occasional reflections on culture & politics
Something strange is happening. On October 7, organized rape, kidnap and murder squads from Hamas invaded Israeli territory – following their organization’s genocidal charter – and committed the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust. Hamas declared war, with their allies – similarly genocidally minded Hezbollah, directed probably by Iran in happy cooperation with Russia and… Continue reading #241: The War Against Israel
I've finally finished the first movement of Symphony 5: The Defiant. Demo music is available on Soundcloud. Movements 2-5 will follow throughout 2024, hopefully.
https://youtu.be/092P6yNrDSE (This is a bit different in style – it is an unscripted video transcript, so it reflects oral more than written speech.) Can we have hope? I was asked a question recently about what gives me hope. I don't know whether I have the right answer for this. I've tried to write about hope… Continue reading #240: Hope, Duty & the Future
https://youtu.be/eFScWB54X4Q (This is a bit different in style – it is an unscripted video transcript, so it reflects oral more than written speech.) What is the use of history when you want to solve a big problem? There are all kinds of big conflicts on the planet. Right now, what's top of our minds probably… Continue reading #239: Is History Helpful for Solving Conflicts?
Again, we hear the words. “The Jews.” Again, we see “them” being made responsible for all the evils of the world. Israel was attacked by violent deranged anti-human terrorists, and it continues to be attacked, and the attacker hides behind children and women and institutions of human decency. The attacker, Hamas, has been calling for… Continue reading #238: Kristallnacht, 85 Years Later
We are hearing the slogan that Israel would be committing Genocide in Gaza. Just because you hear it so frequently doesn’t make it right. At no point has Israel, as a state, ever wanted to eradicate Palestinians or Palestine. Since its inception, and before, it wanted to work with the Arab population. It invited Arabs… Continue reading #237: No, Israel is Not Committing Genocide in Gaza
I am not a psychologist. I am a cultural and political theorist. I study the world and derive insight about how it works and what is going on from a variety of sources, and try to explain it with the use of theory. That’s what I do – so take what I am saying with… Continue reading #236: Things are Not OK. We Should Be Able to Admit It
Dmitri Peskov says that the rumors are wrong, Putin is not dead. Fascinating. When you have to deny a rumor like this, there is already a problem. If you feel that you have to respond to such a rumor at all, it means that there is a realistic chance that people are actually believing something… Continue reading #235: Rumors of Putin’s Death
We are hearing terms like “Colonizer” or “Apartheid State” used to describe Israel. They are used for two reasons: Some are legitimately frustrated with the status of Palestine and Palestinians, especially those living in the West Bank and Gaza. They do not have their own state yet, and their political rights are not protected in… Continue reading #234: Israel is Neither Colonizer Nor Apartheid State
People seem confused about equity. Some claim equity means the equality of outcomes, and are calling instead for an equality of opportunity. Others see the call for equity as a socialist plot meant to destroy society. Amongst those who profess ignorance on the issue are even people like Senator Bernie Sanders, who should know better.… Continue reading #233: On Equity and Equality of Opportunity
Sometimes, an emotional appeal may seem necessary. Human beings are emotional. There is plenty of suffering and plenty of pain in the world, and emotional reactions are to be expected. Nobody can hold in everything all the time, we are not all stoics, we cannot just be expected to endure suffering without reacting to it.… Continue reading #232: The Downside of the Emotional Appeal
I would typically describe myself as a centrist, even though some of my positions may align with the Left. How is this possible? What does it mean to be a centrist? What are core positions of centrism? How is centrism defensible in the light of strong convictions that may not align with others in some… Continue reading #231: Centrism Is a Methodology, Not Primarily an Ideology
I. Intro Hamas does not speak for or act for all Palestinians. We must not connect the two. Because if we do – what does this say about our perceptions of Palestinians? In the past week, we have seen shocking evidence of horrifying acts committed by Hamas against innocent people in Israel. It has killed,… Continue reading #230: Against Hamas, Against Antisemitism, Against Antizionism
https://youtu.be/AasjWiIFu_g If you see yourself as a believer in justice, as dedicated to the fight against oppression and exploitation, ask yourself: What is the biggest justice? What is the purpose of the fight against oppression and exploitation? The answer can probably only be as follows: The preservation of human life, ideally of all life, in… Continue reading #229: Fighting for Love in Times of War
https://youtu.be/gLMeuYn0IQM Hamas has brutally attacked Israel. They've killed civilians indiscriminately, abducted people, all on a flimsy excuse that this had something to do with Jews on or near the Al-Aqsa Mosque. We know that that's not the reason. Israel had ended the occupation of Gaza in 2005, and as a result, Gaza has been dominated… Continue reading #228: Hamas Attacked Israel
https://youtu.be/t7RFlIlUwqM I. If you see yourself on the political left or a progressive, you should not support Putin. You are against racism? Putin’s Russia promotes Russian chauvinism. Not even Russia First, but Russia Only. As Vladimir Putin himself has said, what is the point of a world without Russia? You are against violence against women?… Continue reading #227: Whatever Your Politics, There is No Reason to Support Putin
We are living at a time where democracy is challenged on a variety of levels, domestically and internationally. There exist several attempts to actively discourage people from seeking democracy, to use internal contradictions within democratic countries in order to legitimatize democracy itself, or to even undermine and destroy democracy where it exists. We cannot be… Continue reading #226: We Must Not Give Up on Global Democracy
I. My Personal Journey I have a complicated relationship with religion. As far as I can tell, so probably has everyone else. But I believe it may be helpful to explain my specific complications, given that among my work are some poems, musical pieces and other writings that may create an overall confusing picture. It… Continue reading #225: Religion, Transcendence & Nature
Erratic Attempts 