AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
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.
01:07:07
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
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.
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode