Observing the Israel-Hamas War

Beautiful community, this video got cut off when I had 2 more points to make! But I checked the time and felt 10 min was more than enough. Sorry it cuts off a bit abruptly.
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[@VladVexlerChat]

Beautiful community, this video got cut off when I had 2 more points to make! But I checked the time and felt 10 min was more than enough. Sorry it cuts off a bit abruptly. Vlad'a main channel kzbin.infovideos Support Vlad's work on Patreon! www.patreon.com/vladvexler Support Vlad via PayPal www.paypal.com/paypalme/vladvexler?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB

[@dogcarman]

Don’t mind the clock. If you feel the need to blow through an arbitrary barrier like x minutes, go ahead. As far as I’m concerned this channel has no fluff what so ever.

[@719roland]

Happy Wednesday Vlad, very quick ‘cartoonish’ question; i would like to hear your thoughts on Israel (immediately), getting an aircraft carrier from U.S. and Ukraine not?

[@prsimoibn2710]

An old lady, the last of her family, refused to leave her house, just got murdered by an Israeli strike. The heart is teared up by everyone who encouraged the genocide of the innocent Gazans. She may have been displaced more than once because of the Israeli army, until she ended up in the largest open prison in the world. May she never be forgotten

[@suzannewman979]

Please continue this conversation...I did feel kind of 'half baked' when the conversation cut off. Do take care of yourself and know how much you are appreciated.

[@idontcare-l6u]

poor innocent palestian that were CELEBRATING THE BEHEADING OF BABIES ON SATURDAY

[@joemunkey]

After being so engaged in the Ukraine/Russia war and feeling very confident in my opinions and moral judgements of it, it's difficult to now observe this israel and palestine war where I feel so lost in this regard. Thanks for helping me find some grounding within all of this, Vlad.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Grateful for your slowness on this. It really is a virtue.

[@ArchOfficial]

The more you learn about Israel/Palestine, the more you end up supporting a Zero-State Solution.

[@jamesgreenldn]

I can’t understand how the West is supporting Ukraine against Russian occupation but not supporting Palestine against the ongoing Israeli occupation?

[@hughanquetil2567]

@@jamesgreenldn The West has been financially supporting both Hamas and the PA for several years. Israel should have gotten rid of Hamas years ago, when they started the first war in Gaza. Instead, players like Netanyahu saw Hamas rule over Gaza as a way to ensure that a Palestinian state would never happen. And well....we see how that worked out.

[@ArchOfficial]

@@jamesgreenldn Ukraine has not invaded Russia any times, nor do they commit terror attacks on Russia. Arab countries or Arab terrorist groups around Israel have invaded Israel almost ten times during Israel's history and commit daily terror attacks. It's not a comparable situation. Palestine isn't even a country to begin with, but an amalgamation of terrorist groups imported into the middle east via Arab countries bordering Israel.

[@educouchez6709]

Hey man... I "discovered" you by chance after searching for reason and common sense on the unfortunate events in Israel. I am simply grateful to have stumbled upon your mysterious character. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I have spent my entire life wondering why everything... and above all questioning myself in the face of the ambiguity of the "truth" that surrounds us. I needed exactly this...someone somewhere asking the same questions, perhaps without answers, but at least using this precious tool that we have been given, which is "reason."

[@62Cristoforo]

i think many of us here feel the same way you do. Just looking for some truth and decency in this crazy world

[@VladVexlerChat]

Glad you found this place! On this channel I have casual slow conversations, and there is a main channel with faster paced more produced video essays. Oh and there is also a tiny philosophy channel - Vlad Vexler Philosophy.

[@JAllenKaiser]

I love how sane and grounding Vlad’s work is.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you!

[@johncooper6073]

10:47 I would still like to question him. And i retain a deep dustrust of philosophers who dont clearly distinguish between what is knowable and what isnt. I respect Thomas Hobbes or bertram Russell . Vlad i dont know. I share his hope for democracy , that makes him a comrade.

[@CarolynAcosta-mw2dl]

I left Twitter over a year ago and it was the best mental hygiene act I've made. I obtain information from various sources and publications and I try not to get them with one point of view, but not wallowing in the filth that Twitter has become has opened my time to educating myself from a whole lots of sources, including your channel. If one needs a quick skim of the news, I would suggest Mastodon. Thanks for your observations, they are so helpful in maintaining a moral north.

[@drrodopszin]

Facebook is the same. Stupid people's stupid, triggering opinions force fed to us. The algorithm is designed to deliver it to us, because how effective it is to keep our attention. If anyone wants to freak out, read about the attention market, where the competition is about what thing can steal more of our attention keeping us on platforms.

[@carolwilliams8511]

Agree. Musk has wrecked that space with his poison.

