The Sin of Moral Equivalence (Episode

October 12, 2023
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[@irfanulpp]

Well said Sam.. I'm a Muslim who can fully attest to the veracity of every word you said on this podcast..It's appalling to see the stance of Muslims in my own community who are sympathetic towards hamas ..They try to defend these savages vehemently and give them every excuse because of their religious sentiments..It's really shocking to see that no single soul from these communities are coming forward to condemn this sheer act of evil ! Love you sam..Keep rocking

[@MNP208]

There are Muslim and Christian Palestinians working side by side with Israelis. Some are sympathetic, some are now.

[@Ruder6163]

@@MNP208 “Jacob you’re stealing my house” - Palestinian Woman “If I don’t steal it someone else is going to steal it” - Jacob the Settler From Brooklyn

[@dieselphiend]

How is Zionism any different?

[@dieselphiend]

How is extremist Israel any different? Using religious texts thousands of years old to justify ones position is extreme as it gets.

[@drts6955]

It's pretty hard for poor and dispossessed people to be so magnanimous in war. When your enemy is much weaker than you, you can afford to be much better behaved. If you're way weaker, you cannot but let your standards drop. That doesn't account for or excuse what Hamas did, but his general points are way off in this sense. A well-disciplined army with training and legal accountability cannot be pulled out of one's rear end

[@YourLocalCopiumDealer]

"If we recognise the monstrosities of the past, we should recognise the monstrosities of the present." Well said and thank you, Sam.

[@royboy4571]

Sam, we don’t have to go as far back as the atrocities of lynching of negroes. What about the US war crimes in : - Iraq - Afghanistan - Vietnam - Korea - 1954 Coup of Iran - Endless Coups of democratically elected governments and arming of right wing death squads Where does Sam get off pretending the US has acted with moral integrity. WTF. Of course what of the acts of Israel perpetrated on the Palestinians over the last 75 years, not to mention the Apartheid state of Israel today. Sam Harris has a very myopic version of History and Morality.

[@fyodorfyodor9074]

Sam never wants to acknowledge present Western monstrosities though. When western or Israeli forces kill innocent bystanders, he always dismisses it as "yeah, that was bad, but we had good intentions". It's so easy to sit in a safe American city and high- mindedly talk about intentions. When your family gets killed by accident, you don't care about the killers supposed morality.

[@paulr3002]

All true, Sam Harris, but irrelevant. Netanyahu caused this conflict. He wanted it, he stirred up the Palestinians, and he got the response he wanted. Hamas are to be condemned for killing civilians, but that does not change the fact that Netanyahu made this happen: by shutting the Palestinian Authority out of negotiations he destroyed their standing and boosted Hamas. Then Netanyahu made life so difficult for Palestinians that it provoked a reaction and played into his hands. He was warned that Hamas were planning an attack and he did nothing about it. It's what he wanted.

[@YourLocalCopiumDealer]

@@paulr3002Netanyahu wanted this? Are you a mind reader? If not, keep your assumptions in check. In my oppinion he's using/abusing this siruation to boost his own polls and do his own war. Not unlike Bush after 9/11 and Irak. Big mess, lots of trouble, except the US can leave and Israel is stuck in it.

[@paddleed6176]

Guess the planet is flat too.@@paulr3002

[@davidmandell9909]

Voltaire remains as prescient and germane as ever. "Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities."

[@DivineBanana]

Germane, yes, but stuff like this has been going on since well before Voltaire's time. It is a wise philosophy and a wonderful quote, but it doesn't require any prescience.

[@OrangeTree253]

Thank you for this quote, five months later

[@margaretbenhamu7784]

Sam, I am a Jew and I really don’t agree with you on many things but on this topic I want to say thank you for your logic and compassion. It’s been a horrifying and painful couple of weeks. It’s so encouraging and comforting to hear your words.

[@jmc5335]

Do you agree with him that you are responsible for your own genocide and oppression?

[@margaretbenhamu7784]

I did not hear him say that at all. Are u referring to the genocide of Jews by Hamas? No- we are not responsible for the brutal butchering of our small children the rapes and murders of our young women and the kidnapping and torture of the elderly as well as BABIES. Not sure what you want to justify but NO - there is only one party responsible for this mass execution and defilement of Jews and that is Hamas and their supporters

[@jmc5335]

​@@margaretbenhamu7784"The gravity of Jewish suffering over the ages, culminating in the Holocaust, makes it almost impossible to entertain any suggestion that Jews might have brought their troubles upon themselves. This is, however, in a rather narrow sense, the truth." Sam Harris

[@martinledermann1862]

@@jmc5335Where did Sam ever state anything like that?

[@jmc5335]

@@martinledermann1862 In his book End of Faith

[@justinwood7683]

This clarity is what is missing from much of the online debate at the moment. Thanks Sam for your wisdom.

[@ukulayme2]

It’s BS. Nat Turner and John Brown killed civilians in their uprisings but we understand that bc they were oppressed and enslaved. But when Palestinians do the same thing we call them monsters. You’re on the wrong side of history bub. You’d probably be cheering on the slave owners back then too. Gross

[@aniqose6641]

Clarity? He brought up the encroaching settlements, then didn't address them. He claimed the occupation ended in 2005, which it by no means did. He failed to acknowledge the blockade, or the raids, or the Isreali government's open incitement of discrimination. He acts as if the Isreali government hasn't been committing war crimes for 75 years. What is clear about this one sided mud slinging?

[@maxmccann3030]

If Israel laid down their arms now what would happen? If Hamas, Iran, and all of the various Arab states that don’t recognize their legitimacy laid down their arms, what would happen? You know the answer.

[@AleXoEx0]

@@maxmccann3030 The greater tragedy is the west bows down to both without firing a shot. Losing their societies while it's leaders only stand for Israel yet import Palestinians and other arabs.

[@naimkozi3767]

U call that wisdom - he is a liar- there r no human shields when Israel uses 1000lb bombs and destroys everything in sight.

[@secretgoldfish931]

Please never stop repeating yourself Sam!

[@Marcus_Tullius_Cicero]

😂

[@RafaleKez4]

Maybe some of the stuff from 2015 to 2023 could do without repeating.

[@amarissimus29]

@@RafaleKez4 Exactly. Reality check time. The hypothetical bodies in the basement aren't as compelling as the real ones in the street.

[@theman83744]

It's good to know that those that can think can see the picture as it is. Your support is appreciated, Sam.

[@holdupimtrynathink]

I have been watching Sam Harris videos on KZbin for 12+ years and i have read The end of faith, and Free Will, great books. He started to lose me when he aligned with the whole IDW thing, and also how gentle he was on Jordan Peterson in their debates which isn't something i've seen him do 10 years ago. I never thought of him as islamophobe as he was pointing out certain things that were central to radical Islam or even regular islam. However, to see him now just say that Israel is a lonely outpost of democracy in the middle east, when what they are actually doing is ethnically cleansing and preparing to anex the rest of the Palestine as is obvious to anyone who glances at the map over time. Even if you think that Islam is a violent and net negative religion, advocating eradication is never the right way to go. ps. he also got trolled on the whole alien revelation thing by "super secret alien guy" and that sort of made it pretty clear to me, people can be right about certain things, even experts....yet be completely idiotic on other things, but the whole israel thing is just downright evil.

[@dollarette]

Agree, it is astonishing how a rational person can be so completely blind and biased. A scientist would start with numbers: 10,000 Palestinians dead, 1,400 Israelis killed. With this fact at hand, the analysis of assigning blame becomes impossible. Israel is the most powerful in the region and therefore must take the lead towards peace.

[@holdupimtrynathink]

@@dollarette peace is irrelevant, cleansing the holy land was always the goal only an idiot/piece of shit zionist cant see that. It appears Sam is the latter.

[@BowzKnows]

Lol you really haven't a single clue. Hamas is literally telling (and showing) the world what their intentions are yet you lot don't even believe them! If Hamas paid down their weapons tomorrow they would have a state. If Israel laid down there weapons tomorrow there would be no Israel. What is Israel to do? 🤔

[@bennyandersen742]

​@@dollaretteUtterly stupid. You have understood nothing. Did Israel intentionally kill those people? Has Hamas no responsibility? This is like arguing with small children.

[@sideshowamit]

I really do love how Sam just masterfully crystallizes ideas and can be so pinpoint accurate and clear.

[@jozefwoo8079]

I love Sam but... Pinpointing an obvious non helpful fact?

[@atisht.n.t.m4844]

not accurate if the presuppositions he makes that leads up to his opinions is flawed by either wilful ignorance or a quite specific lack of factual information in key points about the present and past leaing up to today's conflict, the reality is there a far more well versed people (no not ben shapiro, definitely not ben shapiro) we should be listening to on this topic, and as much as i love Sam and support him (shout out my fellow patreons) he is ignorant on this just like the rest of us, and he should have just stayed quiet. Sure everyone has the right to express their opinions but doesn't make it valid.

[@sideshowamit]

@@atisht.n.t.m4844 His entire thesis was not about the history of Israel/Palestine, territorial dispute ex, it was specifically the moral equivalence being drawn from deliberating killing citizens and using your own people as human shields and the collateral damage you get from war. That is something that can be addressed on its face without any “context” of the specific Israel/Palestine situation. Why dont you engage in that debate and tell me what you have issue with?

[@gammagongetya8967]

​​@@sideshowamitalmost everyone that criticizes Sam doesn't understand what his opinions are. It's hilarious

[@RetNemmoc555]

@@sideshowamit Thank you for summarizing the _actual point_ of the podcast. It seems to me that many of the comments under Sam Harris videos are made without having listened first.

[@jaidev777]

To this day I find it maddeningly frustrating that so many people lose their mind if one tries to explain that: A) If two controversies exist, that doesn't mean you can automatically play false equivalency with them; B) If we say one controversy is worse than the other, it doesn't mean we're saying the other is a non-controversy. So many people can't seem to realize there is a wide space between playing (false) equivalency, and a zero sum game morality. Elementary critical thought and basic morality seem to be in extreme scarcity.

[@RafaleKez4]

Because 'zero-sum-game' morality makes things look not too good for them when you start actually counting the scores, it's much easier to just cherrypick, gaslight, strawman, and insist that any crime is "okay as long as we're the ones doing it"

[@EyeOfTheTiger777]

Most people just aren't very intelligent.

[@tonywilson4713]

I will grant Sam any day of the week that MOST of his argument is valid, but the small part where he is TOTALLY 100% WRONG needs saying. Claiming cultural superiority is the most dangerous of all human traits because at its most basic it decides the fate of people by their birth. Its the very basis for for so many of histories ugliest moments. Every cultural and tribal and nation group has its fanatics and every so often that group takes control. That usually happens when a society is under stress. We are seeing that in America right now, where there is staggering economic stress over a massive section of the population. Its what's allowed Trump to grasp the power base that he has. The stress that Israel has applied to the Palestinian people for such a long time now has lead many young Palestinians right into the arms of Hamas. Just like the stress on many young Germans in the 1930s lead them into the arms of the Nazis. The other thing is that such fanatics will mistreat their own people with MORE violence and cruelty than they treat others. In Germany people who they felt were unworthy of being shot were guillotined like Sophie Scholl whose crime was distributing anti-Nazi Pamphlets at the University of Munich. A few weeks back Vice News did a story titled _"Israel’s Far Right Government is a Gift to Settlers"_ in that story a young settler who has been REMOVED from land he has claimed on multiple occasions by ISRAELI authorities. They have told him repeatedly that this patch of land is NOT HIS to take. In the interview in one breath he's claiming that he's peaceful and he says "I'm a Jew talking to a non-Jew peacefully" In the next breath he basically says that anyone who doesn't agree with what he wants should have their heads cut off. Whenever you ignore the fanatics among any group they will fester and wait for an opportunity to grasp power. Right now Sam should have a look over his shoulder at the Libertarians in America. They've been waiting decades to grasp power and Trump opened the door for them BECAUSE the lazy establishments of both the DNC and RNC left a massive slab of the American population vulnerable to a morally bankrupt person like Trump. The lesson is: NEVER ignore the fanatic in your own culture or one day they will rip your people apart when you least expect it.

[@aabouelkhir5023]

The part about cultural superiority in Sam's video is fucking appalling. I bet that's what Americans, British, French, Israelis, and Germans told themselves before each invasion (All but America successfully/unsuccessfully invaded my home country). Well done Sam! That's the first video of him I watch and will be the last.

[@fubar12345]

@@aabouelkhir5023 Cya

[@casetonmiller9940]

Has your opinion changed at all since Israel bombed that hospital?

[@mohammadsaleh6523]

He will likely keep quiet about it or run with the detestable theory that it was not israel who bombed the hospital. If he chooses the latter, it would be a level of dishonesty I haven't seen from Sam prior. His one sided arguments in complete vacuum about this conflict is always difficult to listen to.

[@SM-nz9ff]

Right right just like UA blew up their own POWs see the RU guy pointing at the bomb that clearly came from RU direction!!! bunch of m0r0ns@@mohammadsaleh6523

[@On1Zuk4-Sensei]

Thank you man... I am so sick of the lies. The hypocrisy.

[@sunshinesunshine6130]

I have listened to you for years. I find it incredible that you have the strength to speak your wonderfully rational mind despite all the hatred you receive. You are an inspiration. I would love to hear a podcast on how you deal with it. I am in a situation where I'm hated by someone and I find it mentally damaging. I wish I had your ability to deal with it.

[@kreek22]

Harris is just a purely irrational tribalist who is clever enough to convince many that he is a rationalist. He said he didn't care if Hunter Biden had "corpses of children in his basement"--he wanted a media coverup to defeat Trump--whom he labeled "worse than Osama bin Laden." Obviously, he cares in this instance only about Jewish children, not at all about Muslim children. He is not an American, he is a tribal Jew.

[@bertputtocks903]

Thank you, Sunshine, you put that absolutely superbly! I, likewise, find the intellectual stamina and personal courage of people such as the remarkable Sam Harris or the late Christopher Hitchens (I miss him so much!) utterly uplifting and inspiring.

[@sunshinesunshine6130]

@@bertputtocks903 I completely agree. Hitchens was amazing. Thank goodness KZbin has plenty of clips to revisit. Another favourite of mine is in the KZbin world is "Love letters to Dawkins" Have a lovely day.

[@BryanLawlor]

I was thinking the same thing, it's incredible Sam has managed to remain so level headed through the past few years. I'd love to know how he keeps it together. I know he deleted his bird app account, maybe he just knows his limits and when to step away.

[@kreek22]

@@BryanLawlor Nonsense.

[@kayoss2306]

I always think Sam is at his best during difficult times like these. Well said Sam.

[@andrewofaiur]

Covid?

[@MarsLonsen]

@@andrewofaiur sure

[@jamesriley7291]

​@@andrewofaiur lol

[@kayoss2306]

@@andrewofaiur nope, not so much 😂 But on previous incidents of terrorism, and the killing of George Floyd.

[@visualclarity7955]

@@kayoss2306 Advising people to listen to experts is a pretty safe take.

[@cmdrsliman]

You're not convincing me on this moral equivalence thing. Justifying the killing of non-combatants is a slippery moral slope. The one thread that runs through so many moral commentators is my side bias, it's universal in human beings.

[@zaveeramini9712]

"Israel has a civilised moral code." - Sam Harris 2023

[@MillionaireRobot]

"Israel has a more civilised moral code than its enemies" 8:23

[@MillionaireRobot]

You don't agree that is has a more civilised moral code than Hamas? we would love to read your thoughts lol

[@zaveeramini9712]

@MillionaireRobot read history and you'll find out that they're not.

[@MillionaireRobot]

have fun in your little dream world where Hamas and Israel army are morally equivalent.

