Elon Musk's behavior on his platform X is impulsive, unprincipled, and damaging his reputation and ethical compass.
The recent testimonies of university presidents before Congress raise questions about their commitment to free speech and the inconsistency in their actions fuels outrage.
The notion of proportionality in Israel's response to Hamas is flawed and holding Israel to a different standard undermines its ability to achieve a decisive victory against Hamas.
Deep dives
The Hypocrisy and Moral Confusion Surrounding Elon Musk
Elon Musk's behavior at his platform X is impulsive, unprincipled, and self-serving. He threatens to sue advertisers and attacks CEOs who don't want to be associated with the chaos on his platform. Despite claiming to be a defender of free speech, Musk complies with demands from oppressive regimes to stifle free speech on his platform. He welcomes controversial figures and allows his followers to dictate his decisions. Musk's actions and hypocrisy are damaging his reputation and ethical compass.
The Hypocrisy of University Presidents on Free Speech
The recent testimonies of university presidents before Congress raise questions about their commitment to free speech. These presidents display hypocrisy by punishing microaggressions and speech that challenges certain narratives, while simultaneously allowing calls for the murder of Jews on their campuses. The inconsistency in their actions and selective enforcement of policies fuels outrage and undermines their credibility. Universities should allow controversial speech while controlling protests and refrain from issuing proclamations on events that decent human beings would agree on.
The Misguided Notions of Colonization and Genocide
The argument that Israel is a colonized state and that the October 7th attack was a response to genocide is misguided. Gaza is not colonized by Israel, but rather controlled by Hamas, which exploits its power and keeps the border with Egypt closed. The claim of genocide in Gaza is baseless, as the population has actually grown significantly. Such notions are often fueled by a misinterpretation of history and a desire to demonize Israel, rather than an understanding of the facts on the ground.
The Fallacy of Proportionality and Defeating Ideas
The notion of proportionality in Israel's response to Hamas is flawed. Israel has the right to defend itself and hit back harder to protect its citizens. The idea that Israel cannot defeat an idea is unsubstantiated, as history shows that ideas such as fascism and communism have been defeated. Holding Israel to a different standard and demanding proportionate responses undermines its ability to achieve a decisive victory against Hamas.
The International Double Standards and Neglect of Israeli Victims
The international response to the October 7th massacre and the ongoing conflict in Israel exhibits double standards and neglect of Israeli victims. Calls for the return of the Chibok schoolgirls in Nigeria garnered widespread attention and outcry, but similar demands for the return of kidnapped Israeli children are largely ignored. This bias against Israel reflects a lack of concern for Jewish lives and a reluctance to hold Hamas accountable. The international community should recognize the suffering of Israeli victims and demand justice for them.
Sam Harris comments on the recent testimony of university presidents before Congress, along with Elon Musk's reinstating of Alex Jones on X.
He then introduces a recent episode of the Call Me Back podcast about the war in Gaza, hosted by Dan Senor. Sam really enjoyed listening to this conversation and we’re delighted to be able to share it with the Making Sense community.
Dan Senor is co-author of a new book, The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World, which is a New York Times bestseller. This book on the origins of Israeli resilience—and what the U.S. can learn from Israeli society—is especially relevant since October 7. He is also co-author of Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle, which has been translated into more than 30 languages. Dan is the host of the Call Me Back podcast, which has been focused exclusively on Israel and the Middle East since October 7, with most of the episodes built around conversations with Israeli journalists, officials and other experts on the ground in Israel. Previously, Dan served in various foreign policy positions in the U.S. Government—including in Iraq for over a year during the George W. Bush administration—and as an advisor to Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and others.
Douglas Murray is the associate editor of The Spectator and writes frequently for a variety of other publications, including The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and The Sun. He has also given talks at both the British and European Parliaments and at the White House. He is the author of several books including The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam, The Madness of Crowds, and most recently, The War on the West.
Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.
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