[@krissteel4074]

Most social media- including this one to some degree is in a very bad place of having long established cliques of users who are incredibly intolerant of anything approximating adult discussion or fair-cause debates in good faith in order to explore issues and experiences. Then the thing coming in over the top to lock that it in, is the algorithms that essentially lock users into their own little echo chambers and silo's of groups based on their interest levels on any given area/subject. Its extremely bad on twitter and pretty much turned facebook or whatever they call it now, into a sea of misinformation and in come cases, insanity I don't really think it matters who owns the site as for the most part its left to its own devices and if the ad revenue keeps flowing, they don't really care except to spruik their latest snake oil changes as being the next thing in your life to replace whatever it is you're obviously missing out on and you don't want to be late to the next thing! :) In what is basically another lifetime ago now for what its worth, I used to do a lot of subject matter specialisation in engineering which in simple terms, if a piece of equipment is displaying certain alarms and variations in its operating processes, then I would hand those over to my programming team to say, this + this = this fault. Which essentially meant going through the archival and statistical processes of previous problems that were solved with trial, error, probability and returned the fixes for those bits of equipment. Now you might ask yourself, people aren't pieces of equipment, we're all special little achievers that can't be categorised as errors. Well, if you take out the word errors and substitute it for Groups, people can be formed into various behaviour groups and models which can be lumped into what they're going to want to see in adverts, what the return rate of clicks on ads they will engage with and if necessary, give them a bit of a bump into related topics to make sure that engagement and necessary feedback keeps them coming back. So for your own sakes and I'm not being alarmist here. Like Vlad said- set your filter pretty high, over the emotional and click-bait engagements if you're still using these platforms, otherwise if that's becoming too hard for you to avoid being drawn into, then you need to disengage now while you still can and you're still feeling healthy about yourself.

[@CitizenAyellowblue]

At a personal level, what this information nightmare makes me feel is unrestrained fear. Fear that everything is pointless, and that the whole world is becoming a place where human life has no value. Of course these horrible things have been present for a long time, but this situation just rubs one’s nose in to the point where it’s hard to breathe.

[@VladVexlerChat]

I try to make the case that it’s not pointless, but I know I need to do a better job.

[@martincerny3294]

I think it's making everyone go crazy, slowly but surely. Most people can't handle the information overload, half of which is probably lies and disinfo. Unless children are taught critical thinking in schools(should've been done yesterday) with real life examples, I'm personally for banning social media.

[@nickrails]

Stay strong Citizen. I too feel and believe that the universe is chaos and that the world created by man is severely damaged and damaging. But music is real and mysterious and beautiful. The nature of light and how it interacts with our sensory inputs is beautiful. Humans can do the most beautiful things. Pursue some time in nature, watch some videos of climbers or skateboarders or dancers doing incredible things with the human body. Learn an instrument. Be kind to yourself and others. In a world of shit, try and carve out a bit of beauty and pass it on to those around you by being kind. Don't lose all hope!

[@carolwilliams8511]

Hope is essential. I am vegan so experience every day the disappointment in other people who cannot see animals as I do. So much cruelty in the world can grind a person right down. In war we see both the worst and best of human nature. I think being cruel to animals on a societal level damages collective empathy.

[@panemetcircenses6003]

What helps me when I get like that is focusing on something I can change and improve right now, even if it’s small, even if it’s just doing the dishes. To get to a situation where we can have a big impact, it helps to have surroundings that make us feel good. From our little refuge of sanity and happiness, be it material or mental, we can start to improve the world around us.

[@Elizafoust]

I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I can barely shower. The sheer human catastrophe of this is getting to me. When I do get to sleep, I dream I’m on a gunboat. You mentioned that you only have to take in what you can process, but I don’t know how to do that. When I try to avoid information on it, my head spins with anxiety. When I find information on it, I’m overwhelmed by tragedy. I want to cry. I want to yell. I want to know how I should feel which is pitiful. I just want to express. No emotion in particular to no one in particular. I’m scared. I’m sad. I’m angry.

[@girlfriday1299]

I feel with you. You are absolutely not alone.

[@girlfriday1299]

This is so calming and perceptive that I'm listening a second time. The war in Ukraine is clear-cut to me. I support Ukraine whole heartedly, but the situation in Israel and Palestine is gnarly, complex and very hot. Having admired Israel and the Jews without question for so many years, I gradually learned more about the Palestinians and their experience, and I saw how one-sided were the attitudes of most of my friends and even my family. My instinctive tendency to stand with the underdog took over. (BTW, I'm not Jewish.) My heart aches for the tragedies on both sides in this horrific event. It seems to me that the true healers of this recurring and brutal pattern will be individuals from both sides, over time. I have seen such people, and I've listened to several of them in the last few days. One of the most moving of all was a short talk by Dr. Gabor Mate which has been shared on a number of KZbin channels.

[@jonesy279]

“Be gentle with the part of yourself that doesn’t want to be gentle” is excellent advice. Great chat as always Vlad. Thank you.

[@calypso4554]

Thank you, Vlad! I am somebody who acts first highly morally and very emotional to events. And a bit later, after thinking: I am desperate. I see all sides, all perspectives and I drown in them. I see no solution in this conflict, and somehow I have to cope with this. Your videos help me to stabilize my thoughts, to come a bit out of this mind blur. Thanks for that!

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you for sharing and being here …

[@beckyconstantinides2546]

⁠@@VladVexlerChatthank you for widening the view.

[@AstroGremlinAmerican]

There's really no clear solution. Gaza can't be part of Israel because they would vote. That was the reason for the "disengagement" in 2005. "Demographic concerns, the maintenance of a Jewish majority in Israeli-controlled areas, played a significant role in the development of the policy.[18][19][20] The rationale for the disengagement has been partly attributed to Arnon Soffer’s campaign regarding "the danger the Palestinian womb posed to Israeli democracy."[21] Sharon mentioned the demographic rationale in a public address on August 15, 2005, the day of the disengagement, as follows: "It is no secret that, like many others, I had believed and hoped we could forever hold onto Netzarim and Kfar Darom. But the changing reality in the country, in the region, and the world, required of me a reassessment and change of positions. We cannot hold on to Gaza forever. More than a million Palestinians live there and double their number with each generation."[22][23] At the same time, Shimon Peres, then Vice Prime Minister, stated in an interview that: “We are disengaging from Gaza because of demography” - Wikipedia "Israeli disengagement from Gaza"

[@ninemoonplanet]

One thing, Palestine is a country, after the Balfour Declaration, the Jewish Europeans were provided a territory WITHIN Palestine for their home. Palestine existed long before Israel was even conceived.

[@SianaGearz]

To see a solution, you must be able to validate a solution. And as we have been proven time and time again to be garbage at predicting the future, well we jut aren't at all equipped to do that. Fundamentally, a solution probably exists. After all, wherever you may be, odds are there also was a place of long standing feud and brutal wars. And yet it resolved itself eventually.

[@lenmoss378]

Yes Vlad, beautifully put and needed by all of us at this time. Thank you.

[@matthiaspfisterer2066]

Vlad you do a great job in showing that even when one feels totally clueless in view of the world there is no reason to lose one´s ability to reason, and to reason with a smile. Thanks so much for that!

[@Virtuality]

Vlad, You talk about separating combatants v non-combatants, but could you spend some time elaborating how to separate the two? An innocent child v an armed soldier is perhaps easy, but there are many greys in which a proper philosophical distinction/discussion can be interesting and beneficial. I'd be very happy to hear your thoughts..

[@papa_ledbetter]

While not a major point, I found your comments about always having buffers in place very valuable. We have an endless supply of information. It can almost always exceed my ability to stay healthy as I do take it in. Thank you for all your comments and perspectives.

[@VladVexlerChat]

So important - I think a lot of people overestimate how much they can take.

[@_amalfitano]

Upon some personal reflection, I think your conversations have expanded my own moral imagination in ways I didn't expect and didn't realize until now, given the currently unfolding events. It's hard to express how important and healing that has been for me.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Grateful to hear that.

[@Edward-om8mz]

Vlad my dearest contemporary PLATO. You keep blowing our minds . In a great way, its nearly orgasmic the way you put it to make us think and rethink 😊

[@clairelongshaw4068]

Thank God you’re here.

[@VladVexlerChat]

And thank you for being here.

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

I second that...your calm and reassuring demeanor is very much appreciated...as the grim details begin unfolding it really makes one question our species 😥🙏it's nice to have a reflective space to counter all the horrible news we are hearing

[@TheUpHighGuy]

Thank you for this short message. Something I feel might be happening with regards to what you mentioned about we seem to be a bit short on our empathy for the people in Gaza.... I agree wholeheartedly! I'm grieving for all of the innocence being lost from the Jewish people AND from the Palestinian people. Innocence on both sides. I certainly could be wrong in my assessment or opinion about why we seem short on empathetic comments etcetera for the Palestinian people, but I have this strong feeling or indication that oftentimes people who mean well like most of us in this community of listeners (not racist assholes trying to intentionally stir up stuff online) is because in most democracies of The West, we're almost trained if you will, to be incredibly careful in anything we say regarding the Jewish people full stop. Anything perceived in the wrong way, regardless of one's innocent intent, is oftentimes immediately called out as anti-Semitism. So I have this feeling that even though there's probably a lot more support and empathy for the innocent Palestinian people than we ourselves share and that exists amongst us and others, at the same time we're desperately trying our best to not offend our Jewish friends and The Jewish people as a whole, because we're so afraid that someone online might take what we say online and immediately misunderstand or just immediately jump to, "you're being anti-semitic. How dare you." And then of course one's innocent statement about whatever it may be is completely lost and now one is branded a certain way and trying to explain yourself just becomes a fool's errand. I mention this because although I have great empathy for the innocent Palestinians as well as the innocent Israelis and anyone else caught up in these horrific terrorist attacks, I find myself wanting to only just make a heartfelt response online to those I care about and want to encourage, but have decided to just not post or engage with any people discussing the horrors occurring and not allowing myself to step into what seems to very quickly turn into an absolute minefield that's totally off topic and begins to just be silliness. So I decided to communicate with specific friends and family in a meaningful way, but outside of those short comments and thoughts, Im choosing to JUST LISTEN as for now! It's not because I don't have strong feelings about the situation. But I am not a Middle East peace process expert, nor am I an expert on all things Israel and all things Palestinian. There are a plethora of individuals who are able to speak to all of those various ins and outs. I'm taking great solace in just remaining as quiet as possible and listening.... to individuals like yourself. So again I want to thank you for taking your personal time, even with your personal health issues that prevent you from doing things how you want to do them, and sharing your thoughts and your scoldings with us that truly want to hear from you. 😉🫶🏻💙

[@ChrisEkstedt]

Brilliant and just in time. I had no more hair to tear out. I appreciate the sanity Vlad.. really. 🌻

[@videobyredjade]

Thank you and I appreciate your views and words in how you describe what is happening.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you!!

[@bungalowjuice7225]

Thanks again for taking some of your precious time to help people. 💛💙

[@michaelperdriel3318]

All i can say, with tears in my eyes is your post expressed what I have been feeling for the last few days.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Go gently.

[@judgebullingham]

Thank you for your thoughtful insights, Vlad. Always the voice of reason in a crazy world.

[@VladVexlerChat]

My pleasure

[@sweetleaf9668]

Thank you my friend, for your insights on this most difficult of situations.

[@russetmantle1]

This video strikes me as a beautiful and rather subtle example of what Vlad was saying the other day about how you should be able to say one thing on a Monday and then something else on a - in this case - Wednesday.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thanks dear you!

[@CrazyGaming-ig6qq]

Hi Vlad, very appreciative of the work you do!

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you.

[@paulgallagher6544]

Appreciate the dialogue.

[@vladromanyuk6739]

@1:59 That is a very nice way of saying that Twitter is dumpster fire, Vlad.

[@VladVexlerChat]

What’s sad is that it is still a public square and a dumpster fire at the same time

[@thomasjosullivan9179]

Thanks again Vlad great job, I watched Ian Bremmer on TED and he is on the same page as you.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you!

[@figleaf8948]

Your level headed perspective is always appreciated

[@joshuacampbell1625]

There are two different false narratives on the go rn about Israel and Palestine. One is the view that Israel is a completely innocent victim that has done nothing to cause the situation it is in. The other is that Hamas was in any way justified in what it has done.

[@celpabedn]

Yes but they will tell you that you will live better in Israel as an westerner, so you need to support it unconditionally..Not to mention the Holocaust cards is really a powerful one!

[@pabis6817]

I think there is a serious problem with the left’s inability to fully condemn hamas and the Palestinian state apparatus. Full 🛑 !! the Arab world’s brainwashed zealot cult are not the minority that we in the west would like to say and while yes Israel the IDF etc isn’t perfect, look at what they are trying to stop! “Gas the Jews” from the completely free Palestinian diaspora! Stop denying the truth because you want to be unbiased! The far left’s and the far right’s - ideologues have confused the world to the point that they’re unable to clearly see the difference between a hellishly immoral and a potentially questionable response to that exact terrorism! If your family, your children were beheaded by a cult that trained its children to do that, what would you ask your democratic government to do ? Be nicer to them ?!

[@ask230]

Now do Egypt.

[@MissChristine-wo6vp]

Thank you for this balanced statement - this is a complex situation that very few people really understand. Unfortunately, violence only begets more violence.

[@VladVexlerChat]

There is no inconsistency between saying that Hamas actions are evil and being deeply troubled by Israel’s policies

[@wabisabi3619]

A deep gaping chasm of sadness. It’s what I feel when I see how we as a species can end up treating each other. We have it all, here, on Earth. Endless possibilities for creation, sustenance, love and exploration. But some part of us tends towards darkness. And some part of us is drawn to it, like a moth headed to the moon (perhaps a bad analogy as they are chasing light). As humans we are capable of the full gamut, we wave war and murder yet we love and care and we heal one another. We commit atrocities and we produce the most beautiful symphonies. So each day, each and everyone of us has a choice as to which way we tip the balance of light over darkness. Our actions matter. Be kind, create, love, help, empathise. Our tiny little actions contribute the balance of existence here on Earth.

[@trouaconti7812]

Outstanding display of empathy Vlad

[@horrisnorris6478]

I would be curious to hear what proportion of Vlad's viewers are actually on Twitter - the general consensus in KZbin commens seems to be that it's a "dumpster fire" or "cesspit". That said, i really appreciate the empathy and attempted understanding that Vlad encouages towards people coming out with these extreme opinions, rather than dehumanising them with terms like cesspit

[@Sindrijo]

I am on Twitter, but I don't engage I use it purely as a limited source of information from sources that I have vetted, I do not engage in the 'public square' I just read the posters that have been plastered on the walls in the back-alleys.

[@lucaswilkins9217]

Those are quite different things, "dumpster fire" would describe the management, whereas "cesspit" refers to the users. One is something that would be said by someone who thought that it was great until Elon ruined it, and the other by someone who thinks that it's a breeding ground for toxicity that distorts communication to the point that it breaks. They're not mutually exclusive (they're both true!), but they come from different political constellations.

[@kingmaekartargaryen4975]

‘You don’t get to swim in this mud for 20 years and keep your democracy’ 😂❤ what a quote 🎉

[@angelaparente4470]

I pray for peace, nobody wins in war, you bring me some comfort, thanks dear

[@oliverbird6914]

Very good advice. I'm working on the war inside myself . Blind spots, relexiveness, facing shadow, projection. We have to factor that into our responses. For me, I've realised part of my struggle is that it's almost impossible for me to accept the barbarity of these happenings. I respond with anger myself. Sometimes correctly. Sometimes not. It's too painful to face this repeatedly as a viewer. It's unimaginable what people in Gaza experience and also the recent horror that's occured to the people in Israel. I agree that the failure of imagination is a reality for all sides. But I just can't get over the one feeling that I have which is Israel is acting like some abusive high up famous or powerful person. And the Palestinians are the abused, the battered wife...whatever metaphor fits. I've noticed BBC News night language, especially from Mark Urban is not as readily being roped into the reflexive reaction of Israel somehow having the moral upper hand. What Hamas has done is brutal and disgusting, but don't you think there is a general feeling that this is gaslighting...." Oh we were just living here and looked what happened" kind of thing. I certainly don't want to add to any anti Jewish feeling. But surely we can call out the israeli states behaviour. They're going to make the Palestinian people pay for this collectively. I remember when Bush used the term " war on terror". I'd grown up in the UK thinking terrorists like the ira, were more often than not, dealt with by armed police etc. That narrative changed Armies now fight terrorists and terrorists morph into armies more and morem It would be interesting, if logistically possible, that the Israeli army went in and made mass arrests. Instead of this bombing which has killed so many already It would show strength and regain the moral high ground. In places like samarra in the sunni triangle, the u.s Would cordon off parts of the town or the whole town and work their way through arresting and yes killing where they had to ( or wanted to) but it would be a more civilized way to do this. Then bring the arrested before an international court. I know it would be a massive operation but surely it would be a better response than a full ground war etc Anyway. Good points Vlad, I'm often critical of you're stance on Ukraine s ability to sustain resistance and I find you challenging in other regards because you touch on my refleciveness but I appreciate your thoughts most certainly

[@VladVexlerChat]

Well done for looking inside and taking time. Certainly there is no inconsistency between assessing Hamas’s actions as evil and deep ethical and pragmatic critique of Israel’s policies.

[@inkipinki8468]

I like that you call it a conflict rather than calling it other things.

[@NoHairMan]

Hi Vlad. Thank you. :)

[@regular-joe]

I have some envy of your friends who get to hang out with you. Thank you for letting us hang out with you via KZbin.

[@petercarlisle2927]

My new favorite. Hello from New Zealand

[@Cheesedays]

I really needed this, thank you

[@zanderC5953]

Thanks for including the mental health component and talking about it sensitively as a reactor. Reacting to reactions endlessly is exhausting and often counterproductive.

[@fgadenz]

Thank you, @Vlad, thank you so much! Lots of love and lots of cool tempered wisdom, so we manage to navigate through this hellish informational space without losing what matters.

[@gian7707]

HOW CAN YOU ONLY HAVE 76K SUBS????? YOU WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT MINDS OF OUR TIME ! THANKYOU... GIANNI AUSTRALIA

[@royjones1053]

So eloquently put so far as many like minds like Anna, keep up the great work, I do not forget anything, and I most certainly continue to be aware of everything with regard to what is happening In Ukraine and that which may very well be connected throughout all, I have tried very hard to not make analogies to where we are. I hasten to make further comment here as I feel my thoughts do stretch to some very serous extremes. My thoughts are mostly in line with Miss Anna among others, there are small deviations but as to the mean here we are. So much respect to you Anna it has been a long road and we are just warming up, You were among the first that I followed with this latest pile of ass, I was was following you since day dot, maybe about week 3, but I Didn't sub to your channel until three or four months latter when I was confident of who was who. Such a mess as to who was actually, you really did stand out in such the best way Miss Anna. You may may remember being referred to early in the chaos as "Miss Anna", Well I'm still here, solid as fuck, I Love Ukraine and for what is is worth I am staying!

[@gregoryfloriolli9031]

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. It might be disheartening to see many of these posts on social media but it’s also been illuminating. We’re getting to see which people are serious thinkers and which aren’t and which groups have a moral grounding and which don’t.

[@longandshort6639]

Social media has to be cleaned up. I think the best way would be for everyone can only post using your actual name. I think people would behave a lot better.

[@vaxmurka]

Good point, but bad idea. You have to allow anonymity to maintain freedom of speech.

[@The.Curious]

Are you completely honest and open to share your views on contraversial topic on Facebook? Didn't think so...

[@artmcteagle]

Thanks! Appreciate your work Vlad.

[@andrewpiltenko9432]

"Just had a cup of tea with you, without you, but i was thinking of you" - 😂that's me when i'm talking to myself imagining my friend

[@peterevans90]

Vlad- thank you for your persistent effort to be analytical and responsible in your input to this conversation. It is extremely brave to diligently lay out the foundation of a pyramid on your own accord, or to add to the layers of a pyramid on your own accord without the guarantee of a wider effort supporting you but hoping that the effort and the result of each layer will inspire and convince others to build the pyramid. Bravo

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you so much!

[@ask230]

"The moral imagination" ... this is a great phrase to consider.

[@Armyboy-wq6rf]

Have you ever read the "three body problem" trilogy? I think about it a lot when conflicts like this break out.