[@MillionaireRobot]

the tribalism is strong in you, it killed your sense of reason on this matter completely.

[@T_J_]

"Israel remains a lonely outpost of civilised ethics in the absolute moral wasteland that is the Middle East." Meanwhile, last year, the UN condemned Israel more times than all other countries combined.

[@TheOriginalTPro]

The UN is a joke nowadays

[@T_J_]

@@TheOriginalTPro What's that based on?

[@christofthedead]

@@T_J_ the UN ignores the outcomes of it's own voting system & therefor is anti-democracy due to overwhelming fear of disobeying USA + Israel

[@abluecassette]

Yes, he completely lost me with this statement... Illegal settlements in the West Bank, killing of Palestinian teenagers for fun, yes, I'm sure that's civilised and ethical, Israel.

[@asch21289]

​@@abluecassetteyou completely missed the point of this episode if you're comparing the morality of living in an illegal settlement (a land dispute) to the massacre of families in their homes. Also, when and where has the idf ever killed a teenager for fun? Did they post videos boasting about it, standing on a battered teenage body with thumbs up and smiling? Oh no wait, that was Hamas. Correct me if I'm wrong, send me some pics of the idf doing the same things we're seeing right now all over the internet posted by Hamas.

[@ericsynchrona5495]

I've been thinking about what Sam Harris is gonna say about this all week.

[@lolizorz]

Like you couldn't predict what he was going to say about this...

[@PlanetShlorpian]

​@lolizorz Like we couldn't predict how you antisemitic jihadophiles would respond to this attack?

[@nicholasbain2835]

Same, was looking it up almost everyday on youtube. Began to get annoyed when I kept seeing the brain thumbnail for his psychedelics video. 😅

[@nicholasbain2835]

@@lolizorzyou could probably predict what he was going to say. But he just has a gift of articulating complex topics to the point of absolute clarity.

[@fiveminutezen]

@@lolizorz I had a vague notion of what he might drive at, but I knew his actual words would help to catalyze my own thinking on the issue.

[@milanilic0]

Sam Harris has argued that feeling anger or seeking revenge against a murderer is as pointless as harbouring those same feelings toward a bear or a hurricane that has killed a loved one, since in his view, all are simply acting according to their nature and circumstances beyond their control. This suggests a philosophy of detachment from retributive emotions and actions. However, he appears to hold a contrasting view when it comes to Israel's right to wipe out Hamas terrorists, even when such actions have resulted in the deaths of thousands of children as collateral damage. I find it challenging to reconcile these two positions, where he discourages personal vengeance yet appears to justify large-scale retaliation.

[@RandomNooby]

I think there is an element of, we must do this to survive, from everyone evolved.

[@Fransjosefsland]

You don’t have to hate someone or something to realize it’s destructive path. I would not feel hate towards a murderer, but I would still feel deeply that society should be protected from him.

[@RobespierreThePoof]

Very sloppy analogy. Thats always the truly with analogies, you know.

[@matthewwierzbinski5474]

This is excellent,.Sam! Thank you. Question - did this small segment of this culture/religion act like this regularly prior to the state of Israel existing? Is that something you address in the whole lecture?

[@wendyfrith3407]

It’s what we already know, feel deeply in our bones. Sam might, more often than not, be preaching to the choir; but while we can hum the tune, he knows the lyrics; indeed, has written them with perfect eloquence.

[@constructenglish1]

Well said

[@kreek22]

Ah, yes, the eloquence of the fanatic: He said he didn't care if Hunter Biden had "corpses of children in his basement"--he wanted a media coverup to defeat Trump

[@jacklu1611]

My friend this carries the same flavor as Sam's lyrics, beautiful.

[@wendyfrith3407]

🙏!

[@waLDge1]

The choir is getting bigger. I am from Germany and have been following Sam's work since many years. I have often shared his online content and recommended or gifted his books. A frequent response: "Finally, some common sense". I wish more was translated into more languages. Just a few years ago no one had ever heard of him. This has definitely changed. Also, it is not only about the size of the choir, but the people in it. I think a lot of people in positions of influence pay attention to him and there is a snowball effect that you would not be able to measure based on clicks or subscription numbers alone. I find the choir analogy funny in this case. After all, it is a choir that values free and independent thinking. Maybe think of a Jazz jam session with some singing rather than a church choir.

[@RoadRunner217]

Thank you, Sam. You always bring so much order into the mental chaos that is happening all around us. You're deeply appreciated.

[@DeathRayGraphics]

Israel "routinely" gives Palestinian civilians ten minute warnings before they flatten entire neighborhoods from the air to punish one or two militants (if there are any there at all), and this is what Sam calls "civilized"??

[@jozefwoo8079]

Really, was it unclear that Hamas is slightly more evil than the people who decide to torture and starve Palestinans?

[@Sergiuss555]

@@jozefwoo8079 torture?

[@atisht.n.t.m4844]

Calm criticism is not equal to accurate criticism

[@Sergiuss555]

@@atisht.n.t.m4844 and yet he is both

[@gailyoung1285]

Thank you Sam. Your words and wisdom and you manner of speaking has brought a calmness to my thundering heart and perturbed mind. Thank you.

[@bernardokubrick]

Crystal clear. There’s nothing else to add on this matter tbh

[@JoeHertler]

As a (3rd gen) Palestinian / Lebanese - American, I can’t agree more. Very well said, Sam.

[@MrMadmoni]

Is an Israeli, Thank you brother. Reason knows no bounds

[@soltantio]

And your family decided to emigrate. Sometimes you can just decide whether you want to be right or if you want to be happy.

[@reticent]

Bro, thank you. Rationality goes beyond ethnicity.

[@zaveeramini9712]

You are a shameful example of a Palestinian/Lebanese if you're telling the truth (which I highly doubt).

[@skreeeboy]

From one American to another, I'm glad you're here, and I hope if you have any family and friends over there, that they're ok.

[@BiffTannenBTTF]

Sam always clarifies a difficult situation beautifully.

[@phoenixzappa7366]

Ham Sarris does it better

[@Mac-ku3xu]

Tell that to people who ended up with heart attacks and strokes after listening to his pushing of the quackccines.

[@wasneeplus]

​@@Mac-ku3xu you mean his pointing out that medical science was supportive of the vaccine? It's the people he criticised who were pushing quackery.

[@Mac-ku3xu]

@@wasneeplusI’m loving life with zero jabs, great health, and no potential timebomb ticking inside me. But you keep taking your medical advice from CNN and its bigharma owners. Good luck “following the $cience.”

[@aaronpannell6401]

​@Mac-ku3xu it's crazy that people will believe alternative media over the WHO and CDC which is full of experts.

[@TheChris403]

Sam's blind spot is that humans will always side with their own group, almost no matter what. Right or wrong has little to do with it.

[@eksen7221]

true

[@syonip]

But what you said is not true, it's just your opinion (using your logic)

[@JayM-]

And his Jewish upbringing definitely showing which side he is on

[@blackseaknits2576]

He‘s on the side of life not the death cult.

[@strumspicks2456]

Sam has many blind spots not just that one. If only he'd take his head out of his ass and listen to what honest, sensible Israeli intellectuals are are saying, but of course that would burst his islamophobic bubble and perhaps force him into the uncomfortable position of having to grapple with the obvious (to anyone but him) fact that atrocities do not necessitate islam kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIiqeJ2Cj7Oor8k

[@SariWisenthalShore]

As an Israeli, THANK YOU for explaining this to the world.

[@jmc5335]

I hope you're not Jewish

[@jaymt1982]

When it comes to this topic Sam is as dense as Osmium. When he talks about ethics he stops short of discussing the history of the conflict and of the occupation. Him talking about war crimes on the Israeli side being an exception rather than the rule is laughable nonsense!

[@sennsita01]

​@@alexhoffmanjazzbut I guess you do?

[@GregQchi]

Sam, according to international law Israel continued to occupy Gaza by way of its control of access by land, sea and air. It suited Israel to claim that the de facto open was no longer occupied. The fact that Israel has been able to put Gaza under siege immediately is evidence that it continued to occupy Gaza.

