Sympathy for Hamas: people will do almost anything to hang onto their belief systems
When I started this blog almost two decades ago (!), my main motivation was to tell my change story. It seemed interesting to me but not so very out of the ordinary. But since then, although I’ve followed the tales of many other “changers,” I’ve come to understand that the title of my series on the subject – “A mind is a difficult thing to change” – is really an understatement. Change seems to be very very difficult, and most people will do almost anything to retain their beliefs.
Cognitive dissonance is painful. It occurs when a belief is challenged by facts or events that are difficult to deny. People dealing with cognitive dissonance of that type have a number of choices. The first is denial – these new facts or events didn’t really happen, or didn’t happen that way. The second is rationalization and excuse-making – the new facts or events don’t really challenge the belief system and can be looked at in some way that makes the dissonance go away. And the third is changing the original set of beliefs and looking at things in a different way, incorporating the new facts or events into a changed point of view.
That last is the hardest; people usually choose one or even both of the first two.
If you’re puzzled by how many people on the left who aren’t Palestinians or Arabs can defend what Hamas did on October 7, think about cognitive dissonance. A lot of these people, many of whom are college students, are deeply invested in a belief system that calls israelis colonizers and oppressors, and sees Palestinians as the suffering oppressed. These opinions make the leftist students feel good about themselves. They are on the side of the underdog, on the side of goodness and compassion.
So when the news of the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 came out, denial was a common line of defense. It simply didn’t happen, said some. The videos Hamas took to document the events were fakes. Some went so far as to say that Israelis actually killed and tortured their own people and blamed it on Hamas. This requires a serious divorce from reality, but reality isn’t all that real to young people who live their lives mostly on computers anyway, and who have been stuffed full of pro-Palestinian attitudes and slogans by so many of their teachers.
Approach number two – the rationalization and excuse-making – are mechanisms that come with the leftist territory. Because the Palestinians are defined as oppressed “brown” people, their violence is labeled “resistance” and excused as the only “tool” available to them when fighting the technologically superior “white” Israelis. This is an all-purpose excuse and serves well to reduce the anxious feeling cognitive dissonance causes. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas demonstrations put those who see it this way in the company of many many other people who also see it this way, creating the feeling of solidarity, unity, and strength in numbers.
And then we have college administrators who ought to know better, offering mealy-mouthed reactions such as these:
they really don’t,
https://twitter.com/gaza_report/status/1732364482884563402
It really boils down to ” yes he’s a sob but he’s my sob”. That and power.
I cannot bear to look at the photos and videos, but I read reports. Both women and men who were killed on October 7 were sexually violated either before or after death. The “soldiers” Hamas sent in are/were violent sexual perverts. There is no valid excuse for what they did. I often can respect people who disagree with me, but people who either overtly support this barbarity or people who won’t look at it because it’s too disturbing for their belief systems no longer have my respect.
Those college presidents from the congressional hearing should all be fired.
Related, I believe: Gadi Taub, Tablet Mag, “How Human Rights Advocates Became Antisemites” — https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/how-human-rights-advocates-became-antisemites
All of this reminds me of Chomsky back in the day. When reports of atrocities/genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge started to come out, Chomsky (and the entire left really) said it was all lies. When more evidence emerged they said it was partly true, but grossly exaggerated. When it could no longer be denied, they said, it’s true, but it’s America’s fault.
Perhaps Rep Stefanik could substitute “rape of women” or “reintroduction of black slavery” for “genocide of Jews” and see what the reaction of the Presidents would be?
Rep. Stefanik did try “calls for genocide of African Americans” and these presidents couldn’t bring themselves to say that would violate campus speech codes — because if they did they’d have to face the calls to kill the Jews.
And yet. People of good faith can distinguish between calling for the genocide of a whole people and saying e.g. one can’t change one’s gender. But the left has no good faith. It is inevitable that the non-left’s willingness to take action against people who “exulted” in the Oct 7th pogrom will be turned against us.
Neo:
These opinions make the leftist students feel good about themselves. They are on the side of the underdog, on the side of goodness and compassion.
——————————–
Well that’s what their liberal (grand)parents told themselves.
But far more powerful nowadays – if unspoken – is the need to feel superior.
These opinions are markers of status – and the more unconnected to reality, the more outrage they spark – the higher the status.
Prosperity has erased material things as markers of status in the West.