[@qkunder]

I just had an eye opening conversation today that I never saw coming. I voiced my support for my friends who have been affected by the Hamas attack to which I, as expected, received a passive-aggressive response from an Arab guy I know from gym. Couple days later I got enough courage to try and make peace. He turned out to be Palestinian, and we ended up agreeing on so many more things than I thought we would, to the point where I see him morally equal. And maybe morally superior, because it has also opened up my mind on how I sometimes dehumanize Russian soldiers in Ukraine right now or how I would probably see war crimes as Ukraine retaliation as collateral that is justified.

[@Tango_Alpha_Charlie]

I greatly value the insights you bring to my attention. Thank you!!

[@rowanhaigh8782]

Thank you, Vlad. ❤

[@stevenb3315]

Hey Vlad! Overall great video but I have a couple critiques. As always I love your takes on the information space. But it is important to separate a few things. As we are careful not to fall victim to racist tropes, there is an important point to be made that some people I think grasp, but maybe are not conveying well. There is a difference between saying Islam is categorically bad, and that Islamism is categorically bad. This distinction is important. Plenty has been written importance of secular society, and the idea that theocratic society is almost contingently backward. There is a decent amount of evidence for this claim. The degree to which a society is able to secularize, whether that be Turkey, Israel, or Germany, often has a lot to do with how successful it is in caring for its citizens. That is important because the likelihood that a religious fundamentalist party will rise in a country should affect how positively we view its self-governance. To believe this is not racism. Right now is an excellent moment to make this point as well. I think it would have been good to teach the difference between hating Islamism and hating Islam. Secondly, I'd like to offer two reasons people in the Ukraine thought-bubble might be predisposed to supporting Israel. 1. Most people here think democracy is a sufficient good to justify at least some violence. 2. People here are more likely to resonate with the idea that a lot of violence can be justified in the name of self-defense. It might do some good to walk us all through Israeli history, starting with settlement, the Nakba, Arab-Israeli war, 6 day war, Yom Kippur war, Gazan occupation, The intifadas, Israeli Disengagement and subsequent blockade of Gaza, West Bank settlement, and today's terrorist attack. I am actually curious about your perspective on these. In my opinion, this community would be better able to discuss this issue productively if everyone had at least a little background on these events.

[@VladVexlerChat]

There is a lot to talk about. I am still deciding how much isr pal content to share. One thing is certain: I will be talking about the originals of religious violence in a special video on the topic.

[@stevenb3315]

@@VladVexlerChat Yes this would be excellent. To reiterate, I think it might be good to give people this tool to criticize theocratic governmental institutions, common in some Islamic countries, and separate that dislike from potentially racist sentiments towards Islam. Still, you're the best and that is why I am here!

[@wendydunn5611]

Thank you Vlad we pray for peace around the world to empower all nations to seek peaceful resolutions🙏🏻🙏🏻. Evil attracts evil, hate attracts hate, darkness attracts more darkness and we are seeing the desperate attempts to keep this lower dark energies going but the light of Humanity is also attracting so much more LIGHT.Compassion attracts more Compassion and when one finds and engages in their own Inner Peace then one would have no need for Wars, Violence, Hate and Greed and that responsibility belongs to every human. When all leaders and nations let go of yesteryear and empower their people to move forward in a positive light to foster new beginnings that engage us all in a world where everyone matters, shine your light over the darkness.

[@neilclay5835]

Looking back on how I personally reacted at the start of this recent Hamas incursion, I think it's pretty clear that I was alive to the pitfalls of generalisation - along with others - that you mention. And I have to say Vlad that you certainly influenced me in that regard. Heartfelt thanks.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Always so grateful to you!

[@Roadpizza]

Thank you Vlad.

[@Aurochs330]

Good evening, Vlad!

[@VladVexlerChat]

Good evening!!

[@jessicarowley9631]

Thank you. This acted as a bit of a mind clear and provided some some rather useful ideas as always.

[@alanchristensen5735]

Thanks Vlad, the world is going insane. I have a really bad feeling about this. All the wars starting up feels like the begining of another world war. Democracies vs autocracies.

[@fraudebs8786]

Agree 😥

[@25786]

Thank you Vlad. I told myself I could not handle another war. This one is very confusing. Thank you always for your wisdom and teaching.

[@DanielArnold-y3n]

As an observer from "audible range" in this case, I find it feels like a duty to engage uncomfortably with the meaning behind the daily signs of war in life around me. Not to self-immerse in it, but enough to engage humanity and undercut complacency. Strange cars line the street--a soldier has died. His family receives mourners; his presence is lost to them. The highway is alert with the flashing lights of too many silent ambulances. Inside a supermarket, a popcorn salvo of overhead intercepts startles a woman standing by the pasta shelves. She self-chastises and copes. Distracted but matter-of-fact, my cashier says "their nephew" into her phone--and another street will line with strange cars. Aircraft take off, drowning out the beeping bar-code scanners. This is unremarked by anyone, customer or clerk--yet impossible they were ignored. At home, though from a greater distance, the audible work of those aircraft shakes my front door all day long. That visitor asks me what I think about responsibility, though it is never very satisfied with my answers.

[@MeeesterBond17]

I'd really love to hear your thoughts on the difference you briefly mentioned between personal and political conceptions of racism - when you brought it up it was a real lightbulb moment for me, it *feels* like there's something very wrong about the current discourse in the US/Europe regarding it, but I can't quite put my finger on it...