[@ProphetSoul]

You support baby decapitators.

[@jokester3076]

The IDF blockaded Gaza to stop bomb and rocket making material from getting in, Hamas is and was a hostile entity in control of Gaza.

[@crampton16]

you make it sound like it's an open and shut case but as a matter of fact you can convincingly argue both sides from an IHL perspective

[@ProphetSoul]

@@crampton16 There’s no both sides here. Only one is delighting in savagery.

[@lucasglowacki4683]

One side actively avoids targeting civilians while the other puts their own children in the way of bullets to make it appear as thou Israel is targeting children. One side is ashamed of killing civilians while the other live streams it. The fact that Israel even lets Gaza exist while the Palestinians don’t recognize Israel’s right to exist and Israel actually let’s them live is a miracle! The sooner Gaza is razed and rebuild by Jews the better! What have the Palestinian contributed to humanity? Welfare cases that make bombs from all the aid money..no more aid money😂🖕🏼

[@piotrmaysz5691]

"there is no occupation", "intention matters", civilian lives are not equal "simply counting the body count is not the answer" "only one side uses human shields" ... wow Sam, my dude thats some heavy shit. that sounds really, really bad wow. damn.. i beg to totally disagree.

[@piotrmaysz5691]

forgot equalizing palestinian culture to hamas and isreal commiting warcrimes "proves their moral superiority" wow

[@rumpelstilzch3n]

I know, his take on this is a joke and is extremely out of touch. Sad. Sam projects so much in this that it's baffling; I even thought at around 5:00 he was actually describing the US and Israel, but no-- according to him, it's only brown people who still "celebrate war crimes". Dystopian shit.

[@georgewahl2498]

some day people will realize that all are chosen equally...we were all granted the same gift...and that the sacred land that was promised to every one of us is the pure humble consciousness to be discovered within ourselves...that consciousness that is overflowing with wisdom and loving-kindness yet remains hidden to those of us that still haven't realized who we really are...when we drop all the beliefs, concepts, symbols and language that separates us, we begin to realize our true nature...

[@bobsacamano1274]

Very clarifying. Thanks for doing this, especially in the face of all the hate that will inevitably come your way.

[@pacificbob24]

The world needs more minds like Sam Harris'

[@soltantio]

Your comment comparing the human Shields situation if Israel did it versus Hamas doing it really hit home. It speaks volumes

[@josholdham1033]

Didn't really know who Sam Harris was until a few days ago, and what I had heard since was a pretty mixed bag. But this video says far more eloquently what I have been trying to explain to people in the last week, so he earned my subscription

[@tomschwitters4551]

he legitimized your previously held biases so i guess he's eloquent

[@josholdham1033]

@@tomschwitters4551 Oh wow, a wise internet stranger with a strong self-righteous superiority complex. Such a rare find. Do please tell us how you don’t have any biases, and don’t like hearing well-articulated opinions that you agree with, and other ways in which you have transcended the rest of humanity. So brave. So smart. So original.

[@tomschwitters4551]

@@josholdham1033 I take the way you defend yourself as evidence that I'm right in my first comment. Everyone has biases. However mine are not based upon ethno-cultural superiority, which is obviously what animates Sam Harris's views, us the civilized vs them the savages. This rhetoric is a constant in human history to justify morally reprehensible acts. If you think you've been convinced by reason and not by bias confirmation, there is 0 hope for you

[@josholdham1033]

@@tomschwitters4551 “ I take the way that you defend yourself as evidence that I was right in my first comment.” You literally just displayed how you manifested a confirmation bias for yourself just now. Then you go on to state that there is “0 hope” for a person you know nothing about, based simply on the criteria that they disagree with you on at exactly one topic. Had your remarks contained anything of actual substance, perhaps we could have had a good faith exchange. You have said nothing at all though, really; and yet somehow also managed to invalidate whatever unintelligible argument you have so poorly expressed, by behaving in the very manner for which you so assertively indict others. As the old adage goes, “people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones”. Goodbye internet crusader of confused comment condemnations. May we all someday regain the brain cells that died while reading your inane pronouncements.

[@frankgradus9474]

@@tomschwitters4551 When at a loose end, Well worth a read: Who sympathizes with the Palestinians and how? Andrzej Koraszewski

[@hlysnan6418]

As usual, Sam outdoes the entire news media for clarity, wisdom and sanity.

[@elmoblatch9787]

The human shield example is devastating. Sam Harris has nailed it with his calm logic. The guy is indispensable.

[@RM-jb2bv]

I like how the people who bomb and open fire on supposed human shields of children are the good guys in your demented brain.

[@aroemaliuged4776]

Bollicks

[@squatch545]

The human shield meme has been debunked all over the internet.

[@govindagovindaji4662]

@@squatch545 The very fact that Hamas knew ahead of their assault that Israel would have to respond by bombarding Gaza with all its civilians having no where to go, *IS* EXACTLY the use of civilians as human shields. No meme about it.

[@adirsab]

no its not. stop spreading lies@@squatch545

[@flavioferreira5924]

How does an open atheist use the word Sin in a discussion about Morality in this context? Draw your own conclusions!

[@falsevacuum4667]

Secular sin just refers to horrendous acts and boggle moral consciousness.

[@fulfillmenttheory]

The only trait which rivals Sam's intelligence is his courage. When he knows what has to be said, he says it.

[@Antediluvian137]

most courageous was when he debated Bret Weinstein regarding covid polici--oh wait, he didn't

[@lyesallouche9010]

When you live in USA it does't take courage to speak against hamas or palestine. What really takes courage is to speak about (over 4200 palestinian, women, children are killed by the israel).

[@Jettatura-yn8ss]

​​@@lyesallouche9010 We know about Al Taqiyya and know you're among us here in the USA too.

[@anzov1n]

One of the problems here is that morality is becoming kind of a flawed lens to view this conflict through. Until material conditions change significantly all this moralizing lets you be on the side of modern, civilized society but does nothing to address the actual mechanisms shaping people's very minds. Societies living under extreme stress tend to produce morally worse individuals. Many of these individuals may lean towards barbarism, like placing such a low value on the lives of their neighbors' children that they would use them as human shields. Ok, they are worse people than the Israelis that don't do this. But Palestinians practically live in a different century than the Israelis and have been swimming in these waters since birth. Proclaiming moral high ground achieves nothing and draws attention away from the fact that Israel has many more levers of control over the material situation than some destitute mobs raging in the bombed out streets of an open air prison. And holy shit, there's something very chilling about the phrase "collateral damage" at this point in history. Of course inadvertent civilian casualties are different from abduction and cold-blooded murder of children, but I fear this euphemistic passivity belies a quiet horror that modern civilized Westerners repeatedly just sweep under the rug when there are displays of anachronistic savagery to be viscerally appalled by. All of this is nihilism-inducing. Hamas are monsters, people supporting them are not far behind, Israel is justified in harsh retaliation... yet, standing around on the moral high ground seems to only distance us from any actual progress.

[@elmoblatch9787]

You are overthinking it. Israel has the moral high ground. Israel is not TRYING to kill innocent civilians. Intentions matter a LOT.

[@Jaylade]

They literally want to complete the holocaust ..

[@nikita2560]

You make good points, but ultimately I agree with the commenter above.

[@EyeOfTheTiger777]

Literally wrong. There are countries, cultures, peoples that have suffered much worse conditions than the Palestinians, but who have yet NOT became this barbaric in enacting their resistance. If anything, Hamas (as an expression of Palestinian resistance) is an anomaly. Even Nazi concentration camp prisoners, who were literally beaten, starved, saw all their loved ones be industrially murdered, were more humane than Hamas - and its many cheerleaders around the world.

[@nailertn82]

How do you square all that with people living in the most developed countries on the planet forming mobs and chanting "gas the Jews"?

[@anamariatriana2790]

If your moral compass is designed to only identify suffering in one direction, your moral compass is broken and so is your sense of humanity.

