For many years, as a psychologist and educationalist, I have been trying to point out, in the spirit of my psychology teacher, in view of the unspeakable suffering that people inflict on their fellow human beings, that humanity must embrace the results of psychological research in order to create a life worthy of human beings and end the unspeakable suffering of people all over the world.
Only when we truly understand how we have become through the education of our parents and teachers in childhood, how we have learnt to obey them and all other authorities, and by realising that we carry these experiences as ballast into adulthood, will we see ourselves, our fellow human beings and the entire social order in a different light and understand why people can do to their fellow human beings what they do every day without much scruple.
Actually, the barbarism during the worldwide colonisation of the past centuries and the horrors of the two world wars and all other wars should have made it clear to us how we humans, without exception, react to the orders and commands of the “world leaders”, the so-called authorities, who are imbued with the spirit of violence, and what disaster develops from each of them.
As wide-awake and rational citizens who want to live in peace and freedom, we should not be at the mercy of this seemingly inevitable “fate”.
However, it is never too late to come to this fundamental realisation that without psychology and our self-awareness, the respective disaster will continue to take its course and only end in the “unthinkable”.
I am disappointed to see that you, too, among so many other rational thinkers, are falling into the dualistic trap of "Israel Right or Wrong" versus antisemitism. Indeed, true antisemitism IS rearing its ugly head, but what's getting left out of the discussion is that, hey guess what, one can support the Jewish people without supporting the state of Israel as it has become. The Israeli government has been committing atrocities for decades; why is protesting these acts equated with antisemitism? Let's also take a look at the exceedingly fishy nature of the recent Hamas attack - even some mainstream news outlets were timidly pondering the question of an inside job, given how easily Hamas strolled through Israel's defenses. We have to stop equating government agencies, as well as terrorist organizations, with entire ethnic groups of people. If the state of Israel's means of existence is to continue the oppression of the Palestinians, it doesn't deserve continued existence, much less US involvement This doesn't mean I want the population wiped out; nor do I want the Palestinian population wiped out in revenge for Hamas' actions (if we are even getting a true picture of just what has taken place in recent weeks, as we know the media are not to be trusted). A fair two-state solution has always been the necessary answer, but militant Israeli government regimes have never budged an inch from their aims.
Valerie, I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts. You acknowledge growing antisemitism and that is what my post is about. No where in the essay did I equate disagreeing with actions of Israel with antisemitism. We may draw the line in different places, but the purpose of my essay was to draw attention to the problem through the lens of Eric Hoffer.
If that essay moves you a bit from your position you might also consider the recent Kate Wand/Normal Fenton interview for context: https://katewand.substack.com/p/the-big-lie
No where in any of my posts on this terrible conflict have I written one sentence about which option Israel should choose among their terrible choices or implied any choice they make is the right one.
You obviously don't realize how absurd your antisemitic talking point is. For one, see "man of aran's" post. For another have you not read Hamas's charter with its goal to kill every Jew first in Israel and then worldwide? Have you not read that this genocidal goal was restated even after Oct 7?
It’s getting really old to just call anyone who disagrees with you committing genocide is antisemitic. It’s as intellectually honest as woke people who call any white perish who disagrees with a person of color racist. The existence of Hamas does not justify genocide. Even China isn’t as ruthless dealing with their Muslims as Israel.
Quick comparison. How many people of Arab descent live in liberal democratic Israel? Approximately 20%. How many Jews today live in or are allowed to live in over 20 Arab/Muslim theocratic states where they used to have a presence? Approximately 0%.
So? Just give it time, those 20% will be gotten rid of eventually. And comparing Israel to Muslims is a really low bar. If Israel wants to be modern they have to live by modern rules aka Christian rules. Muslims and Jews need Jesus, that is why they are so immoral.
From Dr Rudolph Hansel,
For many years, as a psychologist and educationalist, I have been trying to point out, in the spirit of my psychology teacher, in view of the unspeakable suffering that people inflict on their fellow human beings, that humanity must embrace the results of psychological research in order to create a life worthy of human beings and end the unspeakable suffering of people all over the world.
