KOZHIKODE: Renowned linguist and activist Noam Chomsky might not have been able to be physically present at Kerala Literature Festival, but his words of wisdom on the evolving trends in the US and its impact worldwide enlightened audience gathered on the beach here on Saturday.
The octogenarian marked his dissent on how Donald Trump's America is refusing to participate in the fight against climate change and global warming.
"When the first year of Trump is evaluated, it is evident that the President is making sure that the attention is completely focused on him. He is carefully avoiding disturbing voices, systematically leading to a catastrophe. Even the media is avoiding that and concentrating only on certain policies," he said.
"There is a severe shortage of energy resources, but the United States is refusing to join the global effects of climate change. Only the development of weapons is increasing, along with allegations of severe cyber attack against other countries."
Planning board vice-chairman V.K. Ramachandran interviewed Chomsky on February 7, and the same was screened at the KLF venue.
When Mr Ramachandran asked him, whether he still had hope in the future as he stated many decades ago or 'the world becoming a much more dangerous place to live in?', he replied that amidst the dangers, there was still hope.
Mr Chomsky also stressed on artificial intelligence and robotics. "There is, of course, a massive need for human labour. The system is so dysfunctional. There are warnings of labour disappearing. It needs more leisure for creative and constructive work, freeing people to do more creative work in a less dangerous way," he said.
He was also concerned about the plight of West Asia after the spring. "Earlier at the time of USSR, there was a need for a strong military base in the Middle East, but it is still continuing. The bleakest incident in the Middle East would be the US invasion of Iraq. On the whole region, there is sectarian conflict. Gaza would not be a livable place in a few years. There is a big threat looming to the whole world," he added.