[@riquelmeone]

Well said. Shame there are so many people blinded by something they either refuse to acknowledge or even worse acknowledge but actively reject to overcome.

[@lightworker2956]

Agreed. Yes, what Hamas did was wrong. But what Israel is currently doing is indiscriminately killing Palestinian civilians through bombings, just because other Palestinians committed murders. Think it through -- is it really fair to kill cviilians just because other people of that same nation committed murders? Both sides should stop killing civilians of the other side, and that also means that right now Israel should stop killing as well. Israel has already killed more Palestinians than were killed during the Hamas attack.

[@SaraSara-ti6ex]

Well said. Thank you!

[@itamarohana1284]

You completely missed the point. If your moral compass allows you a free pass to rape woman, kill, torch and behead innocent civilians. To laugh and take pride in their pain. Under any kind of justification - then your moral compass is worthless to begin with. If those actions were later condemned by Palestinians (not that it would suffice) then maybe I could somehow get your point. But those terrorist are still being praised and justified. As long as that happens.. well.. even bringing up morality to these people is absolutely ridiculous.

[@anamariatriana2790]

My moral compass is also grieving the loss of every Israeli kid, woman, man, elderly who got murdered by hainous Hamas. I've seen death first hand and there is never justification for it, nor in the name of a God, nor in name of land, nor in the name of vengeance. Morals was the topic of the video above so no need to explain any further,.. take your rage on me as much as you want if it makes you feel better, yet your pain and anger will not stop me from grieving the innocent ones also being killed every minute in Palestine. May Peace be the only thing I demand of the world. Take care, life is so hard that all we see is chaos, violence and murder, and if all the "good" people kill the all bad "people" there will only be murderers left. @@itamarohana1284

[@sharkboy2023]

Missing from the analysis is some thought as to asymmetry of power. When the US engaged in war in Iraq it promised 'shock and awe' and when any modern advanced military sabre rattles they threaten total destruction with advanced weapons. But lesser armies can not bring shock and awe by technological means, they reign what terror they can with small arms and ammunitions but the effect is similar, with many innocent people becoming victims. Think back to when governments and the rule of law were in their early days. The State would chop off the hands off of those who stole bread. As surveillance and policing became more effective, harsh punishments were no longer necessary because the power of the state became unquestionable. The severity of punishment did not decrease on moral grounds, but because it was no longer necessary to strike fear in the population to get them to obey the law. Most people understood the power of the law was virtually absolute. Likewise I'm not convinced so called advanced civilizations and their militaries are more moral as such but rather their power has become so absolute that they have changed tactics. When that power is challenged watch the morality slip away....

[@realblackmilky]

Whenever I want to look for truth and rationality in an insane and violent world, I always come back to Sam Harris

[@subcitizen2012]

I like how having border check points on a border that isn't legally a border and a blockade on a place that isnt legally considered another country isn't occupation.

[@joejohnson6327]

👍

[@David99356]

Uh, why WOULDN'T you have all that if the rulers of the other country want to wipe you out, and state such plainly in their charter?

[@statosphereonline2008]

Ask yourself why they have them. Because the Palestinians keep committing jihadi suicide attacks.

[@La0bouchere]

It literally isn't. Occupying something means actually being there. You can argue that it's bad, but at least know what words mean before you use them.

[@amarissimus29]

Welcome back to planet earth Sam. It's been a while. With you fully on this.

[@sim8603]

"Verily I have often laughed at weaklings who thought themselves good because they had no claws." - modern people aren’t better than their ancestors. Many of the civilised people you talk about would destroy their enemies with as much enthusiasm given the opportunity. I’m not disputing the fact that some cultures are more humane in their approach to conflict and less prone towards brutality, but I also think it’s naive to think that we moderns are “better” just because we aren’t as brutal as our ancestors, and especially when in some cases the lack of brutality is more of a necessary than a virtue

[@mohsenmousavi4863]

Imagine hamas had Israel fire power, Imagine Israel didn't have iron dome defence system.

[@bit1979]

I agree about the Jihad view. But I get a bit lost on how then there is a case made about Israel as a nation without mentioning Ultra Zionism or there is not a case made to separate Palestinian from Jihadist.

[@wasneeplus]

He did make that case. He said Hamas uses their own civilians as shields. That implies that there are civilians, not part of Hamas.

[@jackwilley9847]

Well said

[@MNP208]

@@wasneeplus That's not making a case for them.

[@wasneeplus]

@@MNP208 it is making the distinction. But okay, he did not spend time arguing for it. But then, this was a short podcast about a very specific topic. A topic which, quite frankly, needs to be discussed a lot more. I don't think anyone here is in favour of treating all Palestinians like jihadists.

[@MNP208]

@@wasneeplus I feel for them because they are living in fear of Hamas too. What are the supposed to do? Where do they go? They can't leave Gaza because they have no rights in Israel.

[@ericjhaber]

The preeminent voice of reason. Thank you, Sam

[@atisht.n.t.m4844]

nobody is the preeminent voice of reason, im sure youre saying this more for praise then for accuracy, but i think he's being quite reasonable with inaccurate information

[@gmw3083]

Sam lost his grasp on reason long ago

[@emilianosintarias7337]

except this is completely insane. Israel is about to commit ethnic cleanising. on 1million people. How they can order the population of a place Sam says they don't controll out, is a mystery.

[@Mazzphysics]

​@@gmw3083give some examples

[@Vengenace455]

He is Jewish I don’t trust him

[@mahmoodmustafa3698]

A true intellectual beacon, guiding us through the fog of our mundane thoughts with his profound tweets and podcasts 😁

[@TheArgyrus]

Coming from Mr. I wouldn't care about the corpses of children in Hunter's basement any judgement on Morality is suspect as best and most likely malicious.

[@jamesdunphy2839]

Let's have Sam and Ben Affleck rekindle their debate on the upcoming anniversary of their infamous showdown on Real Time. I can't wait for Ben to explain to us how Hamas just want go about their day and "eat sandwiches".

[@tomschwitters4551]

Can't wait to hear how Israel is just acting in self defense when they commit genocide. And how when they will have killed everyone in Gaza it was just morally reasonable genocidal self defense.

[@JadeWisdom]

I revisited that video just yesterday to end a long tiring day with a good laugh. Your comment has me genuinely laughing out loud

[@JediNiyte]

James Dunphy, I don't know you. But I already love you. HEAR, HEAR!!! ✌

[@mrmoto66]

He never said that. But it’s interesting how very little compassion you have for Palestinians

[@JadeWisdom]

@@mrmoto66 Ben quite literally said that "muslims are just trying to make sandwiches" lol

[@aroshaperera8750]

This argument would make sense if not for the fact that The purpose of Hama's is to lend Justification to Netanyahu's ultra Right Wing Racist policies, which in turn justifies Hamas. Each completes the other. Didn't Netanyahu use his people for political expediency? - Egypt intelligence official says Israel ignored repeated warnings I think if you look at what's happening the actions of both Hama's and the Israeli government work counter to the interests of both the Palestinian and Israeli people. So the question is why does it keep happening? The answer may be that these actions work well for the self perpetuation of the two entities. The answer definitely isn't Islamic extremism.

[@360tailslidfaceplant]

Not to mention a former Israeli intelligence chief admitted that they helped create Hamas. They funded Hamas to weaken the PLO, which was far more secular. But I don't think Sam is that interested in bits of history that fall outside his argument

[@julianbannon3076]

Facts

[@abluecassette]

Exactly. Netanyahu doesn't want a two-state solution. He's happy that Hamas is there, giving the Israeli govt an excuse to eliminate them.

[@sennsita01]

You lost me at "justifies Hamas"....another attempt at moral equivalence that Sam is pointing out here.

[@julianbannon3076]

@@sennsita01 Extremely reductive. Try again.

[@tomman2972]

Two points to clarify: there is reputable evidence that the IDF does target civilians and that the IDF has at times used human shield. I agree Hamas is worse. But I don’t think the IDF takes as great care to save innocent lives as Sam seems to think here.

