FAR MORE THAN OVERT “JEW-HATRED,” UNCONSCIOUS BIASES HAVE THE POWER TO INFECT SOCIETY. AND WE DON’T EVEN HAVE A TERM FOR THE PHENOMENON. THAT’S A PROBLEM.
Right. I'm always relieved (and devastated) when someone I thought was a friend says something unequivocally antisemitic because the ambiguity is gone, now I know who I'm dealing with, now I know how they felt about me every time they expressed love or support. I recognize people can be of two minds, people can be torn, that one can believe or feel two contradictory things simultaneously, that they might have sincerely loved at the same time that they sincerely loathed. But I also know that when push comes to shove, they will require that I renounce who I am for the relationship to continue, and I know this because it's happened more than once. My father always said the polite antisemites are the worst, and he was right, because you've wasted time, energy, and emotions on them, because you trusted them, because they pretended even to themselves that they are not who they are.
And if you call them on it, they always blame it on you. And then you just have to thank them for the confirmation.
This is not just the antisemitism of non-Jews. Many if not most Jews have also absorbed the antisemitism that is foundational to our society and they will require you to renounce or hide your Jewishness more than anyone, for fear that you might make things tough for them. At the very least, they will tell you that they never see antisemitism, never encounter it, that it's all in your head, and by the way, Israel is an evil, evil country and antizionism and antisemitism have nothing to do with each other. They are the opposite of allies.
The long-term effect of this is caustic because you start to assume that everyone secretly hates you, and that it's only a matter of time before they show you.
You have hit so many nails on the head. Certainly I have reached a point where I assume people are bigoted toward Jews until they prove to me that they are not. And they rarely do.
Yes I have several people who I thought were good friends of many decades. But they have shown themselves to be antisemitic. It’s painful but better to know.
Absolutely right. But beyond even that, the next level of bias against Jews is the anti-Israel bias. Many (maybe even you) have already noted the way anti-Israel sentiment is the newest expression of antisemitism, in effect “justice-washing” Jew-hate in the cloak of human rights, turning Israel into “the Jew among nations”. Not only is this an easy hop, skip and a jump from the inherited secular-Christian bias, but it’s been actively cultivated by Middle East Nazism (itself exported by the Nazis in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s!) and swallowed whole by media and academia. I believe even my progressive, human-rights-loving friends, who have known and loved me for decades, believe the inversions, ahistoricism and invented narrative they read because they come from “trusted” sources. I fear I’m seen as “the good Jew.” That is what is most dangerous now, and most heartbreaking. Personally, I’m reading and learning and working up the knowledge and courage to begin confronting and teaching them the truth. Please keep the insight and information coming - we have a lot of work to do!
The unconscious bias and the unwillingness to examine it IS the problem. Why is it that the SJW’s of the Western world are willing to examine every other bias but this one?
You perfectly describe the “invisible ink” of antisemitism. As the activist Elica LeBon describes it “ you don’t see it, but once you do, you can’t unsee it.”
A rabbi friend of mine refers to this deeply embedded bias as “anti-Jewish contempt” instead of antisemitism. She says, as you do, that it is entrenched in our culture.
What hurts so much is the silence. Not one of my gentile friends or acquaintances reached out after October 7 to offer a kind word.
Even worse were the carelessly glib comments like: “Why are you so upset? Your people have seen off your enemies for thousands of years.” Or “Even if Israel does destroy Hamas, another terrorist group will take their place.” Thanks a lot for your comforting words!
I suppose someone who has never faced persecution, overt hatred and the threat of annihilation can’t relate to those who have. But the indifference, or the thoughtless, insensitive remarks are painful and there’s nothing one can say to counter them without being accused of overreacting.
Doug -- you are the first Jew I've heard say this. What circles do you run in? Who are these awesome people around you? (I'm not being facetious. I'm genuinely asking. Are your friends evangelicals? Your experience is unique in my hearing.)
Well I'll tell you. Virtually all of them are what you would call conservative. Many are serious Christians. We recently moved from a very Jewish area in Queens NYC to a not very Jewish area in central Texas. I have found the people here to be overwhelmingly supportive. I think a lot of people who live among "progressives" think this is a majority view. Its not. Here is a text I got from one of my friends here in Georgetown on Thursday night as the attack started:
"I won’t post things on Facebook but want you to know that Peg and I stand behind Israel and the preemptive strikes they carried out. I have always felt that Israel is a bad ass nation and don’t blame them for looking out for themselves. Peg’s sister is married to a Jewish man and has converted to that faith but they don’t stand with Israel. Take care of yourself there in New York and hope if you have relatives in Israel they stay safe."
