Politics

So, What Has Noam Chomsky Been Up to Lately?

Noam Chomsky has distinguished himself as one of the American left’s most prominent “philosophers” and “cognitive scientists.” The MIT professor is known for filtering his knowledge and opinions into countless books, media interviews and the like. Considering his past far-left commentary, it’s no wonder that he has become a darling of the Occupy Wall Street movement. And over the past month, the prominent academic has been fast at work helping to advance the Occupy agenda.

Last week, the famed leftist sat down with Laura Flanders of GRITtv to discuss the movement as well as the current sociopolitical scenario in America and abroad. Additionally, he shared his views on the Republican Party, which he sees as a movement appealing to the very wealthy, “nativists” and the ultra-religious.

Noam Chomsky Pens Pro Occupy Book & Promotes the Anti Capitalist Movement

“The Republican Party has, for some years, pretty much abandoned any pretense of being a traditional political party,” Chomsky said. “It’s kind of lockstep obedience to the very rich, super rich and the corporate sector.”

When it comes to the so-called 99 percent, the professor believes that there are very specific targets that must be gone after if the cohort wants to reach success.

“It’s the concentrations of private power, which have an enormous — not total control — but enormous influence over Congress and the White House,” he explained. “In fact, that’s increasing sharply with the sharp concentration of private power escalating across the elections, and so on.”

Below, watch Chomsky’s interview with Flanders:

In addition to doing this sit-down, Chomsky recently released a book entitled, “Occupy.” The official description for the text reads, in part:

Since its sudden appearance in September 2011, the Occupy Movement has spread to thousands of towns and cities across the world. For some it’s the economy. For others, it’s something deeper. Through relentless organizing and ongoing civil disobedience, the movement now occupies the global conscience as its influence spreads from street assemblies and protests to op-ed pages and the corridors of power. From the movement’s onset, Noam Chomsky was there, offering his voice, his support, and his detailed analysis of what’s been going down and what might be done. [...]

Following the old course, says Chomsky, isn’t going to work. He argues that if we continue to follow the model of growth set for us by the 1%, we’ll be like lemmings walking off a cliff. The only alternative is to get involved and fight for a better future. If not now, when? If not us, who?

Read this book if you want to do something to protect freedom, democracy, and the economy from further corporate influence and control.

Clearly, Chomsky is helping in Occupy’s re-organization, as he also seems to be using the book as an opportunity to provide a context to what has led to — and sustained — the seemingly never-ending protests. At the least, it’s an opportunity for him to keep his message prevalent and his voice involved in the discussion. At most, it‘s a chance for him to take part in and promote a movement that espouses the views he’s been spouting for years.

Noam Chomsky Pens Pro Occupy Book & Promotes the Anti Capitalist Movement

On April 22, leading up to the release of “Occupy”, the 83-year-old academic appeared on AlterNet radio (listen here), where he discussed many of these same themes. Chomsky called America “the richest, most powerful country in world history” during the interview and lamented the current situation that the 99 percent face:

“This is the richest, most powerful country in world history. It has extraordinary advantages. Comparing what ought to be, given those circumstances, with what is for the large majority of the population — the 99 percent in the imagery of the Occupy movement — that’s a huge gap.

For example, we don’t have the kind of healthcare that comparable societies have. We don’t have the kind of infrastructure. The last 30 years there’s been — even apart from the last recession — a relative stagnation of the large majority of the population. [...]

It’s a class-based failure that’s by design. That’s the crucial fact. There have been and still are other options available. Things don’t have to happen like this. I think there’s just been a steady buildup of concern, anger and frustration. You can see it in polls. Hatred of institutions and distrust is all over the country, and it’s been rising for a long time. The Occupy movement managed to capture the mood and crystallize it. That’s the way popular movements take off.”

Noam Chomsky Pens Pro Occupy Book & Promotes the Anti Capitalist Movement

Some of his words that followed this portion of the discussion, though, lead to some interesting questions. Chomsky covers the notion that he initially didn’t believe Occupy would work and that he would have never “advised it.” He also said the strategy behind the movement was “brilliant.”

The way in which he discussed it, to a degree, made the movement sound planned and plotted rather than organic (a possibility that The Blaze has explored time and again):

“Occupy came along at a time which was ripe, and the strategy I thought was brilliant. If I had been asked I wouldn’t have advised it. I never thought it was going to work. Fortunately I was wrong. It worked very well. Two major developments took place I think, and if it can be sustained and expanded it’ll be extremely important. One was just changing the discourse, putting things on the public agenda that were simmering in the background but were never articulated in a focused fashion — like inequality or financial corruption and the shredding of the democratic system, the collapse of a productive economy. These things just became common coin. That’s very important.”

All things considered, it seems Chomsky is as fast at work as he has always been. His theories and his support for far-left causes will add even more fuel to the fire that Occupy hopes to continuing stoking.

Comments (57)

  • Constantine Ivanov
    Posted on May 9, 2012 at 12:39am

    I’d like that Mr. Khomsky (this is how his name must be spelled properly to reflect his original sound) revels who namely “occupied media” as his poster says.
    I am afraid that Mr. Khomsky in his 83 years of age suffers some brain problems: media are occupied by radical Lefties (mostly of the same origin as that of Mr. Khomsky), a hardly undeniable fact that implies that Mr. Khomsky calls fro removal of Lefties from media.
    I’d praise Mr. Khomsky, if it was so. Unortunaterly it isn’t.

    Report Post » Constantine Ivanov  
    • Constantine Ivanov
      Posted on May 9, 2012 at 12:45am

      Sorry for typos, my eyes fail.
      Hopefully, I managed to edit properly:

      I’d like Mr. Khomsky (this is how his name must be spelled properly to reflect his original sound) to reveal who namely has “occupied” the media”, as his poster says.
      I am afraid that Mr. Khomsky in his 83 years of age suffers some brain problems: media are occupied by his comrades, radical Lefties (mostly of the same origin as that of Mr. Khomsky), a hardly undeniable fact, which implies that Mr. Khomsky calls for removal of his accomplices.
      I’d praise Mr. Khomsky, if it was so. Unortunaterly it isn’t.

      Report Post » Constantine Ivanov  
  • tomacz
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 8:29pm

    the perfesser compares to einsteins primo uno der erste in astrophysics
    under die letzen in violin playing.,,albert by his own admission said he was a lousy violinist
    detailed study in lingo acq,,,MRIs,with attention to the language formational brain areas ,of young kids,
    kids who learn one, 2 or more languages,,does music ability have correlation in an assist in multi language learning?,in the tone deaf who ‘love music’ but can’t sing,is music still a learning assist?

    tiny birds who just hatch from eggs latch onto the first live object crossing their visual environs,in one
    case,these birds were blue jays hatched in my sisters house,nurtured by my 12y/o niece.
    the four blue jays followed her around the house,went along with her on a 4am paper route,in a radio flyer
    red & wood slatted wagon,sitting & chirping next to her 3 & 4 y/o lil sis & brother,who rolled the papers & stuckem with rubber bands. passing these across the wagon top, to the route owner of record. to toss onto wooden porches,,whadda sight.
    speech,tones,inflection,singing,instrument playing,fern languages,all part of creation,mucho variety.
    chomsky wrote a letter requesting clemency for illyich ramirez sanchez,th venezuelan terrorist,the french court convicted the guy for some of his many murders,were inclined to shootim,they listened to perfesser,
    unfortunately,the jackal ought to have been shot 30years ago.chomskys sympathies are wacky

    Report Post »  
  • neocon1
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 6:33pm

    Room temp ASAP

    Report Post »  
  • disenlightened
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 2:31pm

    Chomsky is a sad figure. If he would have just had a good woman in his life, he might not have gone off the foil hat deep end.

    Report Post » disenlightened  
    • Durruti
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 4:06pm

      Were you born dumb?

