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> Can someone elucidate the power networks involved here? Major players, regarding the Gaza/Hamas issue: - Harvard itself. The administration, not the faculty

> Can someone elucidate the power networks involved here? Major players, regarding the Gaza/Hamas issue: - Harvard itself. The administration, not the faculty or students. - The US Eastern Establishment, the Ivy League and its graduates. They once ran the US, and still run finance, but are less influential politically than a few decades ago. - The Netanyahu faction in Israel. Understanding this requires more info about Israeli politics than is worth posting here. Wikipedia has a summary.[1] There are a huge number of factions. Netanyahu leads a coalition. The coalition seems to need an enemy to hold it together. - MAGA. "Project 2025" is the MAGA playbook. Despite some denials, the Trump administration has mostly been following that playbook. - Israel's lobby in the US, starting with AIPAC. American Jews as a group average left of center, but the Israel lobby is hard-right. - Major donors to Harvard. Some are closely associated with the Israel lobby and vocal about it. Others aren't. - The US courts. Anyone can bring a case to court, and courts have to do something about it. - Trump. Minor players: - Fox News. 23 of Trump's appointees came from Fox News. The MAGA base listens to Fox News. - The United Nations. Provides some aid, but hasn't been able to do more than that. - US Congress. Has the real power, but is too divided to do anything with it. - Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. They're the ones most affected, but lack any real power at this point. It's not even suggested that they be represented in international meetings. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Israel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Israel

intended 1y ago
Fox and the rest of the media network is the main player. They spend the energy required to present an alternative reality for their base, and have insulated their viewers from any discussion on a shared common reality. Furthermore, they are effectively part of the Republican Party. So they create and maintain a political reality which is purpose built to achieve political goals. The underlying assumption of western liberal democracies is that participants can figure things out together. You cannot figure things out when you have one side intentionally creating alternate narratives to stymie conversation and debate, to shore up negotiating power for the leaders of their bloc.

intended 1y ago

Fox and the rest of the media network is the main player. They spend the energy required to present an alternative reality for their base, and have insulated their viewers from any discussion on a shared common reality. Furthermore, they are effectively part of the Republican Party. So they create and maintain a political reality which is purpose built to achieve political goals. The underlying assumption of western liberal democracies is that participants can figure things out together. You cannot figure things out when you have one side intentionally creating alternate narratives to stymie conversation and debate, to shore up negotiating power for the leaders of their bloc.