4 ms·

What happened when an anti-Semite found he was Jewish?

17 points by anishkothari 11y ago

DiabloD3 11y ago
Hating others because of what they are or choose to believe is a waste of time if they are not harming you or others. People who find refuge in hate are small minded people. They are inefficient with their time and energy, they are far from rational.
- davemel37 11y ago
  Hating others Is a waste of time. It doesn't matter the reason.
- jwise0 11y ago
  I think the point of this article is precisely the opposite. Writing off people who "find refuge in hate" as being "small-minded" is an easy temptation to give into. But, the subject of the article I think provides a very effective refutation of that. I don't know anything of the article's subject beyond what is written about him in this very article, but I imagine that he was raised into anti-Jewish sentiment, or grew up in an environment filled with it; that's the usual origin story for people who join hate movements, anyway. I liken a hate movement as being more akin to a cult. Cult leaders, we can surely condemn; but is it really reasonable to permanently write someone off who's been indoctrinated from birth as being "small-minded"? Societal pressures are very powerful things.
  - kefka 11y ago
    That's because cults are this weird thing in that someone has "salvation" or knows the secrets of "the universe". People get suckered in and empty their pocketbooks and life into someone/thing they hope is for real. Hate movements are altogether a different thing. People usually start as individuals and then coalesce around the existing idea of "hate (insert unchangeable noun)". And then their meeting then induces even further bouts of rage with hate feeding on hate. And yes, it is small mindedness. They can analyze why they hate when they choose. They do not. Cult group people are victims of extreme deceit, lying, and eventual control of their livelihood. At the endgame of a cult, the leader has near full control over everything: family, property, money.
  - mreiland 11y ago
    Does it really matter why they're so hateful? Maybe it's understandable, and maybe you can have empathy for the person, but whether they're indoctrinated or chose it, their actions, and their results, remain largely the same.
  - hueving 11y ago
    >but is it really reasonable to permanently write someone off who's been indoctrinated from birth as being "small-minded" Yes, they are still small-minded even if it was a result of the indoctrination.
a8da6b0c91d 11y ago
What happened when the Jew found he was an anti-Semite? http://brothernathanaelfoundation.org/ http://brothernathanaelfoundation.org/
mreiland 11y ago
imo this just screams unintelligent person. Ok, fine, you hate jews, whatever, that's your opinion. But then you find out you're atleast partly jewish so you go whole hog into the jewish culture instead, and we're supposed to celebrate this? how about thinking for yourself and not basing your thoughts and beliefs on who you think your ancestors were?
- ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
  Though I suppose if you take your position to its logical extreme, everyone who is Jewish should question their Judaism, since its dependent on who your ancestors (specifically your female ancestors) were.
  - viraptor 11y ago
    Is this really extreme? Relatively recently we managed to get rid of the idea that you should be a ruler of a country if your parents were rulers. Slightly later the idea that you should be stuck in the class you were born with. My generation got the idea that they don't have to be Christian just because ~99% of previous generation in the country declared themselves as such. I'd be very happy if people made such choices on their own and questioned traditions in a logical and considerate way.
    - ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
      The thing is, encouraging people to question their Jewishness just because of happenstance of who their mom was, is going to be interpreted as anti-semitic.
      - viraptor 11y ago
        Sure, but everything can be interpreted as pro/anti-semitic if it happens to affect Jews. I think this question becomes more logical and less emotional if you ask this about a made up group: Joesons say that if your father was named Joe you belong to this group by default and whatever rules the group has written down apply to you and you should follow them. You'll be judged by them as a bad person if you don't. If you question your belonging to Joesons it will be interpreted as anti-joesonic. Does it bother you that's you're labeled anti-joesonic in that case? Why would the situation be different for anti-semitic? Because of current number of Jews? Their history? Other reasons?
skj 11y ago
Members of these hate groups seem to have a profound lack of empathy for anyone not in whatever division they've decided was important. I still think this guy lacks empathy. He was just literally put in the shoes of his targets: something most people can do without quite so big a shove.
eranation 11y ago
Well, intelligent or not, I did like this quote of his: "Anti-Semitism doesn't need Jews, because its based on false premises. It is the projection of one's own fears, and lack of self esteem". Sadly, hate for a group of people is one of the oldest tricks in the book to get support from people, especially people who are having hard times.
daily_dose 11y ago
Gotta have a quality off topic useless article on the front page at all times. Hacker News living up to their SJW reputation as always. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdbkvJznmwU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdbkvJznmwU LOL!

