History Impossible Civilization, Moral Masochism, and Wonders of the Visible World (w/ Brendan O'Neill)
Brendan O'Neill, a UK-based polemicist and chief political writer at Spiked, engages in a thought-provoking discussion on pressing moral issues. He critiques the evolution of anti-Semitism in contemporary discourse, identifying a shift from overt hostility to subtler forms of criticism against Israel. O'Neill also explores the troubling alliance between some leftist factions and Islamic fundamentalism, raising concerns about free speech. The conversation navigates through cultural self-critique, reflections on violence, and the complexities of victim narratives in modern society.
02:33:26
A Shifting Political Landscape
- Brendan O'Neill describes his political journey from radical leftist to uncertain current stance, emphasizing unchanged core values of freedom and reason.
- He highlights modern politics as a deep divide over civilization itself, not just economic power or class.
Self-Loathing as Power
- The rise of self-loathing among the Western upper classes serves as a new form of social and cultural power.
- This self-flagellation signals claimed moral superiority, especially in relation to imperial and colonial histories.
Institutional Denial of Anti-Semitism
- Institutions eagerly admit to general racism and historical failures but fiercely deny anti-Semitism.
- This defensive denial reveals the true presence of anti-Semitism and the use of racial self-loathing as a morality flex.
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Intro
00:00 • 4min
Exploring Truths Amidst Conspiracies and Philosophical Reflections
03:59 • 2min
Evolving Political Narratives and Cultural Self-Critique
06:00 • 28min
Shifts in Anti-Semitic Rhetoric: A Political Trend Analysis
33:51 • 1min
Reflections on Violence and Societal Responses
35:15 • 5min
Echoes of Anti-Zionism and Modern Anti-Semitism
40:07 • 27min
The Left's Unholy Alliance
01:07:27 • 19min
Cultural Critique and the Resurgence of Neo-Colonial Attitudes
01:26:01 • 4min
Exploring the Dynamics of Antisemitism and Victimhood
01:29:48 • 26min
Navigating Anti-Semitism and Conspiratorial Discourse
01:55:32 • 21min
Faith, Atheism, and the Power of Words
02:16:04 • 13min
Reflections and Future Endeavors in Historical Discourse
02:29:10 • 4min
In Defense of Wonder
In Defense of Wonder
Raymond Tallis
The Heretics Manifesto
The Heretics Manifesto
Brendan O’Neill
Strangers and Intimates
Tiffany Jenkins
Strangers and Intimates by Tiffany Jenkins traces the dramatic rise of private life from ancient times to the digital age, highlighting its importance as a space for intimacy, self-discovery, and freedom.
The book warns that private life is in mortal danger due to state and corporate surveillance, a confessional culture, and the politicization of personal life.
On liberty
John Stuart Mill
Published in 1859, 'On Liberty' is a seminal work by John Stuart Mill that argues for the protection of individual freedoms from the tyranny of the majority and government interference.
Mill uses utilitarian philosophy to justify the value of liberty, emphasizing the importance of freedom of thought, discussion, and action.
He introduces the 'harm principle,' which states that individuals should only be restrained from acting when their conduct may harm others.
The essay is structured into five chapters, each addressing different aspects of liberty, including the liberty of thought and discussion, individual liberty, the limits of authority, and practical applications of his theories.
Mill argues that protecting individual liberties is essential for societal progress and the avoidance of social stagnation.
Denying the Holocaust
Deborah Lipstadt
Dominion
The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy
Matthew Scully
In 'Dominion,' Matthew Scully presents a comprehensive and eloquent case against the mistreatment of animals.
The book delves into various aspects of animal suffering, including factory farming, hunting, whaling, and laboratory experiments.
Scully challenges the notion that humans have unlimited dominion over animals, as suggested by biblical interpretations, and argues for a moral and compassionate approach to animal treatment.
He draws on both religious and scientific perspectives to make his case, emphasizing the importance of empathy and the recognition of animal consciousness and suffering.
The book is a call to action for reform and a plea for human benevolence and mercy towards animals.