“Designer” pre-distressed jeans are the new equivalent of bound feet.
Take a look at what’s walking down fashion runways…
If these folks got their socialist dream – if everyone wore Mao suits – they would be binding their skulls to be different.
And yes, a generation of left-wing indoctrination has made “edgy and transgressive” radicalism chic… Remember when NY Jewish intellectuals hosted Black Panthers at their soirees? These are the children and grandchildren.
There’s always the poor Rachel Corrie type who actually thinks they can survive outside their suburban enclave, but no matter… such unfortunates can be folded back into the narrative.
This is also why it’s so hard to “change these minds” – it’s not about rationally formed opinions at all, its about identity and class snobbery.
But I bet if you referred to Ms Gay as any one of a dozen “slang” names for black people that I grew up hearing, you’d be burned on the Harvard Yard & your ashes scattered into the ocean unceremoniously.
But “from the river…” is only actionable if you try to kill a few Jews.
Shut ’em all down & turn those campuses into museums.
Like so many other institutions within the US government they are hopelessly corrupted & need a decade of lying fallow before they are re-seeded with new leadership.
This may be a bit reactionary on my part, but when I watch that video, what I hear these university presidents saying is, “We are in control. We will decide which speech we like and which we don’t like.”
Thanks for the link to that important news, Miguel.
From X (Twitter)https://twitter.com/mishtal/status/1732416984380489869:
I think a subset of denial is the “cutoff.” I’m dealing with a couple of liberals, one of them Jewish, who, since the very first 10/7 reports, have completely cut themselves off from any news ab.out Israel or even what we refer to today as the middle east.
For leftists, there is no crime, no genocide, no rape, no murder if the action or policy promotes the cause of the left. This is true irrespective of who are the victims, including victims that are also leftists.
And because all acts committed or supported by leftists are implicitly (if not explicitly) aimed at promoting leftist causes, ergo, the left can do no wrong, in supporting or implementing the most heinous and murderous policies.
If somebody proclaims themselves to be a Nazi and calls for the extermination of all “untermensch,” and then proceeds to act upon that sentiment, well then, leftists are quick to condemn the genocide.
If a KKK member calls for the lynching of all n^^^^^s, leftists will immediately condemn these statements .
If somebody proclaims to be a leftist (e.g., Stalin, Hamas, Pol Pot, Mao, et. al) and/or is perceived as being a leftist and commits the similar atrocities, leftists will claim that PERHAPS, excesses MAY have been committed, but it’s not clear cut, there may have been extenuating circumstances, and yes folks, it DEPENDS ON THE CONTEXT.
You have to crack a few eggs to make an omelette.
The reason the college presidents of Harvard, MIT, and Penn could not answer YES to the question posed by Representative Stefanik, is because they WELCOME, they support the murder, rape and torture of Jewish Israelis (and would welcome and support the same outcome of any Jewish Americans).
Their views are no different than those of The Squad or the leadership of Hamas.
Leftists are filled with an unshakable, very deep seated, very profound hatred that of any group or individual if they feel that group/individual is thwarting their political goals or who holds contrary views.
One can only hope that what goes around, comes around for those college presidents and all those pro-Hamas demonstrators.
The grotesquely ugly faces behind the mask of woke are nauseating. Ignorance and youth are not good excuses nor even a compelling explanation. This is an issue of basic humanity. These people preach their superiority but the truth is they are modern day nazis and fascists.
Ben David
Ben David, you might be interested in these posts from Assistant Village Idiot about group identity and bright people. Assistant Village Idiot: Intellectuals as Ethnic Group. AVI discusses a 1970 article by Andrew Greeley on intellectuals.
AVI wrote a number of posts about tribes. Here is a collection of his tribes articles, with links. Assistant Village Idiot: Tribes Series – Most Visited Posts.
AVI’s approach caught my interest, because as early as high school I came to the conclusion that for at least some people, their political opinions were not formed as much by thought and knowledge as they were by group affiliation, of wanting to think the same as the “in” group – the “good” people- call it what you may.
Rep. Stefaniak deserves a medal or gold star or something for exposing these people.
Hedge fund maven and Harvard alum Bill Ackman has called on them all to resign.
The thing of it is, all three schools have such large endowments (F.U. money) that they can blow off Ackman and the other alums.
I looked at the Harvard Board one time. All libs. They won’t force her out.
sdferr, thanks much.