One of the tragic ironies in these responses is that antisemitism and unconscious bias is blinding people from seeing that the threat to the Jews is also a threat to the free world--namely to them themselves.
Exactly. It's the implicit bias that so many know they have and try to be conscious of about race i.e., skin color, and have not a clue they have the same implicit bias when it comes to Jews. I live in the SF Bay Area, ground zero for 'progressive' antisemitism. Many relationships have been damaged or completely lost. In my monthly women's group this month, a friend was concerned and even rubbed my back to help me feel better after I talked about feeling isolated with all the antisemitism r/t the war. In the same conversation, she had just said "The IDF is bombing children!" I replied that children are killed in wars. As awful as that is, the IDF is not bombing children. She hadn't a clue what she's saying and believing is what contributes to the feelings of isolation.
I’m also someone who prefers to use “Jew hatred” rather than “antisemitism.”
This post touches on something I’ve been thinking about but haven’t found the right word for — a way to describe people who hold anti-Israel views, not out of overt hatred of Jews, but because of the biased information they’re exposed to without realizing it. When someone gets all their news from just a few outlets like the CBC and the Globe and Mail, for example, it’s not surprising that they’d develop a negative view of Israel. But what do we call that phenomenon?
Maybe one of the problems is that attitudes toward Jews are so complex and varied that no single term captures it. But that is a symptom of a problem that is, again, almost impossible to confront.
Don't let anti-Jewish bigots off the hook because of their news source. People choose their news sources and avoid those that they don't already agree with. We believe some things and are sure that other things are lies or errors based on whether we WANT them to be true. And the want to is called free will.
Maybe that's the term your looking for a bigot is not necessarily hateful, but predisposed to believe the worst about you and prone to seek out other who agree.
yup, when it's subtle (not overt) it's like that leeetle seam in yer jeans openin' up, showin' a bit of skin... if not soon mended (can we do it?) we see the troo ass peekin' out! Zo, we left NewYawkShitty when it got...wull...shitty...MyGrunts, homless violent subway criminals, parks, travel, life unsafe fer my girls an'... the "shitty" part is wull-deserved havin' seen BOTH MyGrunts & Homeless annoint streets & benches which ain't purdy. An' now livin' "where there ain't no gefilte aisle" in the groceries I'm careful an' am only "out" on substack as many folks here-bouts ain't never met a joo.... an' some that have an' think themselfs "worldly" hold some interestin' bi-asses!
Meetin' with some homeskool mamas whilst the kiddos were all in co-op one had indulged herself with a visit ta the "shitty" an' went ta (ssssshhhh) the diamond district. She showed off a purchase decoratin' a finger an' added "14K...at least they told me...it was such a good price...but of course I DO hope it is gold...you know, given WHO sold it to me" an' the other moms all knowin'ly nodded-- So of course, we chews are "cheaters" an' would rip off WHO?...anyone? "goyim" (who are not cattle I'm SO tahrd of folks sayin' we say this....), folks that ain't good customers? WHY is it assumed that these sellers ain't honest an' just don't have a yuge markup as they fabricate the stuff THEMSELFS an' don't need a middle man?
An'nuther recent homeskool mama's meetin' one mentioned bein' invited to a "mitzvah" (meanin' bar or bas....) at a country club somewhere outside'a our rural environs an' she relayed how there wuz "so much food--but OF COURSE there WOULD BE" an' that when her daughter picked out way more french fries than she could eat an' fretted about wastin' it--ain't that sweet her daughter is so mindful--this mama relayed that she told her, "Oh don't worry about wasting at an event LIKE THIS as there's always WAY too much an' nobody will care or notice." So.... I oft call us chews fer many reasons includin' that we DO enjoy fressin' an' good eats AND perhaps....we'd ruther havin' too much than too little when we celebrate. A crime? But wasteful? That'd be a bi-ass too. I grew up with my bubbe who saved (I'm so sorry ta share this) RUBBER BANDS (always re-used), string (all bits over 12" were fair game), used wrappin' paper (she'd remove the tape), plastic bags (if not dirty), an' "Suceral" packets from when... the 1960's? 70's? long banned by the FDA. Why? She'd remind me she'd lived thru two world wars! Like Scarlet O'Hara (which jew wrote that line?), she'd "Never go hungry again!" (nor be without a rubber band when rubber gits rationed lol).
So two bi-asses are "cheatin' / dishonesty" an' "over indulgence / wastefulness"...
Fergawdsakes laydeez--enjoy yer 'effin' gold ring, enjoy the fries...be GLAD ya gotta bargain & an invite (lol)....
It's hard to read you but it's always worth it! You make great points.
Listening to the comments reminds me of when gays were closeted and real careful who they talked to, had to laugh at gay jokes, even told a few to throw people off the trail.
shucks an' thanks fer sloggin' thru 'em... read some Al Capp (Lil' Abner) ta sharpen yer vernacular-readin' chops!
an' yup....there's a whole secret gay lingo called polari, created in the UK just fer self-protection--I had friends that tried ta learn it fer fun, heard it was quite colorful! Thank goodness we're past that but I'mma longtime fan of colloquialisms, funny euphemisms, slang (not cursin' per say but amusin' lingo) an' other such!
Even conversion wasn't an effective shield against antisemitism, as Jews who converted were always eyed with suspicion as not having been sincere, and in fact some were merely acquiescing in hope of being left alone instead of being forced into exile or killed. Portugal's national dish of pork and clams was developed as a means of testing the sincerity of Jews who converted to Catholicism and the Nazis' race laws looked at a person's ancestry. A single Jewish grandparent was enough to doom you to death. Benjamin Disraeli was mocked by some political opponents for his Jewish ancestry.
Excellent essay, Pat. Unconscious biases are, indeed, all around us. But like all stereotypes, they are based on elements of truth. When it comes to Jews, however, there is little recognition of where these stereorypes come from. For example, because of discrimination, Jews were restricted from many professions, and allowed to engage only in limitee activities, such as in financial services. So, not being able to do other things, they have become good at what they could do. They also had to study and work harder than the mainstream groups and achieve higher results, simply to be treated the same. But then our unconcious biases turn this into a fairytale of some domination conspiracy and a reason to drive hatred.
I’m working on a piece about how Jews have historically been forced into particular situations and then condemned for responding as necessary to that situation. For example, today, Israel is condemned for being militaristic. Which is a polite, pacifist way of saying we don’t like it when Jews refuse to go to slaughter like sheep.
I disagree with your premise because it indulges the double standards of the progressives; where implicit bias is considered racism or called white supremacy, but somehow the same kind of implicit, institutionalized bias against Jews doesn’t qualify as antisemitism?
And the double standard itself, according to Natan Sharansky’s definition of antisemitism, also qualifies as antisemitism.
Let’s not give any ground to those who seek to deny antisemitism by every kind of equivocation and through redefinitions of every contortion to claim their prejudice is justified or not real
Oh, I see. OK. Well, you haven't changed my mind. I still don't think the term encompasses the range of phenomena. I think it is easy (and correct) for a lot of people, when accused of antisemitism, to say "But I don't hate Jews" and they don't. But they are not invited to delve deeper into their biases.
Why not just point out the phenomenon of implicit bias, give the example of how racism is now understood and invite them to explore in the same way they do with racism?
You are getting at the distinction between implicit and explicit biases, which has a large literature in psychology that accompanies it. I think the question you raised is even more general. One could, for instance, have negative implicit biases toward Muslims and yet not be fearful of them, so the term Islamophobia would be a misnomer. On the other hand, some negative stereotypes about powerful, insidious Jews might make the term Jewophobia applicable, yet we never use phobia in conjunction with Jews. Antipathy towards Jews is also well-known to be driven by envy, so perhaps Jew-hate is not as appropriate as Jew-envy, yet we hardly ever see the latter term employed. It seems we just don't have a very good lexicon of terms to describe the conceptual space of antipathies between social groups in and across human cultures.
Thank you for the insightful analysis, Pat. I have noticed, in relation to the current war against the regime in Iran, that very few people ask, "how is your family in Israel doing?" It might be that one reason for this is the unconscious bias and brainwashing that conditions people to believe that the suffering of people in Israel is not real or worthy of empathy because somehow they "bring it upon themselves."
Right. I'm always relieved (and devastated) when someone I thought was a friend says something unequivocally antisemitic because the ambiguity is gone, now I know who I'm dealing with, now I know how they felt about me every time they expressed love or support. I recognize people can be of two minds, people can be torn, that one can believe or feel two contradictory things simultaneously, that they might have sincerely loved at the same time that they sincerely loathed. But I also know that when push comes to shove, they will require that I renounce who I am for the relationship to continue, and I know this because it's happened more than once. My father always said the polite antisemites are the worst, and he was right, because you've wasted time, energy, and emotions on them, because you trusted them, because they pretended even to themselves that they are not who they are.
And if you call them on it, they always blame it on you. And then you just have to thank them for the confirmation.
This is not just the antisemitism of non-Jews. Many if not most Jews have also absorbed the antisemitism that is foundational to our society and they will require you to renounce or hide your Jewishness more than anyone, for fear that you might make things tough for them. At the very least, they will tell you that they never see antisemitism, never encounter it, that it's all in your head, and by the way, Israel is an evil, evil country and antizionism and antisemitism have nothing to do with each other. They are the opposite of allies.
The long-term effect of this is caustic because you start to assume that everyone secretly hates you, and that it's only a matter of time before they show you.
You have hit so many nails on the head. Certainly I have reached a point where I assume people are bigoted toward Jews until they prove to me that they are not. And they rarely do.
Wow, Pat. I’m still genuinely shocked that is your experience, and I’m so grateful for your compassion, intelligence, and humanity.
Yes I have several people who I thought were good friends of many decades. But they have shown themselves to be antisemitic. It’s painful but better to know.
Absolutely right. But beyond even that, the next level of bias against Jews is the anti-Israel bias. Many (maybe even you) have already noted the way anti-Israel sentiment is the newest expression of antisemitism, in effect “justice-washing” Jew-hate in the cloak of human rights, turning Israel into “the Jew among nations”. Not only is this an easy hop, skip and a jump from the inherited secular-Christian bias, but it’s been actively cultivated by Middle East Nazism (itself exported by the Nazis in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s!) and swallowed whole by media and academia. I believe even my progressive, human-rights-loving friends, who have known and loved me for decades, believe the inversions, ahistoricism and invented narrative they read because they come from “trusted” sources. I fear I’m seen as “the good Jew.” That is what is most dangerous now, and most heartbreaking. Personally, I’m reading and learning and working up the knowledge and courage to begin confronting and teaching them the truth. Please keep the insight and information coming - we have a lot of work to do!
I'll be writing about this in the coming days. Thanks Suzy.
And what they don't realize when condemning Israel as though that's the source of their Jew hate is that they're blaming the victim, not the bigot.
The unconscious bias and the unwillingness to examine it IS the problem. Why is it that the SJW’s of the Western world are willing to examine every other bias but this one?
You perfectly describe the “invisible ink” of antisemitism. As the activist Elica LeBon describes it “ you don’t see it, but once you do, you can’t unsee it.”
A rabbi friend of mine refers to this deeply embedded bias as “anti-Jewish contempt” instead of antisemitism. She says, as you do, that it is entrenched in our culture.
Like systemic or institutional racism, systemic/institutional antisemitism also exists. Implicit bias.
What hurts so much is the silence. Not one of my gentile friends or acquaintances reached out after October 7 to offer a kind word.
Even worse were the carelessly glib comments like: “Why are you so upset? Your people have seen off your enemies for thousands of years.” Or “Even if Israel does destroy Hamas, another terrorist group will take their place.” Thanks a lot for your comforting words!
I suppose someone who has never faced persecution, overt hatred and the threat of annihilation can’t relate to those who have. But the indifference, or the thoughtless, insensitive remarks are painful and there’s nothing one can say to counter them without being accused of overreacting.
I have had dozens upon dozens of gentiles express support to me.
Doug -- you are the first Jew I've heard say this. What circles do you run in? Who are these awesome people around you? (I'm not being facetious. I'm genuinely asking. Are your friends evangelicals? Your experience is unique in my hearing.)
