The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
Brendan O'Neill: The West Went Insane After October 7
Dec 4, 2024
Brendan O'Neill, chief political writer for Spiked and author of "After the Pogrom," dives into the fallout from the October 7 Hamas attacks. He critiques the extreme left's embrace of Hamas, reflecting on historical shifts from secular nationalism to religious extremism. O'Neill discusses the complexities of cultural symbols like the keffiyeh and the misconceptions of Israel's identity. With a personal political evolution from Trotskyism to libertarianism, he underscores the need for increased individual power against societal constraints.
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Quick takeaways
- Brendan O'Neill critiques the Western left's shift from supporting women's rights to legitimizing militant groups like Hamas after October 7.
- The historical transition from secular Palestinian liberation movements to religious extremism reflects a broader cultural disillusionment and complicates narratives of progress.
Deep dives
Brendan O'Neill's New Book and Its Context
The discussion centers on Brendan O'Neill's book, "After the Pogrom," which addresses the extreme reaction in the Western world following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. O'Neill argues that the progressive left shifted their stance from supporting women's rights to siding with factions like Hamas, thus complicating the narrative around violence against women. He expresses astonishment at how progressives justified supporting a group that is fundamentally anti-Semitic, claiming that Hamas's violent actions were a logical political response. This indicates a dissonance in modern political ethics, particularly in how grievances are framed in relation to violence.
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