That link to Gadi Taub’s crystal-clear, in-depth explication of why Israel MUST be destroyed is a must read.
A painfully difficult read, but an absolutely essential one.
Not sure how much of a difference it will make but it’s very important that one know what one is up against as well as understanding why appeals to reason, balance, fairness and MORALITY are totally useless when it comes to the war to destroy Israel—and the West, for that matter—
In a nutshell, because morality has been turned on its head, i.e., MORALITY, under the deceiving guise of “HUMAN RIGHTS”, dictates that Israel—and the West—must be destroyed. They’re starting with Israel because of their belief that its destruction is easier, doable, possible, most noble…and INEVITABLE.
That’s why they don’t see their utter hypocrisy as hypocrisy… They see it as the cutting edge of Morality.
(Taub is a kind of hero of mine…as would anyone who had the honor of being fired by “Haaretz”. His crime? Trying to tell a truth that goes against the grain of the carefully-guarded Narrative….)
Belief systems might well be fairly fixed, but they can be influenced.
Here’s how, according to Paul Harvey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg5i7OPRaNg
Sympathy?
UN Sec. Gen says “Hold my sangria” —
“Antonio Guterres invokes rarely-used Article 99 for the 1st time to demand Security Council force a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.“: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/381548
Gah
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12834081/The-Views-Sunny-Hostin-DEFENDS-Harvard-MIT-UPenn-presidents-shocking-remarks-college-antisemitism-says-calls-genocide-dont-break-law.html
Civilians
https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1732494243627683868
Chaser
https://twitter.com/CarolineGlick/status/1732156594853466137
Related:
A UN companion piece…
Taking hostages perfectly acceptable, especially if they’re babies.
Demanding their release is unacceptable, especially if they’re babies.
Well, it’s the UN…
“What kind of monster finds it ‘unacceptable’ to demand babies be freed?
“Francesca Albanese condemned calls for Hamas to release the innocent Jews it holds hostage. How could someone so monstrous remain a UN official?”—
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/381540
The question answers itself.
I encountered another way of “knowing”. Some years ago, I was talking to a woman about various items of the cultural type.
She said Michael Brown had his hands up, calling out “Don’t shoot!”.
I remarked that had been dismissed in less than two days.
She said, “I know, but I want to believe it and I don’t want to be corrected.”
I’ve wondered what other things she “believes” in that fashion. I don’t think that variety of “knowing’ can be addressed.
As to sympathy for such horrors. There are a lot of people doing horrid things. Why do we think only those people actually doing that crap are the ones who like it? Why are there not others without the opportunity who get a visceral charge out of thinking about it, imagining doing it, and making sure others’ doing it is not hindered?
Miguel, fun fact. The Muslims the Mongols succeeded in disgusting Mongols. Not scaring them. Disgusting then. If you know anything about Mongols that’s saying a lot.
Miguel, fun fact. The Muslims the Mongols succeeded in disgusting Mongols. Not scaring them. Disgusting then. If you know anything about Mongols that’s saying a lot.
Search on Muslim invasion Kharazamian empire.
Should have sent more mongols to iraq then
I don’t know if there is anything like an honest history anymore But admit it. You didn’t know Kwazaraman until I mentioned it.
Albanese is a professor in good standing at georgetown next question
The Mongols had a head for business in they saw the Muslims depolate what is now Pakistan and it pissed them off. They would wipe out cities. Not entire countries. Bad for business
I study history my friend because we don’t want to relive it.
Another fun fact. The Mongols didn’t wage wage against the crusader state. Some of their wives were Nestorian Christians.0
Say cheese liz
https://twitter.com/DrEliDavid/status/1732507216068911409
Also at AVI’s blog: this comment from the interesting blogger Grim:
“The leftist protest archipelago of organizations has very old ties with each other, and the PFLP built its relationships many years ago. They set the terms on which the whole Western left understands Palestine, terms on which Israel has no right to exist. It is to be interpreted as another sort of “colonial” project, and fits right into the Marxist worldview in which such projects are (as Lenin argued) an attempt by late capitalist society to extend its survival and put off the inevitable socialist revolution. As such, it must be destroyed — not be made the partner of a peace process, not accomodated or bargained with, but destroyed by revolution.