[@francescamelandri3895]

"Moral imagination" Yes. This Thank you, Vlad

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank YOU!

[@adamvenus6382]

Vlad, in terms of the information-space and what media is available, just looking at this based on technology, if the electricity supply has been cut, after a certain time period mobile phone batteries will all be out, no power left. How do you think this will affect what information is available? Will footage and photos be available from that area with no electricity in, say, a few days?

[@jed4119]

Hi Vlad, thank you for this video. I heard today that the Israelis have told their soldiers that they will not be held accountable for what would normally be considered war crimes. I do hope this isn’t true. What are your thoughts if it is true? Many thanks

[@DestructiveMGM]

I am an atheist arab. The fact that I have those two traits put me in a peculiar position of seeing the situation without the religious baggage. I have been seeing those conflicts since I was a child ,arguably I still am in some sense (I am 25), and I always thought that this conflict is never ending and certainly it feels like that on multiple occasions. It saddens me that it felt like it was almost going to be all over before this happened.

[@dragonade85]

How much more peaceful the world would be without any of the Abrahamic religions.

[@drthomason7043]

Thanks Vlad. I'm just so split in two. Some babies I cared for now have families of their own and are with UKM throughout the country. But I also made friends with Palestinian workers too, and have their side of the complicated nature of life in Israel. Actually I accepted the rude treatment I received entering and exit the country by the IDF both times I worked there bcuz I want to contribute to something I thought was worthy. I saw Palestinians at the airport being treated more serverly and even worse in shop checks, in the Old City, Hebron, at the Goodwill Fence and Askalon. Before and after going I worked at promoting the country but what I experienced and read or was told things just started unraveling bcuz the didn't gell or seem true. So I checked more into why things weren't working out. Google Earth is great. I can see how the infrastructure has grown from the 90s. The 13 year gap between my visits there was so much expansion. I agree to the principle of Israels existence according to the boundaries set by them with the UN back in the 1940s. They need to stop stealing land.

[@arminthaller7284]

I find the part about what we don't know important. Isn't it a common experience, that the more one knows the more new questions arouse? Maybe one could use this as an indicator how shallow one's knowledge is? The more questions, the more awareness of the limits of one's knowledge.

[@ivanlaplante]

The voice of reason and decency strikes again. Meanwhile, i just keep playing "Always look at the bright side of life" on loop.

[@VladVexlerChat]

🌻

[@Christopher4700]

I'm addicted to conflict and in that also to Twitter. I have deactivated my account several times, but I have always come back before 30 days when it gets deleted. The toxic environment there has a negative impact on my mental health

[@Christopher4700]

Taking action instead of just being an observer has helped a bit. I have helped the Ukranian armed forces, and I have called my politicians to press on the issue of helping civilians, especially children in Gaza now. But I should lay it to rest afterwards

[@andrewgibson6495]

Fascial. Condescending. Redundant. All these come to mind.

[@radnfo]

""Total Hybrid Network Warfare"" like you said, social media can't continue for 20 years like this

[@Tirani2]

One of the ways I am keeping my mental hygiene on the sane end of the scale is by avoiding new sources that abscribe ontologically evil to either side. It is an incredibly complex situation, in a way the Ukrainian conflict is not. As I said elsewhere, I can weep for those who were killed by terrorists in Israel, at the same time I weep for the death of innocents held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Thank you for being a sane voice in a storm of noise.

[@thereisauniverseinsidemyhand]

Did you know that it was confirmed that on October 7th, the IDF attacked their own citizens and a HANDFUL of the innocent Israelis that died were from the hands of their own government?

[@vaxmurka]

Thanks!

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you!!

[@mrharry448]

Very small observation but in the information sphere (Twitter etc) this appears to be the first traditionally 'western' crisis in which the Hindu nationalist voice has massively entered the conversation. I can only see the balance continue to change in this direction from now onward.

[@Squelchnoise]

Thank you for this perspective, Vlad. I feel the need to always know how the media the people around me (and me) consume distorts their view, but this conflict is the straw that breaks the camel's back. I think I should maybe try to learn something other than horrifically depressing facts about my fellow human beings for a good long while. May your joys be many, my friend.

[@captainmcawesome7908]

When did we stop using the proper war nomenclature? It should be Hamas-Israel War

[@martincerny3294]

No, by your logic it would be Likud x Hamas war. Which it's not. It's palestine x israel war.

[@62Cristoforo]

I have recently been seeing this phrase “Israel-Hamas’ war. We could debate this for a while. Not to minimize or invalidate your point, but In the meantime .... civilians (both sides) are being slaughtered

[@captainmcawesome7908]

​@@martincerny3294 it's not my logic, I just used Vlad's terminology but in the correct order.

[@catsupchutney]

I am so glad a cancelled The Service Formerly Known as Twitter.

[@waltersobchack8683]

Thank you for this insight. I have a question regarding the political situation the palestinians subdue to themselves. What is your opinion on the responsibility of Hamas as the de facto ruler of Gaza and the counterproductive actions they take which in the end damages the palestinians?

[@VladVexlerChat]

The impact on the Palestinians of the actions of Hamas is catastrophic, and is a part of the evil of their actions.

