Noam Chomsky is one of the most respected and read thinkers in the world for very obvious reasons: his texts point out the crimes of the powerful, reveal the true motives behind their decisions and denounce the fallacies of the speeches with which they justify their actions. In short, he fulfills the duty that one would expect from an intellectual. However, not all of his peers show that same moral commitment.

Throughout his political career, Chomsky has directly addressed the question of what the true responsibility of intellectuals is on two occasions, two already canonical writings within his prolific work, collected in this volume and accompanied by a new preface to the Author. In the late 1960s, in the heat of the Vietnam War, Chomsky denounced the shameful policies of the US government and the no less shameful role of certain intellectuals in supporting them. In 2011, after the "planned assassination" of Osama bin Laden, he reflected on the belonging of intellectuals to the privileged class and their obligation to question the authorities. More relevant today than ever, this book reminds us that privilege "brings opportunity, and with opportunity comes responsibility." We all have a choice, even in desperate times.

"For anyone who wants to know more about the world we live in, there is a simple answer: read Noam Chomsky."
New Statesman