17 points by anishkothari 11y ago

Hating others because of what they are or choose to believe is a waste of time if they are not harming you or others. People who find refuge in hate are small minded people. They are inefficient with their time and energy, they are far from rational.

davemel37 11y ago
Hating others Is a waste of time. It doesn't matter the reason.
jwise0 11y ago
I think the point of this article is precisely the opposite. Writing off people who "find refuge in hate" as being "small-minded" is an easy temptation to give into. But, the subject of the article I think provides a very effective refutation of that. I don't know anything of the article's subject beyond what is written about him in this very article, but I imagine that he was raised into anti-Jewish sentiment, or grew up in an environment filled with it; that's the usual origin story for people who join hate movements, anyway. I liken a hate movement as being more akin to a cult. Cult leaders, we can surely condemn; but is it really reasonable to permanently write someone off who's been indoctrinated from birth as being "small-minded"? Societal pressures are very powerful things.
- kefka 11y ago
  That's because cults are this weird thing in that someone has "salvation" or knows the secrets of "the universe". People get suckered in and empty their pocketbooks and life into someone/thing they hope is for real. Hate movements are altogether a different thing. People usually start as individuals and then coalesce around the existing idea of "hate (insert unchangeable noun)". And then their meeting then induces even further bouts of rage with hate feeding on hate. And yes, it is small mindedness. They can analyze why they hate when they choose. They do not. Cult group people are victims of extreme deceit, lying, and eventual control of their livelihood. At the endgame of a cult, the leader has near full control over everything: family, property, money.
- mreiland 11y ago
  Does it really matter why they're so hateful? Maybe it's understandable, and maybe you can have empathy for the person, but whether they're indoctrinated or chose it, their actions, and their results, remain largely the same.
- hueving 11y ago
  >but is it really reasonable to permanently write someone off who's been indoctrinated from birth as being "small-minded" Yes, they are still small-minded even if it was a result of the indoctrination.

a8da6b0c91d 11y ago

What happened when the Jew found he was an anti-Semite? http://brothernathanaelfoundation.org/ http://brothernathanaelfoundation.org/

mreiland 11y ago

imo this just screams unintelligent person. Ok, fine, you hate jews, whatever, that's your opinion. But then you find out you're atleast partly jewish so you go whole hog into the jewish culture instead, and we're supposed to celebrate this? how about thinking for yourself and not basing your thoughts and beliefs on who you think your ancestors were?

ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
Though I suppose if you take your position to its logical extreme, everyone who is Jewish should question their Judaism, since its dependent on who your ancestors (specifically your female ancestors) were.
- viraptor 11y ago
  Is this really extreme? Relatively recently we managed to get rid of the idea that you should be a ruler of a country if your parents were rulers. Slightly later the idea that you should be stuck in the class you were born with. My generation got the idea that they don't have to be Christian just because ~99% of previous generation in the country declared themselves as such. I'd be very happy if people made such choices on their own and questioned traditions in a logical and considerate way.
  - ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
    The thing is, encouraging people to question their Jewishness just because of happenstance of who their mom was, is going to be interpreted as anti-semitic.
    - viraptor 11y ago
      Sure, but everything can be interpreted as pro/anti-semitic if it happens to affect Jews. I think this question becomes more logical and less emotional if you ask this about a made up group: Joesons say that if your father was named Joe you belong to this group by default and whatever rules the group has written down apply to you and you should follow them. You'll be judged by them as a bad person if you don't. If you question your belonging to Joesons it will be interpreted as anti-joesonic. Does it bother you that's you're labeled anti-joesonic in that case? Why would the situation be different for anti-semitic? Because of current number of Jews? Their history? Other reasons?

skj 11y ago

Members of these hate groups seem to have a profound lack of empathy for anyone not in whatever division they've decided was important. I still think this guy lacks empathy. He was just literally put in the shoes of his targets: something most people can do without quite so big a shove.

eranation 11y ago

Well, intelligent or not, I did like this quote of his: "Anti-Semitism doesn't need Jews, because its based on false premises. It is the projection of one's own fears, and lack of self esteem". Sadly, hate for a group of people is one of the oldest tricks in the book to get support from people, especially people who are having hard times.

daily_dose 11y ago

Gotta have a quality off topic useless article on the front page at all times. Hacker News living up to their SJW reputation as always. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdbkvJznmwU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdbkvJznmwU LOL!