[@williamblackwell2978]

Full on philosophy hat today, Vlad, and I loved it. Will share.

[@paulneilson4106]

I was very interested to hear your demographic two videos ago. I had thought I was at the upper end of the age group but find I made the cut, just, as a youngster.

[@danielcreamer9669]

Personally, I've felt my moral imagination has been expanded by good media. "Another Country" by James Baldwin stands out in particular. Are there any other suggestions for training moral imagination?

[@Donu76222]

Im from Iran Our taxes don't go towards our deeply flawed healthcare system or towards bettering our education system that pushes young students to commit suicide or towards building water infustructure in the south which still sees the effects of the Iran-Iraq war or..... It goes towards this

[@diamonddestiny704]

Please keep making these videos, it's helping me sort through my feelings and thoughts about this conflict. I was ( still am) on Ukraine's side from the very start of the war, back when Crimea was forcibly annexed and although I hold a lot of disdain for the west's horrible foreign policy, I couldn't just up and deny Ukrainians's right to their soil and national identity. It's the principle that matters not the ethnic or cultural or racial group. So seeing how so many jumped on the vengeful bandwagon and used these terrorist attacks to undermine the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause and justify the gravity of the Gaza blockade is revolting. I wouldn't call it hypocrisy, I would call it aiding and abetting a crime against humanity. Hamas has to go and it will but the Palestinian plight will stay and if one can do nothing, at least, acknowledge the injustice of the situation.

[@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u]

Look at the list of countries that have not yet recognized Palestine.

[@Grant_S_M]

Hi, Vlad. Seth Abramson's latest piece might be worth a look. Or, not. Thank you for your words here, as always.

[@iap6647]

Agreed, Seth Abramson’s article is indeed eye opening!

[@unmissable]

It is difficult to process what is happening in all these conflicts especially the atrocities that are committed upon innocent people. One believes it is every adult’s job to make sure that all children are raised surrounded by love and acceptance, instead of abuse and violence. And yet children are so often the victims of war. Deep down there is an anger that kindles inside me every time somebody takes a side and makes a case for a just war.

[@sgordon8123]

After a couple of days of deep thought I have now concluded that it is morally unacceptable for Israel to cut off water and electricity from Gaza. Even if they were not simultaneously bombing them. I understand their anger and grief I think but at this moment they might have gotten the whole world's sympathy. But not if they retaliate in this way.

[@markmongan]

Just asked my mum what Anna asked us. Can you be a democracy and not fight back. I told her, no. She disagrees. However, if we live by the sword we will die by the sword. Also, every time we draw the sword we must be aware of who we are protecting and not killing. I don't know Vlad! Help Vlad Kenobi, you're our only hope!

[@sneakythumbs9900]

Johnny on blast.

[@vrma_steve]

Another aspect that I am concerned about and would appreciate your comment on is: To what extent was the Hamas attack on non-combatants, influenced by the precedent created by the Russian attacks on Ukranian non-combatants? Could this second precedent predict a trend?

[@vrma_steve]

Brilliant comment re social media - "you don't get to swim in this mud and keep your democracies easily"

[@technologic21]

Thank you Vlad. To wade through these social media platforms is to walk through a field of bodies. Trying to make sense of it all, is very painful, poisonous, and PTSD-inducing. And then I turn to the wisdom of someone who understood the gravity, and magnitude of such things. "I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables people and nations to grow, and to hope and to build a better life for their children - not merely peace for Americans - but peace for all men and women - not merely peace in our time, but peace for ALL time." - John F. Kennedy

[@iDarkBladei2]

Hey Vlad, love your uniquely insightful videos. Thank you for them. My question to you regarding the empathy you spoke on is: Is there a healthy limit on that empathy and the emphasis on it in your relation to a human problem? It feels to me that there is one, beyond which, you get people stuck in a loop, patting themselfs on the back without moving to do something, or take responsibility. That is to say, that the empathy of someone an ocean away really doesn't do much. People decide that it's a good idea to shout "free Palestinian" in the street while also explaining how happy they are with hamas and the good fight they fight. This while they are on the streets of London or New York. So i wonder, is it because of intellectual laziness? This kind of logic: Palestinian people suffer and are the underdog -> I'm gonna support them (any Palestinian) no metter what they do -> hamas does something and is a Palestinian org -> I'm supporting them. Please advise :) What can we do to prevent or fight this, if indeed it's the case.? Thanks again 🙏

[@Coherers]

Equally, many people want to see Gaza & those in it flattened ("turn it into a car lot") It isn't intellectual laziness. Humans seem to be predisposed to binary thought patterns: nuance struggles to get a look in.

[@iDarkBladei2]

@@Coherers Ye, well I'm not talking about people who want to commit unspeakable acts and genocide. I'm trying to get out the notion which I'm feeling, were people care, but they care so much that it becomes a blocker on the path to seek an actual solution.

[@t.m.2415]

bro really played the "it's a complex issue" card.

[@dubsar]

"Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Sons-in- law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city - bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."

[@qrsx66]

Do you have some reflexion on how everybody gets inflamed by the Israel-Hamas conflict when for Nagorno-Karabagh just days days and weeks ago, it seemed nobody cared at all ?