The Politics of Antisemitism: A Conversation with Rabbi David Wolpe (Episode

Sam Harris speaks with Rabbi David Wolpe about the global response to the atrocities of October 7th, 2023. They discuss the difference between Israeli and diaspora Jews, the history and logic of antisemitism, the role of conspiracy theories, Great Replacement Theory, reasons for Jewish success, right-wing antisemitism, left-wing antisemitism, the response of Harvard to October 7th, the college presidents’ testimony before Congress, the future of DEI and civil discourse, the BDS movement, antisemitism vs anti-Zionism, Jewish acceptance at Ivy League universities, the antisemitism endemic to Islam, foreign funding of US universities, and other topics.
David Wolpe is a Visiting Scholar at Harvard Divinity School, a Rabbinic Fellow at The Anti-Defamation League, a Senior Advisor to the Maimonides Fund, and the Emeritus Rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles. Rabbi Wolpe previously taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, Hunter College, and UCLA. He is the author of eight books, including the national bestseller Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times and  David, the Divided Heart.
Website: RabbiWolpe
Twitter: @rabbiwolpe
January 5, 2024
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[@andsowot]

If only Hitchens were still here....

[@lloydgush]

Hitchens is...

[@jerseattle0722]

Not supporting Israel is not antisemitism

[@Alnivol666]

By not supporting Israel in this context would it not mean that you support the Hamas terrorists?

[@meolow1103]

And nobody said that these two are the same. It’s about projecting antisemitic stereotypes onto Israel or denying its right to exist which is a problem. Sam‘s position towards Netanyahu is quite critical to say the least. Repeating over and over that criticism is not antisemitism won’t disguise the fact that nobody (at least in the Milieus represented by these two individuals) made that claim.

[@YaBoiBaxter2024]

AND Antizionism is NOT Antisemitism.

[@goodvibes-gy3jn]

Nobody here said that. How about you address the points that were actually made instead of attacking a strawman.

[@YaBoiBaxter2024]

@@goodvibes-gy3jn An accusation of a strawman can also be taken as a strawman. Why not respond to their comment instead of becoming the thing you hate so much exactly?

[@russellhammond371]

What a nostalgic pairing. I always enjoyed the God Debates with these two, especially with Hitch.

[@dgumbrecht]

I agree 100%. Out of all their interlocutors I always found Rabbi Wolpe to be the most thoughtful, intelligent, and charming of them. Hitch was a little rough with him and I always felt a little bad.

[@russellhammond371]

@@dgumbrecht Yeah, you can tell Wolpe has a good heart. Sometimes "too" kind in debates when admitting an argument isn't good lol.

[@NickZoran]

Super glad Sam brought Wolpe on the podcast. His debates with Sam always had a humorous, good natured tone.

[@infidelheretic923]

As much as they may disagree on theology. They agree enough on the things that matter most.

[@mountainair]

It's ironic the first time I listened to them was 1 hour before this episode dropped. Maybe YT algo knew.

[@controllerbrain]

"When I look at you I believe you may be Elvis"

[@thunkjunk]

One of the best lines I have heard in a debate.

[@freddylubin]

I am an American born, left-leaning Israeli (50 years there), who travels the world, and has had many conversations with may people about Israel. One of the reasons it's so difficult now to have a good discussion, with well-meaning Israel critics, comes from how often and easy any criticism, over the years, was dismissed as "anti-semitism". The fact that most Israel critics, or even anti-Zionists, are not anti-Semites, makes it more difficult to make the point that many, obviously and openly, are. Israelis, and supporters of Israel, need to be less free with using the anti-Semite card (when it's not applicable), and non-Jewish critics of Israel, who are not anti-Semites, need to call out those amongst them who clearly are.

[@exoxy]

Nope

[@uschurch]

Israel is a democratic, secular state and has an intact legal system. On the other side we have a made up religion who's explicitly and ideologically violent against Jews, non-believers, women and homosexuals. It is no question who modern and peaceful people should stand by.

[@hhiippiittyy]

I'm critical of Israel for all the expected non-anti semitical reasons, but I don't realy ever voice it because I don't want to give anti Semites any quarter or perceived legitimacy. I'm critical of Hamas for obvious moral reasons, but I don't want to empower immoral Zionist zealots either. It is very difficult when standard moral positions are contorted by one side or another into support or opposition in their absolute terms.

[@AnythingMachine]

It's not that hard to prove you're not an antisemite. Say e.g. Israel has a right to exist but I think they should pull the settlements out of the West bank or something. But we can go further! Even though I think it's stupid and shows no understanding of their security situation, you can even go as far as to say Israel deserves to exist and the massacre was wrong and evil, but Israel shouldn't have invaded Gaza in retaliation. If you can say the massacre was wrong and Israel shouldn't be destroyed you can easily prove you're not an antisemite even if what you go on to say afterwards is dumb.

[@shaharm2898]

I think that Israel's place as the refuge of Jews everywhere is what makes certain criticisms of Israel very dangerous to Jews, because if Israel's legitimacy wanes, then there would be no way to stop the anti-semites of having their way. Not to say that there aren't any legitimate criticisms of Israel, but it seems like most of the popular kinds of criticisms are the ones that try to undermine the very right of Jews to have their own state in the state of Israel, and are borderline if not completely a Blood libel.

[@steven2183]

I miss Christopher Hitchens....

[@BowzKnows]

This is how far the termites have spread...

[@moesypittounikos]

Why?

[@BradSamuelsPro]

Christopher Hitchens was anti-Zionist

[@cmecre8629]

because Mr. Hitchens had the rare intellect to rattle off the endless atrocities committed by religion's elites. and don't think an argument for the good religion may do is worthy. religion causes almost every problem it addresses@@moesypittounikos

[@EmperorsNewWardrobe]

David Wolfe always stood out to me in those early days debates as someone who wasn’t aggressive or insecure about his beliefs, but instead had a pleasant and humorous tone while enjoying the discussions

[@MilkePan]

I have no problem with Jewish people - they are just people like everyone else. But, calling criticism of Israeli government policy ‘anti-semitism’ is ridiculous. Sam has rightly pointed out that historic racism such as Jim-crow has nothing to do with alleged police brutality in the USA. Yet he seems to fail to see a similar line of thinking when it comes to Jews. The outcries and evocation of antisemitism in the context of Israel’s policies is simply wrong. Since 1997 Israel (and the USA using its veto power) has blocked the Palestinians from being granted a state (birth certificate) at the UN. Unlawful theft of the West Bank continues. I’m not an anti-Semite, just anti Israel (government) and if Sam was honest he would be too.

[@explore-n]

palastinians are the one who are stealing land that belongs to Israel

[@tangerinetangerine4400]

​@@explore-noh dear. Belongs to Israel according to whom?

[@markdwolf3198]

Why would the u.n. grant membership when Palestine is run by a terrorist group?

[@explore-n]

1000's of years of documented Jewish land. can you bring any documents for 'palastin' from 1000's of years ago??@@tangerinetangerine4400

[@veganmatry]

Except a lot of this "criticism" is antisemitic nonsense.

[@paulmd7747]

Its almost like we should get rid of DEI and go back to a merit-based system.

[@meghan42]

DEI is merit based. It just widens the pool from which merit based people can be chosen.

[@Epicurus0]

@@meghan42 What fucking planet are you living on? That isn't remotely true in it's current implementation.

[@devinglass9967]

@meghan42. Yeah, right.

[@user-ut6ji8my2h]

Ya Think?

[@user-ut6ji8my2h]

​@meghan42 I disagree. It stretches it to include the less qualified. The result, for the most part, has been devastating.

[@mikeflannery7905]

This is a hard discussion when Isreal is killing thousands of non-combats. On October 7th the whole world was on their side, but the way they have mercilessly wreaked revenge has lost them sympathy

[@maisboyfriend]

The whole world was NOT on their side 😂 you listen to the podcast?

[@mikeflannery7905]

Ok, ​as an Irish atheist I was sickened by the Oct 7th attack and the vicious nature of how they attacked civilians, especially the children and elderly. I've always agreed with Sam's views on the agreesive nature of Islam and the dangers of jehadists. I have no preconceived ideas about Jewish people except for the horror inflicted on their number in WW2. People are people, religion means nothing to me as long as people treat each other with respect. However, as an impartial outsider, the way Isreal, under their current government, has reacted to the attack, makes them look just as evil if not worse, they have lost the moral high ground and played right into the hands of Hamas who wanted them to react as they did.

[@peterhel1077]

​@mikeflannery7905 yeah they should have insisted for hamas to go in plain field to have a fist fight and deal with it. Look how absolutely difficult it was for USA soldiers to clean cities of Isis fighters hiding behind civilians. And here you have a situation where majority civilians are on hama's side helping them with logistics and spying, while hamas robs them from international aid.

[@Agtsmirnoff]

They had no choice. What other option did they have?

[@Agtsmirnoff]

@@mikeflannery7905 "I'm Irish" Well that explains it Mike, your people have always had some strange fetish for the Palestinians. You're not an "impartial outsider".

[@LiViro1]

I remember their debate from years ago - this should be interesting.

[@garyschultz425]

Will listen but why doesn’t he do a show on IDF atrocities and the history of the occupation? Why only look at it from one side?

[@samdg1234]

Will you define "IDF atrocities"?

[@jmc5335]

​@@samdg1234Shooting their own people waving white flags

[@samdg1234]

@@jmc5335 Well, at least you took a shot at it. But of course, I can't expect that you are a mind reader and know the mind of @garyschultz425. I'd expect that he intended much more opprobrium than can be conjured up by the IDF's mistakenly killing their own people.

[@jmc5335]

@samdg1234 I can't read minds anymore than Sam Harris. Just imagine what the IDF do to the people they occupy if they treat their own people in such a manner. Of course, Sam Harris believed those hostages brought it on themselves

[@rubenabiudgutierrez7534]

When Sam mentioned the good old days of debating with Hitchens, I started wondering what would Christopher Hitchens say about the alarming rise of Antisemitism in America. God! How I miss the wit, intellect and humor of that man!

[@belevezero2279]

“If a Jew born in Brooklyn has a right to a state in Palestine, then a Palestinian born in Jerusalem has a right to a state in Palestine, and whoever disagrees with that principle is suspect”. -Hitchens

[@radscorpion8]

well he probably wouldn't have a completely one-sided view where he only looks at the harm to jews

[@BowzKnows]

"if you tell them they cannot throw acid in the faces of unveiled women in Karachi, they will be annoyed with you"

[@kathrinjohnson2582]

​@@belevezero2279Thank you for this quote. I love Hitchens.

[@sherylbusch5853]

Seems to me Douglas Murray is the new Hitchens.

[@SeanDonnelly-wc3bk]

I'm interested in reading the "English scholar" Wolpe references, Himon Maccabee (around 16:57) but can't seem to find his work. Perhaps I am mishearing the name? Anyone have any tips?

[@robinhood20253]

Some of my favorite debates are those with Rabbi Wolpe. I watch his sermons and have such respect for him. Thank you Sam for bringing him on to talk with you about this issue.

[@pavelshliaha1706]

I remember when Sam was arguing against Trump he actively looked for an intellectual that would defend him to have a conversation. Why is his behavior to Israel-Palestine conflict so different. Why not invite someone who would argue for Palestinians? There are a lot of thoughtful well-behaved intellectuals who can present a compelling argument based case.

[@someperson9999]

A lot of new media spaces are in echo chambers now.

[@pavelshliaha1706]

@@someperson9999 apperantly Sam is as well now

[@someperson9999]

@@pavelshliaha1706 yeah, I mean it is what it is. I don't even worry about it now.

[@laylaali5977]

Sam is extremist Zionist so he is not capable of being honest or having a real discussion about Israel

[@TheKifster]

I'm behind you two on virtually all of this content except one thing: the concept of winking and nodding while talking about 'intellectual sophisticates' is NOT an allusion to antisemitism, or any other group. That is a bad faith assumption.

[@roadrunner9622]

I thought the same thing. I never heard "elites" or even "cosmopolitan" being used as code for Jews.

[@davidbarry6900]

Agree. It's far too easy to IMAGINE more meaning to the phrase than was probably intended - on either side (whether people oversensitive to possible anti-semitism, or antisemites looking for indications that a politician is on "their side"). INTENTIONAL use of a phrase like that as a dog whistle to more radical supporters is likely to be much more rare than they think it is.

[@medialistener]

Wait a minute (to all that are fascinated about this interview) The guest acknowledges the intellectual superiority of Jewish people because of culture they have, that cherish scholarship and so on. And this prepares them for modern life, which is true, this is the reason why they occupy high positions in our societies. But then further in the interview they complained that complaining and criticising elites is equivalent to antisemitism (in the sense that they are occuping high positions in the government and this is irrational because it is not true), when famous people complain about elites what they really think is jews... That doesn't add up. They are elites or they aren't. And the other point is that I don't know if people caught it. He jumped the queue for medicine and bragged about it.😮

[@devinglass9967]

It’s not just culture, it’s genetics. IQ is significantly heritable.

[@medialistener]

@@devinglass9967 Yes, it is true. And the culture shapes the genetics of a group over time. Like more read, scholar members of society had more children then others. Over time it accumulates.

[@kg356]

Something like 20% of Harvard's incoming class is jewish. 6 of the 8 ivy league schools have jewish presidents now (from less than 2% of the US population). That isn't just genetics.

[@harrypmay]

He acknowledged that the circumstances that have been placed upon the Jewish diaspora lead them to positions of influence which is nothing new. Jews, famously, were moneylenders because it was previously outlawed for Christians to do that job. Usually the people who occupy the ‘middle man’ role in societies are the first to be turned upon because both the poor and rich are going to accuse them of collusion with their fellow ‘middle men’ regardless of evidence. The ‘middle man’ is usually not native and they will, more often than not, occupy a job that administers essentials (money, land, medicine) meaning there is a higher chance for people to massively resent you if things don’t go their way (i.e. these ‘middle men’ are out for themselves.) As for the bit about elites, he wasn’t saying criticising elites is antisemitism. He said that rhetoric around the elites has, in the past, been cryptic antisemitism. They say ‘elites’ but they usually mean Jews because whatever the ‘elites’ do suspiciously mirrors known antisemitic tropes. Also, aren’t they both criticising the actual elites in this program about the decision to implement DEI? If they were trying to stifle any criticism of people in power, they wouldn’t even discuss this. Finally, the bit about getting medicine in advance was an anecdote about Jews being in these positions now but, eventually, it will move to a different diaspora (Indian, in his example) as this is how immigrant nations evolve. What, unfortunately, won’t change is antisemitism because as they point out, Jews are simultaneously weak and powerful in the mind of antisemites. So even if they eventually fall into poverty, they’d still be blamed for the world’s wrongs. Think about this for a second. There are 15 million Jews and there are 2 billion Muslims. Not every Jew is a Zionist but every Muslim is an anti-Zionist. Do you seriously think that amount of Muslims, some of whom control the world’s most important resource, have no power or influence to combat the Jews and Israel? Antisemitism doesn’t make sense but then that is the point of it. It doesn’t need to make sense, it simply needs to stick to the Jews.