Masochistic Nationalism
Masochistic Nationalism
Jorn Adamson
Traffic
Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)
Tom Vanderbilt
Based on exhaustive research and interviews with driving experts and traffic officials around the globe, Traffic delves into the complex web of factors that explain how traffic works, why we drive the way we do, and what our driving says about us.
Vanderbilt examines perceptual limits, cognitive underpinnings, and the unintended consequences of safety measures.
He discusses topics such as the safety benefits of roundabouts, the formation of traffic jams, and the common mistakes drivers make in parking lots.
After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel and the Crisis of Civilisation
After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel and the Crisis of Civilisation
None
Brendan O’Neill
Brendan O'Neill's "After the Pogrom" offers a critical analysis of the Western response to the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel.
The book details how certain groups excused Hamas's violence, siding with the perpetrators against the victims.
O'Neill argues that this response represents a failure of Enlightenment values and a betrayal of Western civilization's principles.
He calls for a restoration of these values and unwavering support for Israel.
The book's unflinching account serves as a wake-up call, urging readers to confront the moral complexities of the conflict and the implications for the future.
Ordinary Men
Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland
Christopher R. Browning
This book by Christopher R. Browning examines the actions of Reserve Police Battalion 101, a unit of the German Order Police, during World War II. The battalion was responsible for mass shootings and round-ups of Jewish people for deportation to Nazi death camps in Poland in 1942.
Browning argues that the men of this unit were not fanatical Nazis but ordinary middle-aged, working-class men who committed these atrocities due to group dynamics of conformity, deference to authority, role adaptation, and the altering of moral norms.
The book is based on postwar interrogations of former members of the battalion and provides a detailed and chilling glimpse into how ordinary men were transformed into active participants in the Holocaust.
1984
None
George Orwell
Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism.
The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother.
Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative.
He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination.
The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.
Knife
Meditations After an Attempted Murder
Salman Rushdie
In 'Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder', Salman Rushdie provides a gripping and detailed account of the traumatic events following the knife attack on him in August 2022.
The book is a meditation on his survival, the metaphysical implications of his experience, and the purpose of writing.
Rushdie describes the horrific wounds he suffered, including the loss of his right eye, and reflects on the miraculous nature of his survival.
The memoir is characterized by its lack of self-pity, despite the immense pain and struggle Rushdie faced during his recovery.
It also touches on themes of art, pain, love, and the ongoing battle for free speech.
Hello everybody. We have another amazing conversation for you fine people to enjoy, this time a little spicier as far as controversial subjects go. To further expand upon my thoughts on the imperialistic character of Islamism as well as discuss the development of the new (neo?) antisemitism we are currently seeing develop in the West, I realized there was likely no one better suited in my orbit than the great UK-based polemicist and writer Brendan O’Neill.
Brendan has been featured, well, all over—the British television, the Oxford debates, and many more, all while writing for multiple publications including spiked! (where he is chief political writer), The Spectator, and the Daily Mail, as well as hosting his excellent interview show, The Brendan O’Neill Show. I’ve followed his work for a very long time, and have always admired him for his sharp commentary that, while certainly very much his own, calls to mind the kind of sharp commentary we saw from the great Christopher Hitchens (and not just because of the accent). With Brendan’s work, as soon as you think you’re hearing a typical broadside against the Western left, you realize that there is a deeper, more socially liberal critique informing all of that, sharpened all the more when he turns his guns on the radical right. This came up a lot during our conversation.
However, his most recent accomplishment, his excellent 2024 polemic After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel, and the Crisis of Civilization, is what made this conversation more of an imperative. It was not just the power of this book—the rage behind it, which I often shared—that made me want to speak to Brendan about it, but also—selfishly, I admit—my own words were quoted within it, specifically from the piece I wrote jointly for Queer Majority and Quillette in late 2023 about the origins of Hamas’ homophobia. Brendan and I connected via social media and eventually were able to make this conversation happen, and it was a truly excellent one that covers a wide range of topics, most of which related to his book, but some of which went in directions neither of us anticipated—the conspiracy theorist mindset, the situation with Darryl Cooper, and even the role of wonder and meaning in everyday life, especially for atheists like Brendan and myself.
