As an impressionable college student, I took 2 completely different classes in the same semester, and Chomsky was the subject of a unit in both.

In a Computer Science Compilers course, we talked about Chomsky and linguistics, as it relates to computer languages. And in Political Science, we watched the video version of Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent. His knowledge has incredible breadth and depth. Further, he doesn’t only write politically dissenting commentary, but he also practices what he preaches: through civil disobedience.

Chomsky’s most impressive characteristic is that he is more thoughtfully critical in his arguments than any speaker or writer I’ve ever come in contact with.

People don’t yet fully appreciate him now, but I get the feeling that 50 to 100 years down the road, he’ll be remembered as one of the greatest thinkers of our time.