      Chomsky was married for almost 60 years, having two daughters. His wife died a couple years ago.

      Report Post » Durruti  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 4:52pm

      Chomsky

      ethnic Russian descent – Check
      Jewish – Check
      Communist/leftist – Check

      Why is that correlation so strong?

      Why do so many ethnic Russian Jews enamored with the left, when the left just tore them f_ck up back in Russia?

      Report Post »  
    • Cesium
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 5:40pm

      @Walkabout Hey, I‘m a Jew but I’m a right centrist libertarian etc.etc… Not all Jews are leftists, even fewer sympathetic to communists even though Jews have a history in the US of aligning only with democrats. this has been shifting.. For 1, the republican party has co-opted Christianity everything, so we can’t always identify with that since we are opposed to christian dogmas (not the people) and aligning ourselves with christian rooted parties. If a political party is associated with Christianity it raises our eyebrows. 2, is immigration.. a lot of Jews on the left are still reeling from the diaspora/ holocaust so austere laws on immigration or restrictive rights to a group of people, even gay people appears oppressing and activates the sensitivity of leftists jews to our struggles in europe. 3 continuing with that theme, the major jewish support of the civil rights movement and against Vietnam was led from the left, and after WWII there was no way we weren’t going to support those things.We easily identified with black struggles in the 20th century america and we easily were against the idea of being “herded” into war. The jews of that time in america, along with their children stayed politically left and got brainwashed like Chomsky. My parents are registered dems but they started voting republican after 9/11.. a lot of jews are changing their position to more center right these days as well, so I’m not really amused by your check list.

      Report Post »  
    • HeavyMetalDaze
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 6:00pm

      Walkabout

      First of all Chomsky is of Jewish Ukrainian origin. Second he never favored authoritarian communism like in the USSR. Jews have suffered far more at the hands of right wingers. In Russia it was Christians who had a history of slaughtering Jews. In Poland as well. It was the right wing Nazi party that created the Holocaust. In Christian countries as well. Many Jews experienced social injustice in Eastern Europe and culturally that drove them to the left.

      Report Post »  
    • neocon1
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 6:43pm

      heavydrughaze

      sorry stooge but Communism, the nazis, the KKK are ALL leftists as was moooselili & Fascism.

      YOU have MURDERED more than ONE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE in the name of the left.
      YOU have MURDERED FIFTY FIVE MILLION American babies in the womb
      the left are monsters who WILL burn in hell.

      Report Post »  
    • Recceman90
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 9:32pm

      @ Heavymetaldaze When trying to be intelligent, try to get your facts straight! Nazi means National Socialist….LEFT of center on the political scale! Yes, Hitler was a Christian (supposedly) socialist that blamed Jews for all the ills of Germany and naturally as ALL Leftists, his answer was to murder as many as he could!

      Report Post » Recceman90  
  • DenisWTexas
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 1:39pm

    Unfortunately, like many “intellectuals” inside the ivory liberal walls of university for so long, Noam has misjudged the basic american public once again. In stating that the Republican part is just for the ultra-religios and super-rich corporate types, he‘s oblivious the ENORMOUS number of folk who are in the party who aren’t super-rich or ultra religious. And even within those groups, their affiliation with the party is based on trying to hold on to constitutionality and truth and freedom.

    Sorry, Mr. Chomsky, but you’re a linguist, not above other men just because you’ve published. Your opinion on this one is useless.

    Report Post »  
    • HeavyMetalDaze
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 2:06pm

      It is controlled by the ultra rich and ultra religious. The working class types supporting the republican party work against their own class interest.

      Report Post »  
    • disenlightened
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 3:07pm

      HEAVYMETALDAZE – “The working class types supporting the republican party work against their own class interest”

      …of course you mean like blacks within the Democ*nt party voting against their own interests for the last 50 years…why don’t you slugs come up with some new lines – - your grandmother was using that party of the rich crap when she was a kid and your mother was railing against Jerry Falwell 30 years ago.