It was a great conversation and one we both hope to have again and/or expand upon in the future.
...
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going:
David Adamcik
David Alsbach
Gregg Anderson
Rajan Athul
Robert Babeon
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Greg Bosai
Johannes Breitsameter
Carol ABC
Charles C
Curtis Christiansen
Jason Coleman
Clayton Connell
Cliffydeuce
CR
B.Cyr
daddygorgon
Danny
Lynda Davis
Paul DeCoster
Regina Dick-Endrizzi
Neil Dickens
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Dramicas
Martin E.
Eastone
Gavin Edwards
Howie Feltersnatch
Pierre Ghazarian
Josh Goedert
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Jack Henneman
Eric Hodges
Mike Jarulic
Joe6245
Lionel Joseph
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Constance Loucks
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Kyle Mohney
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Cameron Needham
Shiran
Skip Pacheco
Mel Padden
David Page
Molly Pan
Sr. Powell
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Reptilycus
Matthew M. Rice
Phillip Rice
Terry Rosen
Chris Rowe
Dan S
Jon Andre Saether
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Joshua Simpson
Cameron Smith
Jerry Spangler
timetosuccedd1995
Thomas Squeo
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
Ward Van Roy
Pierre Vorupuni
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
F. You
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.
Brendan has been featured, well, all over—the British television, the Oxford debates, and many more, all while writing for multiple publications including spiked! (where he is chief political writer), The Spectator, and the Daily Mail, as well as hosting his excellent interview show, The Brendan O’Neill Show. I’ve followed his work for a very long time, and have always admired him for his sharp commentary that, while certainly very much his own, calls to mind the kind of sharp commentary we saw from the great Christopher Hitchens (and not just because of the accent). With Brendan’s work, as soon as you think you’re hearing a typical broadside against the Western left, you realize that there is a deeper, more socially liberal critique informing all of that, sharpened all the more when he turns his guns on the radical right. This came up a lot during our conversation.
However, his most recent accomplishment, his excellent 2024 polemic After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel, and the Crisis of Civilization, is what made this conversation more of an imperative. It was not just the power of this book—the rage behind it, which I often shared—that made me want to speak to Brendan about it, but also—selfishly, I admit—my own words were quoted within it, specifically from the piece I wrote jointly for Queer Majority and Quillette in late 2023 about the origins of Hamas’ homophobia. Brendan and I connected via social media and eventually were able to make this conversation happen, and it was a truly excellent one that covers a wide range of topics, most of which related to his book, but some of which went in directions neither of us anticipated—the conspiracy theorist mindset, the situation with Darryl Cooper, and even the role of wonder and meaning in everyday life, especially for atheists like Brendan and myself.
It was a great conversation and one we both hope to have again and/or expand upon in the future.
...
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going:
David Adamcik
David Alsbach
Gregg Anderson
Rajan Athul
Robert Babeon
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Greg Bosai
Johannes Breitsameter
Carol ABC
Charles C
Curtis Christiansen
Jason Coleman
Clayton Connell
Cliffydeuce
CR
B.Cyr
daddygorgon
Danny
Lynda Davis
Paul DeCoster
Regina Dick-Endrizzi
Neil Dickens
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Dramicas
Martin E.
Eastone
Gavin Edwards
Howie Feltersnatch
Pierre Ghazarian
Josh Goedert
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Jack Henneman
Eric Hodges
Mike Jarulic
Joe6245
Lionel Joseph
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Constance Loucks
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Kyle Mohney
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Cameron Needham
Shiran
Skip Pacheco
Mel Padden
David Page
Molly Pan
Sr. Powell
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Reptilycus
Matthew M. Rice
Phillip Rice
Terry Rosen
Chris Rowe
Dan S
Jon Andre Saether
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Joshua Simpson
Cameron Smith
Jerry Spangler
timetosuccedd1995
Thomas Squeo
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
Ward Van Roy
Pierre Vorupuni
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
F. You
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.