[@sajinek]

Your evidence please. Liar.

[@RobespierreThePoof]

Where are you getting this "reputable evidence" in the middle of an ongoing war. Do you work within the Israeli intelligence services? Funny, my work as a historian has always shown me that such information is simply not available during wartime. We always have to go digging it up to correct the narratives of events once wars are over. And yet you have better information already. We should definitely make you chair of a research department right away with these impressive skills of discovery

[@tomman2972]

@@RobespierreThePoof My comment is 6 months old and was responding to Sam's views on the IDF's past conduct. I was not commenting on the ongoing war.

[@Vventure23]

I don't always agree with Sam Harris, but when I do, I appreciate his concrete and eloquent statement of facts.

[@chedubetcha69]

Sam, you have taken every thought and opinion I have on this conflict, HERE AND NOW, not in the past, not in the future. However right here and now in the present time and eloquently and calmly expressed them in a way I never could. Bravo my friend.

[@NavAK_86]

I agree with Sam on the erroneous claim of a moral equivalence between the intentions of the Israeli's as a whole and its enemies during war time, but the claim that war crimes are the exception to the rule on the side of the IDF isn't entirely accurate either - the higher death count by collateral damage is not the only means of punishment the IDF seeks out, they also restrict the supply of food and water, regularly shut off the power grid and starve millions at a time. These are war crimes. What do these tactics have to do with collateral damage? Sam is lucid in his thinking and explanations of the asymmetry between the intentions of Jihadi's and the Israelis, but when he glosses over the notion that controlling airspace, maritime and resources into Palestine is still deemed as an occupation, by both the UN and U.S. State Department, one can't help but notice the blind spots into Sam's analysis. The absence of a physical presence doesn't diminish the control of the area in the same egregious fashion as being there on ground.

[@HeadofIbis]

The power grid was shut down because the Hamas buys fuel via the Palestinian Authority and refuses to pay for it. Also, the Palestinians are not under any circumstances "starved", there is no shortage of food in Gaza or the West Bank. The rates of obesity in Palestinian society are skyrocketing. You're simply making it up. No one disputes that Israel is blockading the Gaza strip and preventing supplies of commodities from entering. When you are at war with a belligerent enemy, you have the legal right to prevent weapons and supplies from reaching their armed forces, which is established in the laws of war for centuries. In 2011, the UN Palmer Committee ruled that the blockade of the Gaza strip was 100% legal, it's not under any circumstances a "war crime". If you pick and choose only the facts that suit your narrative, you won't be able to help find a solution to the world's problems.

[@NavAK_86]

@@HeadofIbis1st claim addressed: The power grid in Gaza was shut down due to a fuel shortage, which was a result of the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip. Amnesty International has called for Israel to lift its "illegal and inhumane" blockade and restore Gaza's electricity supply. There is zero evidence of it not being paid for. 2nd claim addressed: The Israeli blockade has had a significant impact on the availability and affordability of food and other essential goods. Amnesty International has described the blockade as a form of collective punishment that "disproportionately harms Palestinian civilians. 3rd claim addressed: While the UN Palmer Committee concluded that the blockade had a legal basis, a panel of five independent UN rights experts rejected this conclusion, stating that the blockade violated international human rights and humanitarian law. Anything else?

[@joshuturier3380]

Thanks Sam. Now in Australia we just need 60% of our politicians, 90% of our media, and all of our university students to listen to this.

[@ladibyrd]

@joshuturier3380 hey, is it really that bad in Aus? do any australian listen to sky news? Sky news from australia seems to be the only one making sense these days. I was brought up to think Sky news was awful, it's weird to see that it's actually the only non-woke one now.

[@neildepressedtyson540]

​@@ladibyrdHAHA WHAT? SKY NEWS IS LIKE THE DUMBEST, Q-ANON LEVEL MORONS IN EXISTENCE

[@fairlinda1]

It's dangerous to be a Jew now in Britain. Please pray for us.

[@joshuturier3380]

​@@ladibyrdyep it's really that bad. It's like late 1920s germany: our conservative politicians are too timid and disjointed to stand firm, and Labor (in power now) and state media are, when not actively waving palestinian flags themselves or making excuses for Hamas rapes, are making the mildest possible statements to allow them to pretend to have a veneer of (woke) decency. When an Islamic mob demonstrated in Sydney in support of Hamas - well before Israel hit back - what did the Labor controlled police do? To cries in the background of "gas the jews", the police arrested a lone Jew. It's mind blowing. Sydney Mayor would not allow an Israeli flag to be flown as she didn't want to take sides. It's fine to fly the Palestinian one tho.

[@joshuturier3380]

​@@ladibyrdand yes, sky news is the only one actually making sense. At least when Douglas Murray is on anyway! I never thought I'd be saying it!

[@bbescott1]

Thank you Sam❤

[@eytantube]

Thank you @samharris for so clearly helping think through these horrible events and putting them in context. It’s an amazing gift that you share and it brings a lot of light and positivity to the world.

[@gungnir3926]

who is more cowardly? the weaker team that uses girillia and terror warfare or the team that is superior that uses unnatural and inhuman advanced tech to avoid having to steep down to the filthy peasants on the battlefield and in the mobs, but can just sit in their furnished bunkers and send drones to do their dirty work or to paralyse humans through the threat of godlike violence?

[@annonymouslibertairian9120]

I don't agree with a lot of your positions, but you are absolutely spot on here. Not to diminish your point, but it's shameful the amount of people who don't get this crystal clear idea.

[@tex959]

It's not Crystal clear. You should listen to a brilliant Holocaust survivor named Gabor Mate... it's a 12-minute video where he speaks of Palestine. If you do listen, you're welcome to come back and tell me what Gabor got wrong. I'm all ears.

[@annonymouslibertairian9120]

@@tex959 bro. You are going to have to do better than an self hating Jew believing in the disproven revisionist history. Palestinians were never expelled from their land. They were invited to stay. They just had to be peaceful. They were not, and Palestinian leaders told them to leave in protest of Israel's existence. But, this is all 80 year old "who gives a shit" non-sequitor. What is going has nothing to do with land claims. It has to do with the genocide of Jewish people by Islamic Arabs.

[@RaniaBadreldin]

I find this to be so incredibly dangerous and one-sided. Sad to say the least.

[@QwertyKeyboarduk]

Ita deffo one sided and non factual to a very high degree. He presents it so eloquently that you would believe it to be true if you did not know about the documentary evidence on the contrary

[@RaniaBadreldin]

@@QwertyKeyboarduk yes, that’s the scary part. He makes it sound believable and even humane

[@junepatterson7928]

Thank you so much for making this podcast.

[@CraigHorton-ms5ob]

Thank you Sam for helping me get my mind back on track.

[@bobdillaber1195]

Man, as an individual, learns from the past. As a group, never.

[@MrJpmoneypants]

It’s amazing how clear minded Sam Harris can be, at the same time as having one of the most clouded consequentialist takes ever conceived. The duality of this man of clarity and wisdom, and utter ignorance and stupidity is one of the most incredible psychological things I’ve ever witnessed.

[@MillionaireRobot]

elaborate on his ignorance and stupidity please. or a short summary on it, interested as a 1 time read

[@ariplatt8192]

Stunning clarity and eloquence. Can’t be better stated. A masterpiece of clear thinking

[@JimBalter]

A masterpiece of sophism.

[@sssf55]

You're a child if you actually think this

[@trees915]

@@JimBalter Why?

[@ariplatt8192]

@@sssf55 😂

[@ariplatt8192]

@@sssf55 lol- make one argument against anything he said.

[@FrudTV]

The voice of reason has spoken. Thank you Sam!

[@thetobyg]

Reason needs no prophet and speaks for itself!

[@SmigGames]

@@thetobyg Reason doesn't speak, it's a cognitive process that should be expressed into words so our own beliefs can be challenged.

[@haroldcheeseburger]

Damn Sam, thank you for this. I have followed you for 13 years now… and you never fail to impress me.

