"Passion and commitment can overwhelm and blind. When that happens, reason ceases to enlighten and keep us well away from madness and obscenity. Reason becomes rationalization. It twists and bends and distorts. It excuses the inexcusable." What I like about this section is that it applies equally to the Israeli government as it does to Hamas. If anyone thinks this is just about Hamas apologists, you are missing the point of the article.
Having absorbed thousands of words from your digital pen over the last couple of years - with great satisfaction - I can say without reservation that this posting is your finest work to date. And your most important.
Thank you.
I am reminded of Michael Ignatieff’s insights about the former Yugoslavia where he pondered how peoples who had lived together in relative harmony for all their lives, often inter-marrying, could be incited to hate and massacre each other. I can’t cite the passage but he made his view plain that all of us contain the potential for good and evil, not just those on today’s firing lines.
During WW2 the Nazis forced the Warsaw Jews into a ghetto. Uncharacteristically, in 1943 the Jews rebelled with guns and Molotov cocktails. The Nazis systematically destroyed the ghetto and killed all its inhabitants. Fast forward to the 21st Century. The Palestinians have been forced off their native land into a ghetto called the Gaza strip. They've been denied seaports and airports. Their water and electricity are controlled by the Jews. They cannot enter or leave without Jewish permission. A few of them rebel, killing innocent civilians. The Gaza ghetto is raised to the ground. Innocents are killed. History has repeated itself. Lessons unlearned.
The Hamas apologists are indeed not fools. They are evil. And their support for those vicious killers is not an accident but a consequence of their own irrational, collectivist, anti-human ideology.
If you wonder how Germany, land of poets and philosophers, could become the murderous regime it turned into in the early 20th century, look no further than the ideas coming out of today's universities in the West. We seem to be living in our own version of the Weimar Republic these days. Whether we will find a better course forward than that regime did is an open question.
I wish we were more critical of Israeli Government apologists to be honest. The Netanyahu crew has demonstrated they're much more capable at terror and brutality. And much more effective at co-opting the western discourse and our politicians. Here's to hoping sane heads prevail and we don't have to pick the side of two evils while millions suffer.
Thank you Dan. I have a number of left-leaning friends who have been flabbergasted at the reaction of some of the folks they normally admire and agree with. You’ve put into fine words what I have been trying, and failing, to express to them (as you so often do).
Really? It's fun to call people foolish, but I could find no substantial criticism in your article. I guess there is someone who said something about the current war in Gaza, and you consider it to be apologist. Is it? Can't tell because this article is just nicely-couched name-calling.
Yes, obviously you didn't want to "get into it", which is OK. But is there any value, beyond personal catharsis, beyond the performative, the virtue-signalling?
my feelings are hurt, alarm bells are ringing in my ears, atrocities are piercing my eyes -- > my main concern : ‘can I find the time for reflection’ when my own passion and commitment are threatening to overwhelm me or/and blind me. Will I succeed ? I see that many, regardless of their mental powers, are not succeeding.
"Passion and commitment can overwhelm and blind. When that happens, reason ceases to enlighten and keep us well away from madness and obscenity. Reason becomes rationalization. It twists and bends and distorts. It excuses the inexcusable." What I like about this section is that it applies equally to the Israeli government as it does to Hamas. If anyone thinks this is just about Hamas apologists, you are missing the point of the article.
Having absorbed thousands of words from your digital pen over the last couple of years - with great satisfaction - I can say without reservation that this posting is your finest work to date. And your most important.
Thank you.
I am reminded of Michael Ignatieff’s insights about the former Yugoslavia where he pondered how peoples who had lived together in relative harmony for all their lives, often inter-marrying, could be incited to hate and massacre each other. I can’t cite the passage but he made his view plain that all of us contain the potential for good and evil, not just those on today’s firing lines.
During WW2 the Nazis forced the Warsaw Jews into a ghetto. Uncharacteristically, in 1943 the Jews rebelled with guns and Molotov cocktails. The Nazis systematically destroyed the ghetto and killed all its inhabitants. Fast forward to the 21st Century. The Palestinians have been forced off their native land into a ghetto called the Gaza strip. They've been denied seaports and airports. Their water and electricity are controlled by the Jews. They cannot enter or leave without Jewish permission. A few of them rebel, killing innocent civilians. The Gaza ghetto is raised to the ground. Innocents are killed. History has repeated itself. Lessons unlearned.
Sophistry has been the downfall of many great societies.
Universities are now Sophist.
Zero critical thinking skills, by design
The Hamas apologists are indeed not fools. They are evil. And their support for those vicious killers is not an accident but a consequence of their own irrational, collectivist, anti-human ideology.
If you wonder how Germany, land of poets and philosophers, could become the murderous regime it turned into in the early 20th century, look no further than the ideas coming out of today's universities in the West. We seem to be living in our own version of the Weimar Republic these days. Whether we will find a better course forward than that regime did is an open question.
I wish we were more critical of Israeli Government apologists to be honest. The Netanyahu crew has demonstrated they're much more capable at terror and brutality. And much more effective at co-opting the western discourse and our politicians. Here's to hoping sane heads prevail and we don't have to pick the side of two evils while millions suffer.
I like this essay a lot. Thanks for posting.
Thank you Dan. I have a number of left-leaning friends who have been flabbergasted at the reaction of some of the folks they normally admire and agree with. You’ve put into fine words what I have been trying, and failing, to express to them (as you so often do).
Really? It's fun to call people foolish, but I could find no substantial criticism in your article. I guess there is someone who said something about the current war in Gaza, and you consider it to be apologist. Is it? Can't tell because this article is just nicely-couched name-calling.
Yes, obviously you didn't want to "get into it", which is OK. But is there any value, beyond personal catharsis, beyond the performative, the virtue-signalling?
If I may ask a clarification , why quoting "decolonization"?
Great piece sir, brilliant.
my feelings are hurt, alarm bells are ringing in my ears, atrocities are piercing my eyes -- > my main concern : ‘can I find the time for reflection’ when my own passion and commitment are threatening to overwhelm me or/and blind me. Will I succeed ? I see that many, regardless of their mental powers, are not succeeding.
Mysideism. Ick.
Brilliant!
The Albert Pike quote from long ago.
That there has to be a Middle East war…
Hamas was created by our intelligence agencies.
Just like Osama, Oswald, Stalin, Hitler, Mao.
Scapegoats for war / coups.
Kerry was over chattering with Hamas leaders in 2019.
Nothing is as it seems
Bibi knew this was going to pop off.
It’s all orchestrated by the nefarious globalist
Thank you Dan, this is wiser than much out there. Each of us should always examine that rift within our own hearts.
Don't over-analyze it -- it's quite simple. If I may steal from some known quotes:
There is nothing either good or bad, but interests.