&gt; Chomsky can&#x27;t even have a email dialogue with Sam Harris without becoming oozing contempt and incivility for no discernible reason.<p>I have no trouble discerning a reason for the tone of Chomsky&#x27;s responses; when given the benefit of the doubt -- despite Chomsky clearly expecting that he was about to have his time wasted by in the professional equivalent of message-board trolling -- he proceeded with what was clearly the exact thing that Chomsky expected and which made him reluctant to engage at the outset.<p>Personally, I think Chomsky showed admirable restraint for the way his time was being wasted.