[@jmc5335]

So you missed him blaming Jews for this

[@smitsmckey18]

🤮

[@One_Shot21]

​@@jmc5335what are you talking about? Sam is blaming hamas.

[@jmc5335]

@@One_Shot21 I'm talking about him saying that Jews were in part to blame for their oppression and genocide. What's changed?

[@adiidahl]

You got me on the 3rd minute: ‘… there was no occupation of Gaza…’. Here is a definition from Cambridge dictinoary: ‘the act of controlling a foreign country or region by armed force’. I lived to se my hero become a villan!

[@Am-ih5nf]

So the ppl of Gaza having full control of their own territory, refusing to to stop attacking Egypt and Israel with terrorist attacks and express a desire for peace that would give then more land and self-governance, and 90% of them approving of and cheering everytime a gay or apostate is lynched or one of their own children martyred by their own doing, is…Israel’s fault?

[@neilmerchant2796]

Sadly, Sam has totally lost the plot on Israel and Gaza. It's actually remarkably similar to his take on police brutality and race around 2020. he seems incapable of recognizing power imbalances and how they play a role in conflicts.

[@redcrowdemon]

He meant ‘there was’ as in ‘there was on the day of the massacre’ He did not mean there never was. He goes on to say that Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, even dug up Jewish graves and removed 9 thousand Jews.

[@LionElAton]

This is the single best thing that could have been said about the subject right now. Brilliantly explained.

[@ibntulun9405]

Someone else who obviously doesn’t have a clue

[@GSDKXV]

@@ibntulun9405 And you do? 😂😂😂😂😂

[@scottsherman5262]

@@GSDKXV He was holding a little mirror up as he typed that, so it all holds up.

[@ibntulun9405]

@@GSDKXV "😂😂😂😂😂" Well... yes. I have a clue.

[@hansolo8225]

People are fighting over magical rocks and supernatural olive trees in an otherwise barren desert. Thanks Religion!

[@anure1134]

Some people are trying to expand their borders to those of a fictitious realm of three thousand years ago. Others want their homes back.

[@Adaerus]

While I agree with the analysis, it doesn't even touch the basis of why the carnage exists, the reason why civilians on both sides are dying. Hamas cowardly using human shields it's only a tactic of one side. The deeper issue is that elements that fester genocidal thoughts towards the other exist on both sides. While Hamas is more barbaric in its actions, Israeli government does it with sofistication. The goal of both is the same: driving the other off of the land. As long as these extremes exist as the basis of ideas about how to administer a population, the conflict will stay alive.

[@maxpbeaumont]

Thank you so much, Sam. We need your voice more than ever.

[@fialeks]

@samharrisorg Hi Sam, I do agree that intentions matter. Can you then explain the intentions behind Israel's continued support of West Bank settlements, which are war crimes under Article 8 (2) (b) (viii) of the Rome Statute?

[@gepmrk]

Oops, someone with a logical mind and some integrity. That's a bit awkward.

[@JashariRilind]

Sam has said that he is absolutely against the settlements on many occasions.

[@fialeks]

@@JashariRilind Great, I have never heard it, but this is not the point. I am not saying he is for the settlements, but how can he explain the motivation. How do the settlements fit with his narrative that Israel just wants to live peacefully with Palestinians?

[@JashariRilind]

@@fialeks That is a very valid point and I also made it on a comment under this Video. I do not think the Israeli government has any honest intentions have peace with the palestinians.

[@anthonybrown7035]

Thanks for holding the line on truth even when it’s inconvenient or goes against the mainstream

[@aabouelkhir5023]

Which mainstream are you talking about?

[@carlosmoreira8835]

US and Israel, truly the underdogs here lol

[@EC-yw5hg]

@@carlosmoreira8835I interact with a lot of normies, most of them twist themselves into pretzels defending the terrorist Hamas.

[@hunteravery4562]

Great vid! Have to say though, you sound like the ancient aliens narrator 😂

[@claudescali]

Sickening how one-side this monologue is

[@matthewwelters6397]

Thank you Sam for saying so eloquently what the truth of the problem . Hope for a peaceful turn away from extremism and deescalation of violence

[@ashleyisinterested]

I would like to hear Sam explain why the phrase "mowing the grass" exists in the context of this conflict and moral equivalence. I seem to be missing something. Perishing due to lack of food, water, and medical care is cruel but has been made inevitable. This is not collateral damage.

[@JimBalter]

What you're missing is Harris's intellectual honesty, which is non-existent.

[@omoniacy]

He has his shortcomings. This was disappointing. This is too complex even for him--must obliterate any bias before embarking on this challenge. There are better voices that try to make sense of it all--thankfully many are Israeli and Jewish. Balanced opinions and analysis from both sides are needed.

[@Sabu150]

​@@omoniacyanyone you'd recommend to listen to instead?

[@saiko71]

Thank you!!! Finally someone saying it. This is a really simplistic and convenient position for Sam Harris to be taking. Simply ignoring the decades of violence and oppression inflicted upon Palestinians. He doesn't even mention any of this in this podcast. What Hamas did was unspeakable and appalling but Israel just blew up a Palestinian hospital today killing 800 people. There is no side to choose here lol.

[@deadeaded]

You're not missing anything. Sam apparently thinks that moral atrocities are qualitatively different if one has enough money to do them in a "civilized" way.

[@rockymoody-jn2yf]

I as a woman wonder how we in the west can in any way give support to a religion or culture that feels that it is appropriate to beat a woman to death for not covering her head in public. Imagine supporting a culture that would allow and support the beating to death of a black person by whites for the same crime. Do you think for one second we in the west would tolerate that? It’s the SAME thing. Yet so many people don’t seem to mind this “practice “ at all because it’s their “religion “. Religion is simply ideology with super heroes and demons thrown in for added drama. I am so sickened by this.

[@andresp.4583]

Thank you Sam

[@rickowens4397]

I agree "moral equivalence" is a danger. I think "black vs white" is also a slippery slope.

[@JewTube001]

It's more of a cliff than a slippery slope..

[@tarstarkusz]

This entire video is sophistry and war propaganda.

[@willr8768]

Its quite clearly not black vs white. It's dark gray vs a slightly lighter shade of gray. No one is coming out of this looking like moral superstars but there's significant daylight between the intentions of Hamas and the depths of depravity they are willing to go vs Israel. I think it's quite possible to not like either side here and still recognize that they're playing on different fields and by different rule books.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@willr8768 I have no dog in this fight and could not care less who "wins." That said, it's easy to paint yourself as the morally superior when technology is on your side. The way Hamas produces casualties is the ONLY way they can produce these casualties because they are so outgunned by the other side. One side of this conflict has homemade rockets that are little more than fireworks along with small arms while the other side has fighter and bomber jets, tanks, drones and other military hardware provided free of charge by the US. It's easy to paint the little guy as moral monsters because they have such a graphic way of producing the very same results as the other side. Take a look at the footage coming out of Gaza. Those people are just as injured and just as dead and just as much civilians.

[@Lesardah]

I've been estranged from you for a long time, Sam - mostly due to my libertarian sensibilities. However, at times like this, I'm reminded that there is no greater speaker on the ethical differences in warfare than you. Thank you for this excellent monologue. Oh... and.... uh...... I miss you.

[@copperbeckville1853]

LOL. You sound like an emotional sycophant that read a bad translation of Baudelaire.

[@Thisisahandle701]

Pro Palestine people feel like you did about Sam's criticism of Trump

[@Lesardah]

@@Thisisahandle701 They feel like he's mostly correct but won't shut up about it? I think you missed the mark on me, pumpkin.

[@bodhitreesoulspa4761]

Killing is killing no matter how you cloak it or what morality you subscribe to.