      Report Post » disenlightened  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 5:04pm

      Noam Chomsky lives in an Ivory tower just like his daddy.

      Report Post »  
  • TaterSalad
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 1:15pm

    “We can’t expect the American people to jump from capitalism to communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have communism.”

    Soviet dictator Nikita Khrushchev

    Report Post »  
  • spirited
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:58am

    “This is the richest, most powerful country in world history.”
    …..blah, blah, blah….
    “It’s a class-based failure that’s by design.”-Chomsky ~~~~> Who’s “design” ?
    “I think there’s just been a steady buildup of concern, anger and frustration.
    You can see it in polls. Hatred of institutions and distrust is all over the country, and it’s been rising for a long time.-Chomsky
    ~~>L@@k up Jack Goldstone; a Revolutions Scholar.
    He differentiates, what he calls, 4 current “generations” of revoluntions.
    The 1st: usually related to social psychology:
    cognitive psychology & frustration –aggression theory, recession & discrimination.
    ~~>to cause widespread frustration with socio-political situations. (see T R Gurr)

    The 2nd: based more on complex social behavior theories: psychological, sociological & political.
    It’s a two-step process:
    First, “change” results in the present situation
    Second, the new situation creates opportunity for a revolution to occur; but, the authorities can prevent the revolution (through reform or repression).

    The 3rd: political sciences and pluralist theory & interest group conflict theory;
    When two or more groups cannot come to terms, there is a power struggle

    8^> Chomsy, –keep talking; the useful idiots might hear you.
    Barack Obama promised “fundamental change”.
    Michelle Obama said, “Barack will NEVER let you go back to your lives as usual…”
    Yes WE Can, Change, Occupy, Fow

    Report Post » spirited  
  • Tal-El
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:50am

    In a blatant example of dishonesty in advertizing, this very disagreeable individual’s name means (in Hebrew) “pleasantness” or “gentility”. But then again his parents couldn’t know how he would turn out…

    Report Post »  
  • ODB1111
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:29am

    You would think that all these communists would go to such meccas as Cuba or North Korea to live the dream.

    Report Post »  
    • HeavyMetalDaze
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 2:10pm

      Chomsky has never supported authoritarian regimes so why would he go live under one?

      Report Post »  
    • disenlightened
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 4:02pm

      @HEAVYMETALDAZE – actually, Chomsky had a real soft spot for North Vietnam, Cuba and Cambodia (Pol Pot), and modern day China sends tingles up his back.

      Report Post » disenlightened  
  • HeavyMetalDaze
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:11am

    12 comments and two are people wishing death on this man. Real classy. Good to see what kind of people you are.
    Chomsky is about the most brilliant critic of US foreign policy that there has ever been. I guess to the simple minded Beck listener pointing out the corruption behind the actions of our country is equal to being anti America. But conservatives lack real complex thinking.
    And do note the conspiracy angle here that the Blaze writer interjects. Suggesting that a presence of strategy from a small number in the occupy movement which others have adopted somehow makes the movement as a whole not organic. Sorry. It’s not the Tea party where a few groups controlled by Fox and corporate interests act in lock step. On the contrary anyone can join occupy. Many groups have their own take and thousands more people exist within it without belonging to any groups. None of them define it.

    Report Post »  
    • adastra2005
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:32am

      You are so smart. Please. When the statists finally get their way, will you be the supreme leader. I know you have all the answers and, at least my life would be better if you directed every effort of it.

      May I have your permission to go take a dump now?

      Report Post »  
    • Leader1776
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:58am

      The beauty of this country is that everyone is entitled to their opinion ……….. even you. And allow me to help make you feel better about Americans and especially those on the political right: the have more than enough intellect to easily understand what you consider/believe is “complex”.

      The old ‘its too complex’ knee-jerk statement when the left is asked to defend a position is rather old, tired, and pat. If you wish to defend your/his position, cite specifics [about Chomsky]. Be assured, we will understand them and not criticize you for raising them. To the contrary, we will help you see the flaws in facts and logic.

