Great discussion with Gad, who I love on so many levels but not this subject.
I found his shirt-hypothetical to be very telling (Note: In both Germany and Britain there are definitely shirts that will get you arrested). I put his thought experiment in the same category as pro-life activists who argue against abortion starting from a late-term abortion (which asymptote to zero). I found this to be a sign that he was uncomfortably disarmed by your charm and annoyed by your positive opinion of the UAE.
RE: Happiness in America and Israel. Ashkenazi American Jews have a reputation for neuroticism, but most Israelis are not from an Ashkenazi background.
I wish either or both of you had visited Iran and could have talked about its culture. What about Palestinian culture? What if I wore a T-shirt in Israel saying “Israel is committing genocide”?
This doesn’t prove the point you think it does. It’s also not a good argument. Because I treat my friends and family well doesn’t mean I can go around treating everyone else like shit. Israel can treat its citizens better than Iran or Palestine treat there’s and still be guilty of committing genocide in other non-Israeli, non-Jewish, Palestinian and Muslims groups.
Muslim terrorist and Muslim fundamentalism being horrible and dangerous doesn’t justify killing any and all Muslims.
North Korean culture is also bad because of an oppressive regime. North Koreans could not wear a shirt that is critical of the government in North Korea. Would you argue that Israel can get away with genocide because of the fact?
Unless you are making a pure theoretical argument, it seems that you don’t actually know what the word genocide means.
Israel clearly has the ability to commit genocide against “the Palestinians” if they so chose. The fact that the Palestinian population has grown, rather than been eliminated or even shrunk substantially, is alone powerful evidence that your implicit claim is false.
Even if I accepted your premise that Israel is deliberately killing innocent people - and be clear I do not - they are not remotely coming close to killing enough of them for it to be a genocide.
There is simply no "systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group" here.
Words mean things.
Of course, to simplistic, uninformed oppressor-oppressed leftist ideologues like yourself, facts and truth don’t matter; all that matters is your leftist narrative.
Facts do matter and words do mean things. For example Netanyahu has been saying Iran is months away from a nuke for over 30 years. That’s not true, as evidence by the fact that in that time span they never achieved nuclear capabilities and while there are 360 months in 30 years, that’s not what “months away” means.
I’m not a leftist, but even if I was that wouldn’t make my argument less true. Not sure how I would be both the oppressor and the oppressed but have a good inclination that in not either of those. I have no narrative. If credible reports came out that Israel was only even acting in self defense I would change my stance. It’s curious why you have to resort to ad hominem attacks, given it’s the most popular logically fallacy people resort to when they can’t effectively counter the substance of an argument.
UN commission found Israel is committing genocide. Reports on the ground verify they are intentionally starving Palestinians blocking aid, and intentionally bombing innocent people. This doesn’t mean all Israelis or Jews are bad people or deserved to die.
Gad is almost as triggered about econometrics (and implicitly economists) as Nassim Taleb. There must be something in the water in Lebanon.
Do another one with Yaron Brook!
Every single comment I've ever seen online from Saad is sociopathic warmongering
What does the Middle East look like in 2026?
Bryan,
Great discussion with Gad, who I love on so many levels but not this subject.
I found his shirt-hypothetical to be very telling (Note: In both Germany and Britain there are definitely shirts that will get you arrested). I put his thought experiment in the same category as pro-life activists who argue against abortion starting from a late-term abortion (which asymptote to zero). I found this to be a sign that he was uncomfortably disarmed by your charm and annoyed by your positive opinion of the UAE.
PS—Remember the scene from Die Hard 2.
https://youtu.be/RDnvXAkMnx8?si=7UUft7Zky31hpjW2
RE: Happiness in America and Israel. Ashkenazi American Jews have a reputation for neuroticism, but most Israelis are not from an Ashkenazi background.
Israeli citizens generally or Israeli Jewish citizens particularly?
Jewish citizens. Though it’s relatively close.
https://chatgpt.com/share/69d0db70-f0c8-8333-bc2a-d68fefc6d6e5
I wish either or both of you had visited Iran and could have talked about its culture. What about Palestinian culture? What if I wore a T-shirt in Israel saying “Israel is committing genocide”?
This doesn’t prove the point you think it does. It’s also not a good argument. Because I treat my friends and family well doesn’t mean I can go around treating everyone else like shit. Israel can treat its citizens better than Iran or Palestine treat there’s and still be guilty of committing genocide in other non-Israeli, non-Jewish, Palestinian and Muslims groups.
Muslim terrorist and Muslim fundamentalism being horrible and dangerous doesn’t justify killing any and all Muslims.
North Korean culture is also bad because of an oppressive regime. North Koreans could not wear a shirt that is critical of the government in North Korea. Would you argue that Israel can get away with genocide because of the fact?
Unless you are making a pure theoretical argument, it seems that you don’t actually know what the word genocide means.
Israel clearly has the ability to commit genocide against “the Palestinians” if they so chose. The fact that the Palestinian population has grown, rather than been eliminated or even shrunk substantially, is alone powerful evidence that your implicit claim is false.
Genocide - the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.
Wether or not Israel is successful of not is beside the point. The are deliberately killing innocent people because of their race/culture/religion.
So nah. My implicit claim isn’t false.
Even if I accepted your premise that Israel is deliberately killing innocent people - and be clear I do not - they are not remotely coming close to killing enough of them for it to be a genocide.
There is simply no "systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group" here.
Words mean things.
Of course, to simplistic, uninformed oppressor-oppressed leftist ideologues like yourself, facts and truth don’t matter; all that matters is your leftist narrative.
Have a great life.
Facts do matter and words do mean things. For example Netanyahu has been saying Iran is months away from a nuke for over 30 years. That’s not true, as evidence by the fact that in that time span they never achieved nuclear capabilities and while there are 360 months in 30 years, that’s not what “months away” means.
I’m not a leftist, but even if I was that wouldn’t make my argument less true. Not sure how I would be both the oppressor and the oppressed but have a good inclination that in not either of those. I have no narrative. If credible reports came out that Israel was only even acting in self defense I would change my stance. It’s curious why you have to resort to ad hominem attacks, given it’s the most popular logically fallacy people resort to when they can’t effectively counter the substance of an argument.
UN commission found Israel is committing genocide. Reports on the ground verify they are intentionally starving Palestinians blocking aid, and intentionally bombing innocent people. This doesn’t mean all Israelis or Jews are bad people or deserved to die.
I don’t understand your argument. Also, I suggest you proofread before you post.