The father of modern linguistics
Marshaled with facts and statistics
A crushing critique
Of his country's mystique
That commissars met with ballistics.
The commissars hated his bent
But failed to dispel his dissent
Which spread like the flu
'Cause everyone knew:
Elites manufacture consent.
Disciples anew gain in traction
Which drives the elites to distraction.
As Chomsky insists,
His value consists
In organizational action.
Disciples of old kill the father.
You wonder why any would bother.
To do such a murder
Could not be absurder
Since all that is shown is their pother.
This classic reaction formation,
A typically strong indication
Of blessings denied
By mentors who eyed
Their progeny once with elation,
Accounts for the whole situation.
Like Hitchens' most recent creation:
A bargain-rack Blair
With none of the flair --
A bar mitzvah boy in deflation.
Yes, Chomsky's a man and thus flawed.
His acolytes are overawed.
But as Orwell said
Of Gandhi's life's thread,
There's far less to blame than to laud.
So, now let me end with a mention
Of Chomsky's most precious extension
Of wisdom long noted
Which ought to be quoted
Until you are sure of retention.
It's not about Language or Reason
Or theories that go out of season
But, rather, advice
Astute and precise
Applicable always, but treason.
It's not all that subtle, my pets,
So proffer I will, with regrets:
It ought to be clear
That notions held dear
View logic and data as threats.
Marshaled with facts and statistics
A crushing critique
Of his country's mystique
That commissars met with ballistics.
The commissars hated his bent
But failed to dispel his dissent
Which spread like the flu
'Cause everyone knew:
Elites manufacture consent.
Disciples anew gain in traction
Which drives the elites to distraction.
As Chomsky insists,
His value consists
In organizational action.
Disciples of old kill the father.
You wonder why any would bother.
To do such a murder
Could not be absurder
Since all that is shown is their pother.
This classic reaction formation,
A typically strong indication
Of blessings denied
By mentors who eyed
Their progeny once with elation,
Accounts for the whole situation.
Like Hitchens' most recent creation:
A bargain-rack Blair
With none of the flair --
A bar mitzvah boy in deflation.
Yes, Chomsky's a man and thus flawed.
His acolytes are overawed.
But as Orwell said
Of Gandhi's life's thread,
There's far less to blame than to laud.
So, now let me end with a mention
Of Chomsky's most precious extension
Of wisdom long noted
Which ought to be quoted
Until you are sure of retention.
It's not about Language or Reason
Or theories that go out of season
But, rather, advice
Astute and precise
Applicable always, but treason.
It's not all that subtle, my pets,
So proffer I will, with regrets:
It ought to be clear
That notions held dear
View logic and data as threats.