[@SM-nz9ff]

No it isn't that's why there is 1st and 2nd degree murder charges instead of just murder. Now go suckle your moms teat and play in the corner darlin

[@tom2314]

Dead on Sam👍🙏

[@rdm3805]

I'm a Sam Harris fanatic, and I love how you approach this so rationally. I get what you're getting to with regards to the moral grounds here. And I won't ever say it's okay to put your own people at the stake for the goal of invoking an enemy's response. Radical Islamic groups are not okay, especially if a future is to built upon its values. I'm not super academic and knowledgeable about politics and philosophy. But I am a South African who has experienced the ramifications of Apartheid and still see on a daily basis how people are still trying to fight for a freedom long thought to have been "won". I know my experience doesn't even come close to the Palestinians' daily reality, but I can attempt to empathize. It's important to consider that Israel isn't at the point of having to put their own people in the middle of the battlefield...they have the US and most of the West on their side and if they ever get to this point, then their ancient religious ways (which isn't far different from Islamic radicalist groups, might surface and we'll see the same thing or even worse- the so-called "Christian" nations with their values won't think twice before killing and slaughtering)...Palestine on the other side has nothing. Hamas is fighting for its people to the end of freeing them from Israel who forcefully took their land from them, not for purposes of horror. Yet you seem to claim that the "progressive western values" can be seen in Israel's approach to all this. But most of the West is built upon slaughtering of innocent people to get what they want (not need). Palestine has nothing else left to do. I am sure most Palestines also don't fully agree with Hamas' ways, but at least someone is standing up for them. No other nation is standing up for them, so how else should you engage in conflict with a Western backed enemy? It's easy to make moral judgments if it's not your country being stolen from under your feet. What should Palestine do? Engage in discussions with the other side? That hasn't worked yet...and why should they ask for something that was stolen from them in the first place? If the Bully at school and all his older friends at school keep traumatizing and abusing me and takes things that are mine and indignifies me and comes into my home, no, takes my home and everything i know on a daily basis, it would be best to just turn the cheek and ask them nicely to stop? Or would it be better to get my big brother (whose views on peace and love might not be the same as mine) to step in and help? It will obviously lead to a fight. Palestine isn't just standing up against Israel. This nation is standing up against a barbaric West and Hamas is the big brother. Slaughter seems to be okay if it comes from the West, but not okay if the other side is doing it. It would be nice if Palestine had the power of other nations behind it to at least peacefully come to terms with this "nation", Israel. Hamas' provoked actions are not desired. Better ways of doing this could be thought of...but for how long will the nations of the world with all its power and "morality" just sit and watch how the Palestinians and their cultures and beauty are slowly but surely being removed from this Earth? THAT is more evil than what Hamas is doing. Western sanctimonious disposition is the newest form of radical evil in this world. It's a new moral ground.

[@Homerw00t]

I see zero objective quality to these analyses. To be clear--Hamas is very much a terrorist group but Israel and the powers that be are terrorist nations. Pick your side-they all commit violent and horrific atrocities. The clear difference is the rhetoric used. "western" nations are on the "right side" of history because they are writing it and we live in a west thus that's what we will see. Being someone who follows Sam Harris, Daniel Dennet, Chris Hitchens, etc. I thought I'd get some real objectivity, but I was sadly mistaken.

[@deeky1239]

You are delusional to think at least half the Palestinians don't support Hamas. Absolutely clueless.

[@Homerw00t]

I didn't say anything about how many palestinians support hamas. Whether 50% or 80% or 90% support hamas, you're claiming it's okay to commit war crimes. Ugly stance youre taking there. You're just putting words in my mouth and not addressing the fact that both sides are guilty except one boasts massive power while the other has their electricity water and movement restricted. I feel bad for you and I hope one day you grow a heart that's not just for the people that look like you @@deeky1239

[@dorothyleeuw8774]

100 Percent…..I live in the West and I am ashamed…..

[@gepmrk]

Relations of power, that is, who has it and who doesn't. are what matters. Your comment is among the few that address that fact. I find it most interesting that Sam Harris doesn't bother to address this point and instead frames his argument in terms of good versus evil. I find it puzzling that someone as intelligent as Sam Harris seems to avoid mentioning power relations in not only this podcast but in others such as his recent discussion with David Brooks and his Climate change podcast as well. Actually I find the omission quite revealing.

[@jbauman1111]

Thank you for this dose of sanity.

[@nosondre]

“If you’re not confused, you don’t know what’s goin’ on.” -Jack Welch

[@bjornbecker1816]

Although i share the Basic tendency of SM result of arguments, i am really confused that Important parts are left out of the equation and that the pure Basis of some the Main Argument is invalid. Would have expected more.

[@frenchlearner19]

I want to be Sam Harris in my next life. As usual, you speak the truth so eloquently and powerfully. Thank you Sam

[@Brian-vk1hm]

Too bad Sam doesn't believe in a next life.

[@agookchild]

You don't want to be Sam Harris. I've already been there. The world loses it's color and everything turns to legos.

[@HR-yd5ib]

@@agookchild , living in LEGO city sounds pretty cool actually.

[@agookchild]

@@HR-yd5ib it is for 30 minutes, but everything tastes like plastic.

[@HR-yd5ib]

@@agookchild ... LOL ... yes ... somehow assumed to be a LEGO figure living there ;-)

[@marcellalog2236]

Thanks Sam, this is exactly what I was trying to explain to a very confused person yesterday. If we don't understand the evident asymmetry in the level of human development and culture between an Israeli soldier and a Hamas terrorist we will never know who to watch out for.

[@frankgradus9474]

It's not only you saying/reckoning this. “Culture is the root of politics, and religion is the root of culture.” - Richard John Neuhaus

[@marcellalog2236]

@@frankgradus9474 I would say that at the basis of religion there is the capacity for transcendence and at the basis of the capacity for transcendence there are healthy cognitive faculties. Certain dogmatic religions not only do not accompany healthy cognitive and emotional development, but they completely preclude it.

[@frankgradus9474]

@@marcellalog2236 I thorougly agree.

[@frankgradus9474]

@@marcellalog2236 I'll also add: עם ישראל חי

[@petersmith6279]

Does anyone else think that history might shed some light on the behavior of Hamas and Israel? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJfSeWaQmJ1lkLMsi=Zx92HHBDXV55257S

[@ara922]

I strongly disagree with his underlying assertion that there is something fundamentally different about “people and cultures” who, in his example, celebrate barbarism or “revel in war crimes” It seems obvious to me that the Palestinian people from Gaza have had their culture and worldview completely shaped by what has been done to them. Jihadism doesn’t arise out of nowhere. It arises from persecution and inequality. He speaks to “maintaining the moral progress of civilization.” Where is that moral progress when thousands of innocent children are being slaughtered? Where is the concern for war crimes that Israel is currently perpetrating? Yes, the use of human shields is despicable. The violence done by Hamas is despicable. As is the violence being done by Israel. There’s a difference between collateral damage and intentional murder? I disagree. I strongly disagree. He’s sweeping aside the deaths of equally innocent human beings as “less bad” than the deaths of the festival attendees. They are not. All death created by violence are equally tragic. All I’m hearing are excuses and dehumanization of the Palestinians. Calling the Middle East a “moral wasteland” is disgusting. And he says it in the same breath as excusing any future war crimes Israel might commit? Come on. He says that collateral damage in regrettable and unwanted? At this stage in the conflict, I truly doubt that can be said. For all the incredible might of the American military, all of the advanced weaponry that we have shared with Israel, I very much doubt that wholesale slaughter is the best that can be done.

[@jon477]

I'm happy, Sam, how directly and eloquently you talk about this topic. A lot of this should just be common sense. Maybe all of it.

[@scottsherman5262]

Mr. President...wow! An honor to run into you here, sir.

[@gabrielpages9892]

The clarity we all need.

[@Woadyn]

Always fascinating when a man committed to expressing abstract explanations about morality yet simultaneously denying the only philosophical foundation that can account for his worldview.

[@youdaviddavidtube]

Quite a number of Jewish commentators would disagree with Sam on the historical characterization and moral evaluation of Zionism since 1948 up until now.

[@denisemillar9146]

This is why it's called Making Sense.