[@birb7271]

The anti-Semitism is about hatred and fear. You can hate or fear people irrespective of their intelligence. Please tell me you’re being sarcastic and aren’t actually confused about such an obvious point.

[@Imnot-fj1yx]

0:26 ما اسم هذه الموسيقى؟

[@QuixoticIgnotism]

Love you Sam

[@memoryhero]

I do not wish to engage fully here, digress with some random commenter into absurdity, but I know Sam can parse better than is displayed in this half conversation on frankly the caricatures of ideas paraded here, more heavily by Wolpe than by Sam. Resist dichotomies - I always find that instruction useful. Dismayed that both Sam and Wolpe seem to be almost in gleeful "full dichotomy" mode, here.

[@sunnyinvladivostok]

the dichotomy between no dichotomy and full dichotomy, surely there must be nuance :)

[@birb7271]

Yeah, leave the dichotomy unspecified… because it’s a dichotomy with annihilating the Jewish state on one side and not annihilating them on the other. 😂 From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free! Globalize the intifada! Every philosophical dictum when taken to an extreme becomes absurd, even the ideal of resisting dichotomies becomes absurd when you refuse to take a stand with enlightenment values against theocratic fascism.

[@Frazer247]

I am on the subscriber feed and was able to listen to the full episode! Thank you.

[@bigbalian1751]

Whoa - Sam & David on the same side?!? This is legendary!

[@kg356]

Crazy it's almost like they're both jews 😆

[@Waterhorse1]

Not really. Both Zionist apologists for genocide in Gaza

[@kevbro2]

Sam , put in his place.

[@deeznutz8320]

Sam is Jewish its funny to see how they can put their differences asside for their ethnicity

[@fixpontt]

is the International Court of Justice anti-semite too by accepting the case, Sam? what if they decide that Israel committed genocide? will they be anti-semite from that day on?

[@totalassuage]

its very difficult to proove genocide because of the need of intent. allthough there are parties in the ruling political alliance in Israel that are actual racists and fascists, their talk is never put in to military policy, because the military leadership are not racist fascists. Much like Trumps insanity during his presidency was mollified my civil servants and former generals. When people are accusing Israel of genocide they are just using a fancy word that they do not really understand, what Israel is doing is more probably crimes against humanity, but not Genocide. By using the word genocide critics of Israel automaticaly get demoted in to irrational people by those not propelled by thir emotions only. A good example of genocide from history was the quashing of the warsaw upprising in 1944, when the non Jewish population rose up against the Germans as Stalins troops were advancing rom the east. Stalin took a pause on the eastern shore of the vistula, letting the Germans have a fieldday. during ca 65 days, the Nazies killed ca 200000 citizens of Warsaw, mostly civilians and but a few jews (most of them had allready gotten deported to Auswitz. The city was so thouroughly dstroyed that it was dificult to se wherethe streets had been, because of the rubble. During the war about 500000 Warsowians were killed. 1/3 of the total pre war poppulation. If the Israeli fources were really performing a genocide, we would be seeing similar numbers in Gaza today.

[@satiricgames2129]

😂😂😂 will they I mean they literally have no case they didn't ask for a cease-fire so there is no genocide because if there was a genocide they would have put all these rules on on Israel finally enough surprise surprise there isn't one

[@danielgreen1124]

The UN in general has zero credibility and is highly biased.

[@RobespierreThePoof]

Mark my words. The ICJ will not find that genocide has been committed. You're being fooled. Sorry. But you'll wake up when you are ready

[@TheBuzzati]

Sam, i like you and admire you, but it would be nice if you invited on some people that disagreed with your worldview. Lots of pushback required in this conversation.

[@ownthelibs]

I think he gets left wing antisemitism but Tucker flirts with the America first Jew dual loyalty and Jews start wars for Israel stuff. But great replacement isn't really connected to the Jews with Tucker

[@SDRDS96169]

Worldview on what topics exactly? Loads of them fall under the umbrella of "worldview" and if you believe Sam Harris agrees with all.of his guests on all topics you obviously haven't been listening to his podcasts

[@TheBuzzati]

This is a very contentious issue with legitimate points on both sides...and he brought a Jewish religious figure on and did not address Israel's culpability in the conflict, in regards to a greater question of anti-semitism. This is just not helpful. @@SDRDS96169

[@SDRDS96169]

@@TheBuzzati what is not helpful are terrorists apologists like the current imbeciles worldwide who refuse to see the facts in front of them. Israel has the right to defend itself like every other nation under the sun. End of story

[@La0bouchere]

@@TheBuzzatiThis is a common mistake; Sam has repeatedly criticized Israel over the last two decades. Implying that he only brings on people who agree with him is fallacious, since he does it all the time (you just haven't seen it I guess?) What you probably meant to say is "Bring on some people that agree with my world view".

[@just_another32]

Looking forward to this!

[@TheParadox_]

I’ve never heard Sam have a more non-nuance and unintellectual take on a topic than this one.

[@Inoke_Faletau]

Have a lot of respect for Sam and love his work, but I have to disagree with the premise of this talk. How can you on the one hand recognise that those who were concerned about the BLM protests are not all racist, but then proffer a discussion that insinuates that the criticism of the Israeli regime and occupation in Palestine is somehow antisemitic? The moral arithmetic by your own standards doesn't seem to add up. This is either willful blindness or you are not aware of the scale at which Israel's retaliation has become disproportionate. I'm not taking sides, just confused by your position on this. Saying something like "the world does not know what type of enemy the Israeli's are dealing with" is simply not justifiable.

[@sheriffbigdog9671]

Because he is Jewish.

[@peterthegreat996]

Starving people is a war crime, gentlemen…in case you forgot.

[@nobodyhome-jy2bd]

More or less than weaponizing rape & cutting babies out of their mothers' wombs?

[@arikkatzenberg4498]

All your claims against the Jew are so readily falsifiable. You really are dumb to think you can just make these accusations and people will take the bait.

[@birb7271]

Yeah. Hamas should stop stealing everything from their own people in order to continue this pathetic and hopeless war.

[@jaialaiwarrior]

Not happening. Did you see how plump the strip-searched Hamas prisoners were? Oh, that's right - they steal all the aid. Try harder.