It used to be that the leftist protest movements were fringe actors and thinkers, but in the last thirty years they have really prospered. Figures who studied under them have come into the leadership of much of academia, and trained many others; and many of those, younger ones, are now providing the fodder for that social media that is so influential among the young.
I suppose the decline of Christianity in the West has something important to do with it also. It hardly makes sense for a nation that is poised to celebrate the birth of “Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum” in Bethlehem to talk about Israel as being a colonial enterprise for the Jews. It used to be understood that the Jews had been there at least that long, and belonged there if they belonged anywhere. Some even read the Old Testament, which has somewhat more to say on the subject.”
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=19305198&postID=5367137639742559890
It’s Khwarazmian, not Kharazamian, you know-it-all fabulist.
Why don’t you sit out a few plays. You need the rest.
Likewise jasmine
https://twitter.com/stoolpresidente/status/1732506311198146786
Richard Aubrey:
Online, very violent porn has become very popular. I suspect that fact has played some sort of role in all of this.
The ghost of edward said haunts academia like jacob marley along with franz fanon
neo
Wouldn’t be surprised. Porn, to be distinguished from an animated anatomy lesson, needs a back story.
And the point of the back story is…emphatic at the end. Not at all surprised to discover a grooved neural pathway (metaphor) is manufactured.
IrishOttet49;
On the internet nobody knows who is or isn’t a dog.
Noneheless, I hope your recovery is progressing speedily.
Richard Aubrey, you got me looking for the right term when you said:
“She said, “I know, but I want to believe it and I don’t want to be corrected.”
I’ve wondered what other things she “believes” in that fashion. I don’t think that variety of “knowing’ can be addressed.”
And I came across the term, alethic relativism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factual_relativism)
Definition: “truth itself is relative. It is a way to reason where facts used to justify any claims are understood to be relative and subjective to the perspective of those proving or falsifying the proposition.”
And even Wikipedia of all places goes on to say, “Largely because of the self-excepting fallacy, few authors in the philosophy of science currently accept alethic cognitive relativism.”
Closest I can come, unless you can think of a better description.
Irish Otter, I hope you are progressing well, on your journey to health!
In case anyone is still wondering….
“The Casualty Figures in Gaza Are a Scam”—
https://jcpa.org/article/the-casualty-figures-in-gaza-are-a-scam/
H/T Powerline blog.
But then why wouldn’t they be?
(To be sure, why believe anything? Why believe the article I posted here? Though one could always say that proof that the numbers are a scam is provided by the NYT’s decision to quote them…)
“truth itself is relative. It is a way to reason where facts used to justify any claims are understood to be relative and subjective to the perspective of those proving or falsifying the proposition.”
Years ago, I commented on a blog and asked if it was absolutely true that the truth was relative. I didn’t get an answer.
This is very simple. They are afraid of the “MOB”. They are afraid for their jobs more than they want to protect Jews.
Nobody questions that members of, say, the KKK, Nazis, Hamas or other extremist groups (remember the Baader Meinhof gang) are motivated by hate.
So why is it that when highly educated folks express equally detestable views people jump thru their anus trying to explain why these “intelligent” folks believe what they believe.
How about the most obvious reason; they too are capable and motivated by hate, irrational hate, but have the verbal jujitsu skills and intelligence to explain their stance without resorting to providing an explicit statement that their views are in fact motivated by hate.
Even highly intelligent people are capable of hate; they just have the brainpower to disguise it.
William, they’ll are afraid of being called names.Thats what cowards they are
Gringo…”AVI’s approach caught my interest, because as early as high school I came to the conclusion that for at least some people, their political opinions were not formed as much by thought and knowledge as they were by group affiliation, of wanting to think the same as the “in” group – the “good” people- call it what you may.” And added to the pleasures of group affiliation, some people very much enjoy the ability to have designated target groups to despise. See Conformity, Cruelty, and Political Activism:
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/57600.html
Like the worst thing is being called a namel
Cognitive dissonance is painful. It occurs when a belief is challenged by facts or events that are difficult to deny.
–neo
Quite true.
However, I would add, as I do, that loyalty to one’s political tribe is equally important.
I lost about 80% of my social support when I switched from progressive to conservative.
I’m not sure what I would have done had I realized that ahead of time.
I found Primo Levi’s short story, “Iron”, in his masterpiece of vignettes, “The Periodic Table” to be an extraordinary, inspiring—and perhaps contagious—account of personal heroism.
One can only hope to measure up…