      Naomsky Chumpsky has had a great gig for 40+ years having the political left fawn over his protestations of Americans and American life all the while he must wipe the rich, American food from his cheeks as he pontificates with his mouth full. He has turned a rather useless social science, linguistics, into a lucrative business. Yes, another America hating elite leftist that has gotten fat (both literally and figuratively) off America by debating OPINIONS. He is an entertainer like Bill Maher, but with much better word usage ;-)

      Report Post » Leader1776  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 11:25am

      Heavymetaldaze – for heaven’s sake watch this video and please learn something.

      http://www.tomwoods.com/blog/​marxism-and-the-intellectuals/

      Report Post » NHwinter  
  • shirtsbyeric
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:01am

    Yes Noam, America has generated more wealth than any other county. Do you think this is a bad thing?

    Report Post »  
    • Leader1776
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 11:00am

      Shhhhhh …………. he doesn‘t want anyone knowing he’s closer to the 1% than the 99%. I understand he and Michael Moore are seeing one another, now ;-)

      Report Post » Leader1776  
    • vox_populi
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 11:23am

      No, he’s pointing out the enormous inequalities and poor access to basic human services (healthcare, housing, etc) that exist despite that wealth is a bit of an embarrassment.

      Report Post » vox_populi  
    • droptheothershoe
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 12:29pm

      vox, Do you always spout inanities? American poor have heat, a/c, medicaid, access to all emergency rooms by law just not free drugs, free cellphones by the dozens and all compliments from those of us that work..

      Anyone notice how vain NC is? Look at the geeks swirly, curled do!

      Report Post »  
  • teddrunk
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 9:37am

    So some leftist who wrote books no one read and is on a radio network no one listens to is famed?

    Report Post »  
  • foobear
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 9:35am

    Once again, he advocates for communism and thinks that America is the Great Satan.

    Report Post » foobear  
    • HeavyMetalDaze
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:15am

      He advocates anarcho syndicalism and has been a critic of the USSR and China. When did he say the US was the “Great Satan”? Oh that’s right. never.

      Report Post »  
    • Leader1776
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 11:11am

      @HEAVYMETALDAZE
      Wait a minute ……….. you‘re one of Chumpsky’s grad students, aren’t you? Teaching assistant? MIT drop-out. Couldn’t get into the engineering program?

      Report Post » Leader1776  
    • EqualJustice
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 12:56pm

      Hey HEAVY.. “Chomsky also detests the state of Israel, a country he regards as playing the role of Little Satan to the American Great Satan and functioning strategically as an “offshore military and technology base for the United States.” He actually DID say that at a lecture…

      Report Post » EqualJustice  
    • HeavyMetalDaze
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 2:01pm

      “Hey HEAVY.. “Chomsky also detests the state of Israel, a country he regards as playing the role of Little Satan to the American Great Satan and functioning strategically as an “offshore military and technology base for the United States.” He actually DID say that at a lecture…”

      Um he never called them “little Satan”. But they do function as an offshore military and technology base for the US. And the US does do with the aid of Israel many violent imperialist acts in the middle east. We even bombed thousands of Iraqis to control the oil industry there for our favored energy companies.

      Report Post »  
  • mike_trivisonno
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 9:30am

    Noam Chomsky is incapable of generating new knowledge. He can only feed off of the work of his betters.

    So low is he, that I am amazed his skeleton is not on the outside of his body.

    Report Post » mike_trivisonno  
    • HeavyMetalDaze
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:19am

      You just described Glenn Beck. Except that Noam does real research.

      Report Post »  
    • Leader1776
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 11:08am

      Are we to understand that Chumpsky is the only person that does research? Granted Beck doesn’t do bench science research, but neither does Chumpsky. Again, either disprove data/information or don’t comment. Name calling or insinuation is not a founded concept in debate structure.