[@routinelyrandom9409]

David touched on a good point though. There is no other group in the US that coordinates with a foreign country (Israel in this case) to threaten US lawmakers with well funded opponents in upcoming elections if those lawmakers refuse to send US tax dollars to their home country. The Chileans don't do it for Chile. The Germans don't do it for Germany. The Cambodians, Algerians, Brazilians, French, South Koreans.... none of them do this. Only Israel and JEWS in the US coordinate with AIPAC umbrella groups to threaten US lawmakers

[@AttilaTheBun]

The only reason these two are on the same side is because of ethnic reasons

[@NoFeckingNamesLeft]

Specifically by a threat of ethnic extinction aimed at them. Yeah not surprising that would motivate one to put disagreements aside and team up.

[@jmc5335]

​@@NoFeckingNamesLeft Do you think Sam Harris would blame Jews for their own genocide if it happened again?

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@NoFeckingNamesLeftBut when whites do it its bad and nonsensical right😂

[@OldboyMoy]

@@NoFeckingNamesLeftthe enigma of this being said while there is an ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians as we speak.

[@burntoburn42]

So when Alex Jones is pointing to the "technocracy" and "global elites" you're going to say he's implying the Jews? Ask his most devoted fans if they think so.

[@mk1st]

Deep down I’m sure Jones thinks the elites are those who describe him as dumb (and worse). Basically his schtick, and everyone like him, is to drag everyone down to his level rather than doing the hard work of making himself smarter.

[@kg356]

That's hilarious as Alex Jones is currently fighting with far right antisemites about this issue because he refuses to say Israel is the main culprit in US's terrible foreign policy

[@NoFeckingNamesLeft]

Same thing with David Icke, populariser of the reptilian idea. ADL hounds him for being anti semitic when no he actually, literally and unambiguously believes alien reptiles are secretly in charge.

[@deeznutz8320]

Alex completely shills for zionists look at his debate with brother Nathaniel or Keith woods

[@deeky1239]

You can call Alex Jones anything you want based on what he says or dont say. His defense in court was that hes playing a character on air so whatever he says is moot and hes basically just an agent of chaos, most probably a paid agitator paid by foreign money. He's glorified in Russian media if you had any doubt about that.

[@davidbaumgarten]

When and how did the history of semites become reduced to mean Jews?

[@yairlife]

Semitism as a definition does include groups of people other than Jews, but antisemitism is exclusively used to denote hatred of Jews, especially ever since the Holocaust.. there's no inherent hatred of semites, it's kinda like saying African-American does not mean specifically black people cause there are some white people born in Africa that emigrated to the US..

[@davidbaumgarten]

So, 2 questions. 1. How did anti-semitism become popular for that purpose, as, Jews, like my father, born in Germany, were definitely not Semitic Jews, and almost all Jews in the Holocaust were also not Semites? It seems this term was re-purposed, commandeered. 2. If so, why and by whom?

[@yairlife]

@@davidbaumgarten so, against the wishes of some Jews that wanted to integrate in different societies, antisemites established Jews as a race and not a religion (fueled by the eugenics of late 19th century USA adopted later by Nazi Germany) - so in that regard, and because Jews across the world share specific genetic traits that differ from their local counterparts - it's safe to assume that almost all Jews share ancestry in the Levant, and specifically the kingdoms of Judea and Israel, as Jews usually kept to themselves, avoided intermingling in general, and the process of converting to Judaism is tiresome, complicated and includes cutting your f**king dick 😅 So saying not all Jews are semites is debatable, and most racists won't agree. The Nazis made an 'exact' science out of it. A quick research shows the first colloquial use of the term was around the late 19th century in Germany, specifically to denote Semitic Races, meaning Jews by the users of the term, as inferior to Aryan races. Hope this helps clear things up

[@rachelbrogniet2292]

My son's friend who happens to be Jewish, lives in Toronto, Canada. He doesn't wear his religious signs anymore out of fear. I am stunned by this huge Islamic movement which is supported by the young western kids. What a shame!!! We have to stand up to save our western values and culture.

[@Vsrt2345]

Fantastic conversation, great work

[@VesnaVK]

Thank you, Sam.

[@Photomonon]

For what, lying to you

[@karagi101]

@@PhotomononFor helping us identify people that can’t think logically. People like you.

[@Photomonon]

@@karagi101 sounds like you have a cult leader, not unlike the religious zealots you claim to be so superior to. Was Soros a N**I or not? Bet you don't know who Mr.Harris's parents are..?

[@russellhammond371]

@@Photomonon Could you favor us with the precise words that constituted a lie? I'll wait.

[@blakesleyk.7166]

@@russellhammond371I’ll wait too. Mommy just brought his TV dinner down to her lil cellar dweller so we must be patient.

[@paddydiddles4415]

Is Sam ok with the lie he’s peddling or is he just wilfully ignorant? Vivek couldn’t have been more explicit about the ‘replacement theory’ to which he refers - nothing to do with Jews!

[@Waterhorse1]

Sam's just another pathetic racist.

[@paddydiddles4415]

@@tamhiker1 you like Sam have obviously not listened to the actual content of what Vivek has said. Interesting! It’s as if you really have no idea

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@paddydiddles4415Who is the minister of migration? Oh right Mayorkas who is Jewish

[@ArtLogins]

Socio-Economic system must be based on SCIENTIFIC METHOD instead of capitalism, democracy, religion, patriotism. Thank me when you get it in 20 years

[@TheYuvimon]

I would agree if I had ANY idea what "an economic system based on the scientific method" would look like. Seems like a cop-out answer. "Capitalism, democracy, religion, patriotism" are all flawed in some way, but blurting out "we need a system based on the scientific method" when presumably you *also* have no clue what that would look like, is absolutely worthless.

[@ArtLogins]

@@TheYuvimon (just like a Space station or a Mars colony) Socio-Economic system must be DESIGNED and SCIENTIFICALLY TESTED, rather than whatever we have now - that benefits billionaires, while most people are required to be stupid to accept it...

[@something-uj4eq]

No housekeeping 😔

[@BenjaminGatti]

A Family fued that got enshrined in holy books

[@TheYuvimon]

Only it's just the one book. Only the Quran mentions Jews, not the other way around. As far as I know Jewish scripture doesn't mention Islam which makes sense considering the Jewish mythology was pretty much wrapped up thousands of years before Islam came into existence.

[@alexflo761]

I love and admire Sam. However, I am concerned about his lack of nuance and empathy towards the Palestinian people in Gaza (no one talks here to defend Hamas), as well as his recent tendency to create an echo chamber.

[@dmanson4649]

TDS is like a black hole now for Sam. He just cannot resist gravitating back to it no matter what the subject.

[@andrewpi7086]

It would be interesting to see Sam discuss the Israel-Palestine issue with someone like Norman Finkelstein. He often agrees with guests on the political issues and agrees to disagree on the question of faith.

[@Agtsmirnoff]

Finklestein is a loser

[@erowan1389]

"Queers for Hamas"...."sounds like a SNL episode written by a disproportionate number of jews"....brilliant humor by Sam yet again!

[@rxtr664]

Calling anything Sam Harris does " brilliant" simply shows how little grey matter you're holding in that head of yours

[@orfeasnifakos1265]

why the hate bruh? its actually a great joke@@rxtr664

[@harrychoke]

@@orfeasnifakos1265 because sam harris is not what he claims to be - certainly not as clever or unbiased as he thinks he is, and to be clear - was never one of the horsemen. Give us back Hitchens and take harris instead imo.

