis a vocal alternative to Economic/Corrupted System we are currently yoked to. The ideas for a new paradigm, are formulated daily, and all it takes is agreement. Shout it out from the rooftops, Yanis!!! Bravo Chomsky/Varoufakis!!!

[Dinner with Franklin]

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you

[Kinky]

5 star conversation! Thank you so much for the upload!

[MilNik47]

Two great man - a hope of western civilisation!

[gur rah]

Kudos to Noam for mentoring Yanis to give this informative discussion

[Artkido Lee]

Two of the most outstanding minds in our current world!

[Ben Chesterman]

Noam chomsky a liar , in Australia we're tax to hell and our middle class & upper class much smaller than USA per capita

[Artkido Lee]

@Ben Chesterman no idea of what u r trying to say

[Ben Chesterman]

@Artkido Lee middle class is better off in USA

[renesonce]

Important discussion from an old man who owns a broad and still deep knowledge about all topics...and a man who owns a deep and exact knowledge of how the financial machine actually operates, been at the coal face in battle with the beast - varoufakis' voice is integral to shaping the future of Europe. I am surprised he hasn't been silenced more heavily

[kapsalis100]

its because the capitalists think we are too stupid to react. they are right though

[Sheila A. Burke]

Wow. Someone actually referred to Native American oppression in public. Bravo, Yanis.

[infiniteinfiniteinfi]

High quality dialogue.

[ice POOKY]

Noam Chomsky is not only a "great thinker" but also a "great listener" which makes this conversation such a treat. Yanis Varoufakis is a brave man who takes responsibility for the decisions he made. Watching these two individuals sitting together gives new meaning to the word "enlightenment".

[psitae]

It's amazing to see Chomsky's line of inquiry, and also that he doesn't already know all the facts. Amazing!

[Charles Bourgoigne]

Can you please make a second part? Another discussion between Noam and Yanis about the state of affairs today?

[Fast Slow]

Awesome conversation, thanks.

[WeAreSat0shi]

Faith in humanity restored.

[DukeofJam]

two of my heroes!

[Dùbhghlas Gaius]

I love listening to them, but they make me feel so stupid, it's upsetting. I'm studying physics at Uni, which I think is complicated, but compared to the things they talk about what I do is basically 3x3=9. I wish there was a simple place to start learning about what they talk about instead of just believing what they say like religion. Why are there intellectuals, that are just as well read and have all the same information at their disposal, that come to different conclusions?

[EclecticSceptic]

@Dùbhghlas Gaius 2 years later, but anyway: there's no trick. Watch talks like this, read their books, and so on, and gradually you'll build up an understanding. Some topic will be mentioned, you can go on a tangent and explore this further. Progressively piecing isolated knowledge together, developing a coherent history and worldview. You have to remember that, for example, Varoufakis and Chomsky have spent literally decades of study developing their understanding of society. I think the key point is to keep an open mind and never think you know it all, then you don't create obstacles for yourself.

[Emine Dilek]

He actually turned red when he used the word "power". Sweet man, extremely intelligent, and with a gift of explaining things in layman terms.

[Emine Dilek]

***** Yanis. I admire both men.

[Sendobren]

+Emine Dilek Maybe if he learned to stop interrupting.

[icgantshat]

+stefanos2691 I don't think that is entirely fair. Chomsky repeatedly asked Varoufakis to explain things to the audience and to answer insider questions that Chomsky was burning to know.

[Fırat Ferocious]

Emine Dilek I think you are from Turkey. What made you come here?

[Rick Adams]

Very valuable insights, thank you.

[icgantshat]

This is absolutely breathtaking.

[Petros Stefanidis]

Exceptional, both of them!

[Lee Alexander]

I wish very much I could have been there to push the button for Yanis and make the entire proceedings transparent to everyone. I'm just the kind of mischievous person who would love to do that because I believe in transparency and democracy.