That is [Edward Said] proposal as to how the term should be used. It surely does not describe those who are called "intellectuals" in standard usage, as he would be the first to agree.

Students who acquire large debts putting themselves through school are unlikely to think about changing society. When you trap people in a system of debt, they can't afford the time to think.

The general population doesn't know what's happening, and it doesn't even know that it doesn't know.

That's the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things don't work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital.

Jingoism, racism, fear, religious fundamentalism: these are the ways of appealing to people if you're trying to organize a mass base of support for policies that are really intended to crush them.

There's a good reason why nobody studies history, it just teaches you too much.

The world is a very puzzling place. If you're not willing to be puzzled, you just become a replica of someone else's mind.

Democratic societies can't force people. Therefore they have to control what they think.

Nobody should have any illusions. The United States has essentially a one-party system and the ruling party is the business party.

If you want to control a population... give them a God to worship.

A language is not just words. It's a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It's all embodied in a language.

I support legal immigration. I don't support amnesty because it is not fair to people standing in line at consulates around the world.

We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before.

If Bush said just once: 'Boy. I hope you accept my apology as a country,' or showed some humanity.

Talents constitute our very essence.

No social system will bring us happiness, health and prosperity unless it is inspired by something greater than materialism.

In the end, I think musicians know that getting up in the morning and making music you love doesn't necessarily mean that you deserve billions of dollars or worship from anybody.

Behold, I make all things new.

Every day in America, African Americans are reminded of their race in ways large and small. Every day.

The formula for achieving middle-class success is simple: Finish high school; don't have a child before the age of 20; and get married before having the child.