I stop paying attention to what they have to say.
I've never actually had it happen, but I suppose it would generally depend on whether I already respected their opinion. If they're an intelligent person who has valuable things to say, then I'd probably listen even more closely. But if I believe they're just trying to look impressive, then they're just a douche and not worth my time.
At least, the ones I met at University.
I argue with people all the time it's just that:
1) Noam Chomsky is very, very, very, very, over-rated. Even for a Linguist, let alone a foreign policy expert. The stuff he says isn't exactly new, or even especially bright.
2) People throw around his name all the time.
3) The people who throw around his name are very hard to talk civilly with without namecalling a facist. At least, the ones I met at University.
4) They don't actually know what the hell talk about.
Post who are "post-modernists" also applicants.
Could you elaborate on why you think he's "over-rated" - in either linguistics, American foreign policy, or both??? What stuff are you referring to when you say it isn't "new, or even especially bright"?
People throw a lot of names around - that alone doesn't mean the person name-checked is without merit. Shakespeare and Yogi Berra are both quoted frequently.
Also, what is a "facist"? (I hope that's not what you corrected for spelling previously)
I stop paying attention to what they have to say.
Who is Noam Chomsky?
Why?
Although I can understand the feeling because your feeling about Chomsky is the same for me as when some *Conservative* carries around "The Fountainhead":lovecoupl That pretty much tunes me out to them.