[@orfeasnifakos1265]

Why not both? Sam is clearly a great thinker even if you disagree with him.He is actually the only political commentator who has challenged more or less every group(left, right , religious, atheist, and more or less everyone with his views about free will) and for that alone he deserves respect imo @@harrychoke

[@laylaali5977]

So does Israel fascist government

[@scriptedBug]

I am kinda dissapointed about this talk as is pretty much spins the entire discussions on all sides but ignores the primary motive for israelian problems today - fact that they clearly making a genocide on palestinians in those teritories. I'm tired on the meta discussions they try to focus on. I think one way or another, Israel will have to face what they did to Palestinians, and no excuses will work. It is sad, but the current state of matters show no other resolution. The current Israelian state is doomed into a war they cannot win. You cannot genocide your way into a land and expect to win. Not in today's world, where everybody understands what is happening. That land is doomed to wars if they dont embrace and search a peacefull way of living together.

[@Jules-Was-an-AnCap]

When I look at you, I can see, that you might have had a previous noteworthy debate with Sam.

[@entelin]

Antisemitism is one thing I have never understood. They have stuck around, and managed to stay educated and successful through a great deal of adversity, I've never seen that as anything but commendable. I can understand situations where racism arises from war, as with the japanese or germans, but that was highly temporary. Or with immigrants, which is a racism that also comes and goes as immigrant populations integrate and change. I can even intellectually understand racism that arises from non-integrating persistent subcultures like american blacks or european gypsies. Wolpe's explanation of racism of the jews being attributable to religious dogma makes sense to me however, I'm not religious, so it was hard for me to see that.

[@deeznutz8320]

Maybe look at the wars look at who has the most to say in media who owns the corps Maybe look at who does the anti White rethoric and then you understand When Noël Ignatiev was at Harvard all the Israeli donors stayed

[@birb7271]

@@deeznutz8320 ah. Your true colors exposed.

[@jaialaiwarrior]

​​@@deeznutz8320Yes. Of course envy is always the other reason. Obviously you come from a subculture that didn't prepare you for success in the world. But that's not the Jews' fault.

[@theinngu5560]

@@jaialaiwarrior yes …envy…the same as envy from working classes in regard to middle and upper classes ( especially here in U.K. ) but at a deeper level the hatred is in the minds of the hater and they ( subconsciously) seek an object outside of themselves to project their hatred onto….the hater has no tools to remove the hatred in their minds and it’s too uncomfortable to see the hatred is in them and has nothing to do with the object of hate. The company one keeps is also telling ….hatred from one mind can effect another mind, just as unconditional love in one mind can ignite that in another.

[@sheriffbigdog9671]

Germans are a high IQ population. Do you think they hallucinated their complaints?

[@FlexBeanbag]

Short men cannot see through tall grass

[@FlexBeanbag]

kzbin.infoBmc9NFfhx74?si=dWcPYmgOoHNpwfXx

[@steven2183]

"Don't go into the tall grass!" - Dr. Ian Malcom

[@d.Cog420]

When the wind blows, the grass bends.

[@fukpoeslaw3613]

Sun tzu?

[@Graywatcher411]

The discussions Sam is having about Israel is absent any meaningful discussion about the targeting of the civilian population, children, and journalists. In my opinion the “Making Sense” podcast (which I have financially supported and loved for well over a decade) has gone off the rails as far as Israel goes. I can’t help but wonder what the hell is going on behind the scenes. This quote seems to be on point: “The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum-even encourage the more critical and dissident views.” - Noam Chomsky

[@OldboyMoy]

I agree with this. It’s seems Sam can be impartial with regards to many subjects but suddenly lacks and reason or logic and has a selective understanding of history when it comes to this subject.

[@coretux]

"targeting of the civilian population, children, and journalists" that's a big claim and I have yet to see any evidence for it.

[@johans7119]

I know its not necessary but I would really like to see video!

[@OddityDK]

I have a lot of respect for David Wolpe and watched his debate with Sam several times. One of the few instances I didn’t feel the urge to skip the religious side in such debates. And I still believe he might be Elvis.

[@whatsdoin2392]

Harvard's apple has a w o r m in it.

[@MyreLink]

I loved this conversation and have been a fan of Rabbi Wolpe since I saw your afterlife debate. You two make a great pairing.

[@marccountry]

So much for unbiased, credible guests, smh… good grief.

[@hokiturmix]

Please make auto subtitles possible. English needs a lot of guessing game to find the correct way to write a word...

[@laneroberts8747]

Interesting, I assume you are not a native speaker? Sam Harris is considered very well spoken to americans. I say this not to belittle you but rather out of curiosity. Maybe the words he uses are very obscure (it is the same for me lol, I have learned a lot about politics from sam but also many new words!)

[@hokiturmix]

@@laneroberts8747 Im from Hungary. My journey was why break ups are painful Corey wayne Actualized org Stopped since at the start of covid he made a series of science misrepresentations. Not all wrong but I felt unresponsible to raise words "against" opposition of scientific mindset that time... A lil Jordan Peterson. Who understand the caveman mechanics presents in man woman relationships... Stick with Sam since 2016. I got offended so easy. Sam is a gift from """god""" for me. :D

[@eniooliveira9196]

They take a while to become available after the upload.

[@hokiturmix]

@@eniooliveira9196 THANKS! I don't expect from Sam to enter in debates in the chat but the unanswered technical request are disturbing on any channel. At least the end credits music not as disturbing as F. like on other places. :D Honorable mentions Sean Carrol's YT channel where the intro music volume no louder than the speech. :D

[@eniooliveira9196]

@@hokiturmix I don't recall seeing him ever reply to comments on this channel. As a side note, around 2014 I saw a fellow Brazilian claim (in a comment) that he would reply to every tweet directed at him.

[@thedoctor.a.s1401]

Why aren't you inviting people who disagree with you, sam? Bring on Norman Finkelstein.

[@Waterhorse1]

Harris wouldn't have the guts or the brains. He's just another apologist for the genocidal killers. Struts around as a hot-shot atheist but when the rubber hits the road his racism comes out. 10000 children slaughtered by his Israeli pals but all he can do is bring up suicide bombings. October 7 was terrible but it fades away when compared to the horrors perpetrated by the Israelis.

[@sheriffbigdog9671]

When is the last time he did that? Scott Adams?

[@thedoctor.a.s1401]

@@sheriffbigdog9671 idk, but what I meant was in terms of Israel genocidal carpet bombing of gaza

[@somersetdc]

Norman is busy either sleeping hanging upside down in his cave or else he is snoozing under his slimy rock.

[@FelizTheLifeguardMinion3]

Never thought I would see this name on the podcast 😂 I used to ❤ these two debating on the God topic.

[@jacobcochrane9069]

I have a hard time believing so many people are anti-Semitic, or neutral about it, or nodding to it or dog-wistling to it, or whatever. Maybe that assertion should be treated like any other conspiracy theory and properly discected.

[@Mpc5061]

😂😂😂😂and yet you see it literally everyday open displays of it every where from New York to Paris, in school, streets, campaigns, media,Tik tok, academia, politicians, business policy, humanitarian organizations, UN.

[@jacobcochrane9069]

@@Mpc5061 If someone claims to personally see it, I'll take him at his word. Maybe you see it. I don't. I've got a "crazy uncle" that rattles off all kinds of racist and antisemitic crap, so that counts. On the other hand, I'm not aware of anyone who can tolerate it. So that goes in the other column. I'd like to see the topic dissected.