Only when we truly understand how we have become through the education of our parents and teachers in childhood, how we have learnt to obey them and all other authorities, and by realising that we carry these experiences as ballast into adulthood, will we see ourselves, our fellow human beings and the entire social order in a different light and understand why people can do to their fellow human beings what they do every day without much scruple.
Actually, the barbarism during the worldwide colonisation of the past centuries and the horrors of the two world wars and all other wars should have made it clear to us how we humans, without exception, react to the orders and commands of the “world leaders”, the so-called authorities, who are imbued with the spirit of violence, and what disaster develops from each of them.
As wide-awake and rational citizens who want to live in peace and freedom, we should not be at the mercy of this seemingly inevitable “fate”.
However, it is never too late to come to this fundamental realisation that without psychology and our self-awareness, the respective disaster will continue to take its course and only end in the “unthinkable”.
Andrew, Dr. Hansel is new to me. Thank you for sharing his wisdom.
I am disappointed to see that you, too, among so many other rational thinkers, are falling into the dualistic trap of "Israel Right or Wrong" versus antisemitism. Indeed, true antisemitism IS rearing its ugly head, but what's getting left out of the discussion is that, hey guess what, one can support the Jewish people without supporting the state of Israel as it has become. The Israeli government has been committing atrocities for decades; why is protesting these acts equated with antisemitism? Let's also take a look at the exceedingly fishy nature of the recent Hamas attack - even some mainstream news outlets were timidly pondering the question of an inside job, given how easily Hamas strolled through Israel's defenses. We have to stop equating government agencies, as well as terrorist organizations, with entire ethnic groups of people. If the state of Israel's means of existence is to continue the oppression of the Palestinians, it doesn't deserve continued existence, much less US involvement This doesn't mean I want the population wiped out; nor do I want the Palestinian population wiped out in revenge for Hamas' actions (if we are even getting a true picture of just what has taken place in recent weeks, as we know the media are not to be trusted). A fair two-state solution has always been the necessary answer, but militant Israeli government regimes have never budged an inch from their aims.
Valerie, I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts. You acknowledge growing antisemitism and that is what my post is about. No where in the essay did I equate disagreeing with actions of Israel with antisemitism. We may draw the line in different places, but the purpose of my essay was to draw attention to the problem through the lens of Eric Hoffer.
There is nothing fishy at all about the failure of Israeli defenses. Here is a detailed explanation: https://theupheaval.substack.com/p/hard-lessons-from-israels-high-tech
If that essay moves you a bit from your position you might also consider the recent Kate Wand/Normal Fenton interview for context: https://katewand.substack.com/p/the-big-lie
No where in any of my posts on this terrible conflict have I written one sentence about which option Israel should choose among their terrible choices or implied any choice they make is the right one.
One of the rules of modernity is not to ethnically cleans your ethno-state and commit genocide.
You obviously don't realize how absurd your antisemitic talking point is. For one, see "man of aran's" post. For another have you not read Hamas's charter with its goal to kill every Jew first in Israel and then worldwide? Have you not read that this genocidal goal was restated even after Oct 7?
It’s getting really old to just call anyone who disagrees with you committing genocide is antisemitic. It’s as intellectually honest as woke people who call any white perish who disagrees with a person of color racist. The existence of Hamas does not justify genocide. Even China isn’t as ruthless dealing with their Muslims as Israel.
Quick comparison. How many people of Arab descent live in liberal democratic Israel? Approximately 20%. How many Jews today live in or are allowed to live in over 20 Arab/Muslim theocratic states where they used to have a presence? Approximately 0%.
So? Just give it time, those 20% will be gotten rid of eventually. And comparing Israel to Muslims is a really low bar. If Israel wants to be modern they have to live by modern rules aka Christian rules. Muslims and Jews need Jesus, that is why they are so immoral.