      Report Post » Leader1776  
    • Therightsofbilly
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 2:27pm

      @HEAVYMETALDAZE

      Have you been ingesting heavy metals again?

      Report Post » Therightsofbilly  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 9:24am

    Honestly what is it going to take to get more people to see and understand what is going on in this nation today? The truth is getting out yet it is as if a great apathy has ensconched the minds of so many…as if something is clouding their judgment.

    Yet I also see Gods hand in this matter; showing the truth to those who seek it and allowing us the chance and time to make the changes with His guidance and power.

    God that we can save the Republic and turn the ship around into a new future.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • pwatkins
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 10:35am

      Well said.

      Report Post »  
    • spirited
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 11:33am

      Probably only when “Occupy” across the USA
      has caused more damage to private property,
      harmed and killed civilians & some main stream media folks

      so that
      that information is part of those happy liitle feel-good morning shows.

      When the ‘Matt Lauers’ have been personally affected….and their “usual” lives are interrupted.

      Report Post » spirited  
  • mike_trivisonno
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 9:24am

    Noam Chomsky is a mental case. Read some of the nonsense this loser spews. It is quite amazing.

    He is a pseudo intellectual.

    Report Post » mike_trivisonno  
    • EqualJustice
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 1:06pm

      “As the spokesman of imperialism, he came to share his nostrums to try to preserve the current pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples of the world. An Alfred Hitchcock movie could use it as a scenario. I would even propose a title: ‘The Devil’s Recipe.’ ”

      “Chavez held up a book by Noam Chomsky on imperialism and said it encapsulated his arguments: “The American empire is doing all it can to consolidate its hegemonistic system of domination, and we cannot allow him to do that. We cannot allow world dictatorship to be consolidated.”
      http://articles.cnn.com/2006-09-20/world/chavez.un_1_venezuelan-president-hugo-chavez-nuclear-technology-veto-power?_s=PM:WORLD

      Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • mikellyusabr
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 8:58am

    So Chomsky’s worried about private influence on government power?

    Somehow I don’t think he likes the idea of checks and balances. Granted, private influence is not a formal check and balance, but it’s real and it helps keep the lid on the rise of a dictator–which is the whole point of why the Founding Fathers came up with the concept.

    Or here’s an idea. Let’s just have 100% government power with Chomsky’s gang in control of everything so they can appoint the next Führer.

    Wouldn’t that make for a sweet world?

    Chomsky is a very intelligent intellectual who has taken his linguistic and cognitive insights (some of which are very good and some of which are dubious) and whored them out for power-mongers while pretending to be a friend of mankind.

    Report Post »  
    • spirited
      Posted on May 7, 2012 at 11:13am

      That’s what they all do!

      All the traders, the big mouths, the liars, the confused
      ….the successful behind (and, financially supporting Obama)
      ….those who have achieved their (own) personal gains,
      who have benefitted from the very country that the Obamas have repeatedly bashed….. (good God!),
      are knowingly or not
      part of those who are trying to destroy the same possibilities for for the rest.

      Obviously, November 6, 2012 is not just about getting Mrs. Obama to have to say, “Let’s Move” to those loading the moving-truck; It’s about getting rid of the other elected creatons!

      8^O ~~>Hopefully, The Blaze will start posting sites and names for Blazers to more-easily “do their own research” to pass on to those still in the dark.

      Report Post » spirited  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 8:55am

    Lazy people love socialism…… They can hide a lot easier, kinda like a union….

    Report Post »  
  • Bobby D
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 8:34am

    “chumpSKY is just another leftist fool.

    Report Post »  
  • Steve28
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 8:29am

    Occupy was not spontaneous in any way. Most of those wanting policy change want something for nothing.

    Report Post »  
  • RightUnite
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 8:17am

    Isn’t he dead??

    Report Post »  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on May 7, 2012 at 8:15am

    Noam and Wally Buffett and Spooky Dude are due for the dirtnap. Can‘t wait for the Obit’s.

    Report Post » 13th Imam  

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