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@jacobcochrane9069Go watch Nick Fuentes then he Debunks it thats why nobody wants to talk with him

[@oremfrien]

@@jacobcochrane9069 The prevalence of antisemitic attitudes is quite commonly reviewed. There was the ADL 100 survey, there have been Pew polls, etc. The problem is that since Antisemitism is widely viewed negatively (for good reason) people won't admit to being Antisemites and, furthermore, a person can be Antisemitic without consciously being aware that their preferences align with Antisemitism. If you are genuinely interested in what Antisemitism looks like, I would recommend looking into Professor Charles Asher Small and the ISGAP.

[@RobespierreThePoof]

Denialism doesn't accomplish anything other than making you feel better about yourself.

[@adamtokay]

I will have to presume that the part of the discussion about the right wing policies of Israel itself, the indiscriminate killing of civilians and the dangers of the God's "chosen people" doctrine is on the other side of the the pay wall. Because talking about the recent rise of antisemitism without even mentioning these would be absolutely insane.

[@Pokemon4life-zs3dl]

Makes it sound like you are justifying and providing reasons for being antisemitic. It’s possible to have a discussion on one topic without going into another

[@hanssvoboda]

But Sam Harris would be the guy to do it.

[@oremfrien]

This exact phrasing is Antisemitic because it creates a meaningful connection between Jews in America feeling safe on college campuses and Israeli politics. This is a problem. If Mexico invaded Guatemala, it wouldn't justify rampant "Anti-Mexican (ethnicity)" demonstrations and genocidal calls against Mexicans (be they in America or Mexico). It's the double-standard here that is Antisemitic.

[@adamtokay]

@@oremfrien Double standards? Let’s run with your hypothetical then. If I walk with my Mexican friend on campus the next day then he asks me “What’s with all this Mexican hate lately?” And I say “I don’t know man, but it sure doesn’t help that Mexico is indiscriminately killing innocent Guatemalan children right now.” I think the sane answer would be “Yes, that sucks, and it's good that you're not not judging me for what the Mexican government is doing.” But according to you, his answer should be: “How dare you, you mexican-hating s.o.b!?! What do you mean innocent??? No Guatemalan is innocent! Also, don't you know what Quetzalcoatl said? that WE ARE SPECIAL and the rest are animals!?!” I would say I love you man but you lost your goddamn mind. Now please go back and read my original comment and tell me again where the double standard is? Or better yet, just shut up because you're actually part of the problem, not helping our common cause and damaging our friendship, Diego.

[@Exileonbackroad]

@@oremfrien the double standard here is that Jewish lives are worth far more than Palestinian lives; that Jews are so special that free speech applies to everything and everyone except when speaking about them, including laws in some countries that specifically target anti-semitism; that public officials will be dragged in front of congress and be forced to proclaim special oaths about their commitment to anti-semitism; that the Jewish state will be permitted to ignore international standards and laws that apply to every other country; that history will be taught in a way that implies that the horrible treatment of Jews is somehow more horrible and special than the treatment any other group has ever received; and finally, an official and unofficial international PR machine that will punish and destroy anyone who dares to criticise or challenge the status quo.

[@TheInternetIsDeadToMe]

I am 100% against antisemitism and the UTTERLY evil events of October seventh. I’m also 100% against what Israel is currently doing in Gaza. This situation is so hard to navigate intellectually and emotionally for me. It would be good to hear Sam provide some sort of guidance to what Israel is doing without all the noise of the left and the right. I feel like you’re giving the hysterical left and it’s perspective too much oxygen. That aside, this was an insightful conversation that is definitely highlighting the very real problem of antisemitism.

[@evamurray2564]

Here is some history that might help The Palestinians and surrounding Arab nations attacked Israel the day after the UN resolution passed to create Israel and Palestine. The Arabs lost this war. Immediately after the Arabs lost the war, they started, the Arab nations ethnically cleansed 900,000 jews from their countries, the Jewish nakba. This is why there are barely any jews in the surrounding Arab nations. These jews are not from Europe but were nonetheless fleeing persecution from Muslims whereas jews from Europe were fleeing the holocaust. This is why the Zionists created Israel as a space for jews to be safe from pogroms, holocausts, expulsions, unfair laws, dhimmi taxes, etc. Jews were stateless people since the Romans expelled them from their homelands and renamed it to Syria Palestina as an insult to the jews. Most of the Jews left, but some remained. These jews are referred to as Mizrahi jews or Middle Eastern jews the jews that the surrounding Arab nations violently expelled. A sad and disgusting circumstance of war. Israel accepted these refugees displaced from war, but the Arab nations kept the displaced Arab Palestinians in displaced camps. So basically, the creation of Israel was indigenous people reclaiming their lands from the British Mandate of Palestine. Israel is a diverse country with 2 million Arab muslims living in Israel proper. Some serve in the military, government, and judicial institutions. There are barely any jews in Muslim countries. Israel has accepted every 2 state solution peace deal offered, but the Palestinians reject through violence. Get off the internet and read history books. Read hamas' charter and look up the history of the grand mufti of Jerusalem, who worked with the nazis and even visited several death camps.

[@shortkeys73]

Do you expect Israel to live with a bunch of genocidal lunatics right on their border, who vow to continue pillaging Israeli civilians? What is your solution?

[@brian782]

honestly, I recommend reading about the mayans or other warring people. Truth is that modern man lacks context to grasp the extent of Hamas barbarism. It is a throwback to the dark ages. So my recommendation is to view the death count similarly to how you would the ancient mayans. It is sad to consider how many died but we contextualize it.

[@meghan42]

I'm with you on that one. I have seen some outrageously brutal footage of what is happening to the Palestinians. I think we are officially insane.

[@vladokingsley3775]

Theyre fighting a war what do you expect? Hamas using human shields. Are we going to allow terrorists to just use human shields forever so we cant fight back?

[@robertbentley3589]

Wish they had more time. Great talk.

[@therealfahadameen]

It is not ignorance we are dealing with. It is Evil.

[@wmrajput]

The Yesha Rabbinical Council, the settler umbrella organisation, recently ruled that it was permitted to return indiscriminate fire on Palestinian civilian areas whence an attack had been launched. In 2006, under the leadership of Rabbi Dov Lior, the council issued an even sterner ruling. It stated that there is no such thing as a civilian in warfare, and that such a view was attributable to the influence of so-called “Christian morality” With the images of half blown kids coming out of ghaza, combined with incessant claims that anti Israel=antisemitism, it doesn't take much analysis to understand what's going on. After building his career on how religion is the source of all evil, instead of focusing on how christian zionists and jewish land grabbers continue to stifle the Palestinians, Harris has lended his podcast to be an extension of Israeli PR campaign.

[@RobespierreThePoof]

So you take one supposed view of a radical activist organization and ... then characterize all Israelis and Jews by it. Do I need to tell you what's wrong with your reasoning? Really?

[@wmrajput]

@@RobespierreThePoof no, I dont characterize Jews at all. If anything Jews have shown great courage and consciousness in talking and protesting about Israeli aggression. Something we dont see often from Musllims when they are committing atrocities against minorities. But I can't list all outrageous things said by all rabbis in a comment section just to make a point. The point being, judaism and islam are not very different, and its not like the rabbis are all peace loving hippies while if only there were similar religious leaders in Mulsims, there would be all love and peace in the middle east. Sam's just copy pasting his thesis over a conflict with 50 years plus history with any consideration of the context and the atrocities from one aide

[@avikaurelius4992]

My fear is the wrong lessons is going to be learned from this time. Rather than tearing down the DEI structures and going back to meritocracy, I am afraid many Jewish people will simply be satiated by appending Jews to the list of protected groups of DEI and then it will all go back to how it was.

[@dogsdomain8458]

yea i fear that too. We need to get rid of woke garbage entirely

[@Mathmatics3.14]

Hitch is missed.

[@deeznutz8320]

Iraq has a different opinion

[@Pradeep_889]

Some Western atheists seem to overlook a crucial point: the overt support of Israeli atrocities against Palestinians by the colonial West. It's important to consider this perspective as well.

[@PoetlaureateNFDL]

Thank you 😊

[@simonwilton3546]

The continued mis-understanding of th e “ fine people on both sides” ( which referred to the staue argument) is unforgivable in intellectuals. The Trump derangement syndrome has ruined Sam.

[@txdmsk]

I think Sam ate a few kilograms too many of magic mushrooms and various mInD eNhAncInG drgs. And he also had a few thousand kicks too many to his head during his martial arts training.

[@tok1879]

Why is it so hard for Sam Harris to use nuance in this particular conversation? Why does showing sympathy for Palestinians who were not responsible for the atrocious attack mean you're antisemitic?

[@RobespierreThePoof]

The 21% of Gazans who did not support the actions of October 7. The 15% who do not support "martyr operations" against Israeli civilians. That's their term for suicide bombings and knife attacks. If you were alive during WWII, you would be saying "Why can't we show respect for the innocent Germans who didnt volunteer to fight for Hitler?". You know, the ones who just pretended not to notice the smoke stacks.

[@truthandbeauty100]

I am on the feed. I subsxribed

[@Bat_Boy]

I’m an admirer of the Jewish people. I’m a lover of music, movies, plays, art (etc), so I also respect the gay community, black community (etc). The world is better with you in it.

[@erikshure360]

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic.

[@RichardParker2008]

@@erikshure360 It's easy to tell what YOU are...

[@dkoli]

Not better for the Palestinians...

[@nh7680]

Stunning and brave

[@Jaylade]

The Palestinians didn't even exist until Israel was established in 1948. Even Arafat is recorded on video saying that Palestinians are mostly made up of Jordanians and Egyptians. Are arabs in the territories and gaza suffering? Absolutely @@dkoli

[@exigy.]

Is Wolpe really claiming that "intellectual elites have betrayed us" is a dogwhistle to antisemitism after starting the conversation about Harvard and Claudine Gay, the (non Jew) intellectual elites that betrayed him (a Jew). He is playing the exact same political language game as the people he's accusing and doesn't seem to see the difference. And your comment section is dead as shit Sam, there's no discourse down here, just "Love you Sam" over and over. You need to challenge your guests when they say something OBVIOUSLY wrong.

[@txdmsk]

Reasonable people have long left this channel. Also, KZbin deletes comments automatically like crazy. You pretty much can not discuss any topic that is worth discussing. I would not be surprised if Sam or his delegates also engage in censorship.

[@thunderstruck1078]

Invite K. MacDonald or A. Joyce. from the Occ. observer. I can't even write their names or the name of their web site, otherwise the comment is deleted right away.

[@desryan1603]

I'm a little confused about what Elon Musk has been allegedly inferring about Jewish people. Can somone explain please because it's not clear to me from the podcast. Thanks.

[@brian782]

Elon is innocent. Sam just has partial information and a vendetta.

[@animetributes6996]

Elon Musk tweeted that the Great Replacement Theory - Jews importing brown people to the US - is "the actual truth".

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@brian782He is Jewish they are just showing their true colors

[@ianelliott8224]

Isn't it now obvious that Sam and his carefully selected guests are at the Alex Jones level of missinforming and propaganda. The desperation of Sam to shut down what he perceives as wrong think is exactly why he is such a dispicable monster, I personally despise at least half the opinions of Tucker and Ramaswammy, but they don't devote a significant percentage of their time trying to shut down civil discourse, they encourage it. I can't remember the last time Sam interviewed someone who doesn't support his elitist confirmation bias. I thought you were supposed to be woke to find everything and every body racist, obviously not

[@Waterhorse1]

Sam is such a smarmy racist.

[@matthewbazeley2984]

He seems to throw rationality, logic and evidence out of the window when it comes to Israel

[@RichD2024]

The best debate I've ever enjoyed was Sam Harris and David Wolpe debating religion. Great to see them together again exchanging ideas.

[@mountainair]

I enjoy listening to old school Sam debates not just for the topics, but because it reminds me how much more patient, less agitated, less angry, less divided we all were back then.

[@tuckerbugeater]

People are easy to manipulate

[@allendesomer]

Israel, Jews, Palestinians, Hamas: these are 4 interconnected yet separate subjects. IMHO: the average person has a difficult enough time forming coherent thoughts about 2 related subjects, so I'm not surprised that intelligent people can't digest this larger collection of issues.

[@sjoerd1239]

Early on Wolpe paints Israeli Jews as righteously being on the frontline of Jewish history and that the diaspora should support the Israeli Jews, no matter what being the implication (enlisting the idea of us versus them, “otherness”, from the start). The politics of antisemitism indeed. The creation of Israel after the second world war was understandable for reasons of sentiment, feelings of guilt and so forth. However, it was mistake that involved the displacement of Palestinians and has resulted in a bloody mess. Jews do not have an inalienable right to the state of Israel because of ancient history or the bible, but the deed is done.

[@charlieg347]

Heaven forbid you did a counterpart on Islamophobia

[@deeznutz8320]

Islamophobia is not a word Muslims kill Europeans in Europe not the other way around

[@jaykay6387]

Oh, Sam. It's hard to believe how naive you are in terms of narrowly focusing your analysis of the antisemitic left in the U.S. solely upon the antiseptic principles of the DEI "oppressor/oppressed" hierarchy. There's much more to it than that, it also has a huge racial and cultural component. American blacks have long harbored significant animus toward Jews, and the DEI movement and Oct 7 has given them perfect "cover" to express that historical animus, and indeed to essentially "legitimize" it. Add to that the large Muslim/Arab contingent that occupy this ascendent DEI ideological space in the U.S. now and you literally have a recipe for disaster. DEI has basically given a license to these two grouds to express their Jew hatred in a myriad of "acceptable" ways.

[@Salty4Reel]

Antisemitism is just another example of political extremists on both sides play the same and have more in common with each other than they have with a centrist like me

[@JohnSmith-ft4rt]

Thank you for this discussion ❤

[@BradSamuelsPro]

I listened to the whole thing and not once did you distinguish between the state of Israel, currently engaged in genocide, and the Jewish people, who may or may not support that genocide. This obfuscation exacerbates the problem of antisemitism.

[@birb7271]

You literally have no idea what the word genocide means do you? Please learn investigate the difference between a war and a genocide. :)

[@BradSamuelsPro]

@birb7271 when you obliterate the lives of 1% of a population in 90 days, that's a genocide. When 70% of the victims are women and children, that's a genocide. When you use starvation as a weapon, that's a genocide. When your leaders clearly state their intention to depopulate a region, and then do so with violence, that's a genocide. Everyone on earth can see what Israel is doing, and only those blinded by ideology deny it.

[@BradSamuelsPro]

@@birb7271 Killing tens of thousands of children in retaliation for crimes that they did not commit is genocide.

[@BradSamuelsPro]

Using starvation as a weapon is genocide.@@birb7271

[@BradSamuelsPro]

@@birb7271 intentionally depopulating an entire civilian population and forcing them on a death-march is genocide. Occupying their former homes is genocide.

[@r0ky_M]

17:07 albeit based on a wild tall story myth that Jesus was g0d.

[@wadetisthammer3612]

Ah just when it gets interesting it ends!

[@Fabianbarahmeh]

Hi Sam , long time listener here. Is it Anti semitic to criticise far right ministers in the Israeli government such as ben gvir and Smotrich who openly call for violence against Palestinians ?

[@paulrussell1207]

Rabbi David Wolpe, Douglas Murray, Dan Senar, Yuval Noah Harrari and Graeme Wood have been a cohort of guests with rather similar views on the Israel-Palestine issues. I think all the muck-flinging, dishonesty, noise and what Sam would call derangement, on Twitter, has made him very skeptical of having conversations with any friction, due to the inevitable backlash, clipping and hot air that follows online. Whilst this reaction is very annoying and almost certain to happen, the traditional format of an honest debate, to the open-minded intelligent listener is a baby that shouldn't be thrown out with the bathwater. It's a necessary test of ideas. I think SH has made a compelling case since October 7th, and certainly he has articulated a lot of double standards and oversights the mainstream media and others makes on the conflict, but conversely a lot of questionable assertions are made with no push back, because all the guests agree, such as "metropolitan urban elite" is a substitute for "Jewish". Guardian reading upper-middle class Londoners are metropolitan elites, and they actually lean towards a more Palestinian perspective. And there was a lot of others just put out there with no examination.

[@abhishekbhandari6362]

You are right! I was thinking the same thing

[@Roonii82]

Zionism conflated judaism and militant settler colonialism. You can't blame Palestinians and muslims at large for hating jews when the Israeli soldiers bomb Gaza and ethnically cleanse the people there 70% of which are women and childre. Double standards is shaming muslims for the actions of a small group radical muslims, but not shaming the jews for genocide carried in their number under the star of David. The jews in the diaspora should shun Zionism and should support the voices of jews residing in Israel that are demanding the end of the ethnic cleansing of the palestinians. Also it is time to question why rationalist atheist Sam Harris, the campion of reason, was unable to give a satisfactory analysis of the situation. Seriously, was has militant atheists are never at odds with the military line of the white capitalist empire? How can 40 minutes of this episode run without one mention to Gaza or neocolonialism. The man who claims to have a critical mine, cannot possibly not consider these things. So what is he really doing?

[@peterhel1077]

Somehow 75% of Palestinians celebrated Oct 7 actions. That's before IDF counterattack. Tells a lot, doesn't it? Palestinians and hamas behind them are just pawns for Iran. Where do you think all the weapons came from to Gaza?

[@explore-n]

few things: palastiniand had the gaza to themselves for 17 yeras. thats a long time, what did they do with it?? built a beautiful city? started industries? made the life of their people better?? no, non, no, no! the problem with the muslim brotherhood that they are dedicated to eradicate Israel. the population also support them too. but the other problem is the dedication of the entire muslim population to the idea of dar al islam and dar al harb. Israel has to defend itself. if you don't like it, change your ways first

[@psmorgan2542]

I'm not Jewish. I've spent thousands of hours understanding Islam as well as hundreds of hours on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I am on the Jewish side now, as much as there are 'sides'. Much love from Australia.

[@birb7271]

@@tamhiker1 The only thing separating Jews from being exterminated by the Palestinians is the state of Israel you fool. 😂

[@psmorgan2542]

Yes, sorry that was clumsy of me. I meant the Jewish side when opponents are those trying to eradicate Jews.

[@alaron5698]

@@tamhiker1 Hamas does not want to exterminate the Jews? Give me a break.

[@BumFightsVol5]

​@@psmorgan2542 You've murdered 100 of thousands of Iraqis and American troops in Iraq over a lie. There was no WMDs. How you believe you are on the good side ?

[@birb7271]

@@alaron5698 Hamas doesn’t want to exterminate the Jews and water isn’t wet. Hello. We are now entering upside doesn’t world where an ignorant fool ignores the obvious.

[@JackAcid]

What a fantastic conversation. One of the best in a while. ❤

[@thunderstruck1078]

If you're a J.

[@djknox2]

Other than the reality that they get most of it all wrong, sure.

[@yaseen1478]

Sam, I wish for you to acknowledge your potential moral blind spots, and that you put some effort into researching the other side of your ideology when it comes to the Palestinian-Israeli struggle. I am a Palestinian, and from a first-person perspective, I am telling you, we truly feel that a genocide is being committed against us, and the world is in denial. I urge intellectuals like you to wake up, to be truly objective. To listen people from the other side.

[@seanlennon5986]

Yes I agree, long time Sam fan but this conflict is his blind spot, the lack of proper conversation with counter arguments is disappointing.

[@meolow1103]

If you really are a Palestinian in Gaza I need to tell you that you guys should have paid attention to what Hamas has built up within civilian areas of Gaza over the years. You can’t be serious expecting that Israel stays passive after what happened on 10/7!!! No nation state would accept that in any way. Attacking Hamas infrastructure is not a genocide. Civilian victims are horrific, I absolutely agree. However, genocide implies that there is an intent to annihilate an ethnicity. If Israel wanted this, the war would have been over on 10/8. We all know that.

[@seanhockly6755]

Completely agree, huge blind spot. Speak to Normal Finklestein!!!!

[@moosehak]

​@meolow1103 clearly, you lost your humanity some time ago

[@eniooliveira9196]

Tell us about your personal experience, then. Did you have any encounter with IDF soldiers?

[@vio1583]

great

[@50-50_Grind]

Bad timing. Don't give people a reason (doing a genocide) to hate you.

[@kevmem2000]

Thank you Sam. I wish you and Elon become friends again.

[@deeznutz8320]

Elon goes against the ADL

[@rodblues6832]

For an atheist, Harris sure draws deep from the well of religion for his worldview

[@NoFeckingNamesLeft]

You say this like it's a novel observation as if his main life's project isn't an applied spirituality app with the explicit goal being to divorce the values and benefits of religion from the supernatural claims.

[@deeznutz8320]

The man is Jewish not a surprise at all

[@padajsiloinepravdo6299]

“We are the ones doing settler colonialism “ you mean

[@orenkassner2510]

12:25 As an Israeli Jew I disagree with the rabbi, most Israeli Jews see the diaspora as part of Israel, and feel that Israel is obligated to their protection and safety.

[@wowzers1237____]

Aww this is unexpected in the best way.

[@TammarsDesigns_YT]

Absolutely a brilliant episode and I’m thankful to be on the subscriber feed and being able to listen to the full one! Thank you both for an insightful talk 💜💜💜💜💜