Well I'll tell you. Virtually all of them are what you would call conservative. Many are serious Christians. We recently moved from a very Jewish area in Queens NYC to a not very Jewish area in central Texas. I have found the people here to be overwhelmingly supportive. I think a lot of people who live among "progressives" think this is a majority view. Its not. Here is a text I got from one of my friends here in Georgetown on Thursday night as the attack started:
"I won’t post things on Facebook but want you to know that Peg and I stand behind Israel and the preemptive strikes they carried out. I have always felt that Israel is a bad ass nation and don’t blame them for looking out for themselves. Peg’s sister is married to a Jewish man and has converted to that faith but they don’t stand with Israel. Take care of yourself there in New York and hope if you have relatives in Israel they stay safe."
Wow! In progressive circles, things are much icier.
Yeah no shit. Broaden your circle.
One of the tragic ironies in these responses is that antisemitism and unconscious bias is blinding people from seeing that the threat to the Jews is also a threat to the free world--namely to them themselves.
Exactly. It's the implicit bias that so many know they have and try to be conscious of about race i.e., skin color, and have not a clue they have the same implicit bias when it comes to Jews. I live in the SF Bay Area, ground zero for 'progressive' antisemitism. Many relationships have been damaged or completely lost. In my monthly women's group this month, a friend was concerned and even rubbed my back to help me feel better after I talked about feeling isolated with all the antisemitism r/t the war. In the same conversation, she had just said "The IDF is bombing children!" I replied that children are killed in wars. As awful as that is, the IDF is not bombing children. She hadn't a clue what she's saying and believing is what contributes to the feelings of isolation.
It's called "institutional antisemtism," - and just like institutional racism, is buried in one's psyche and reinforced by our culture.
I’m also someone who prefers to use “Jew hatred” rather than “antisemitism.”
This post touches on something I’ve been thinking about but haven’t found the right word for — a way to describe people who hold anti-Israel views, not out of overt hatred of Jews, but because of the biased information they’re exposed to without realizing it. When someone gets all their news from just a few outlets like the CBC and the Globe and Mail, for example, it’s not surprising that they’d develop a negative view of Israel. But what do we call that phenomenon?
Maybe one of the problems is that attitudes toward Jews are so complex and varied that no single term captures it. But that is a symptom of a problem that is, again, almost impossible to confront.
Don't let anti-Jewish bigots off the hook because of their news source. People choose their news sources and avoid those that they don't already agree with. We believe some things and are sure that other things are lies or errors based on whether we WANT them to be true. And the want to is called free will.
Maybe that's the term your looking for a bigot is not necessarily hateful, but predisposed to believe the worst about you and prone to seek out other who agree.
Jew hatred. It doesnt matter how it's acquired.
yup, when it's subtle (not overt) it's like that leeetle seam in yer jeans openin' up, showin' a bit of skin... if not soon mended (can we do it?) we see the troo ass peekin' out! Zo, we left NewYawkShitty when it got...wull...shitty...MyGrunts, homless violent subway criminals, parks, travel, life unsafe fer my girls an'... the "shitty" part is wull-deserved havin' seen BOTH MyGrunts & Homeless annoint streets & benches which ain't purdy. An' now livin' "where there ain't no gefilte aisle" in the groceries I'm careful an' am only "out" on substack as many folks here-bouts ain't never met a joo.... an' some that have an' think themselfs "worldly" hold some interestin' bi-asses!
Meetin' with some homeskool mamas whilst the kiddos were all in co-op one had indulged herself with a visit ta the "shitty" an' went ta (ssssshhhh) the diamond district. She showed off a purchase decoratin' a finger an' added "14K...at least they told me...it was such a good price...but of course I DO hope it is gold...you know, given WHO sold it to me" an' the other moms all knowin'ly nodded-- So of course, we chews are "cheaters" an' would rip off WHO?...anyone? "goyim" (who are not cattle I'm SO tahrd of folks sayin' we say this....), folks that ain't good customers? WHY is it assumed that these sellers ain't honest an' just don't have a yuge markup as they fabricate the stuff THEMSELFS an' don't need a middle man?
An'nuther recent homeskool mama's meetin' one mentioned bein' invited to a "mitzvah" (meanin' bar or bas....) at a country club somewhere outside'a our rural environs an' she relayed how there wuz "so much food--but OF COURSE there WOULD BE" an' that when her daughter picked out way more french fries than she could eat an' fretted about wastin' it--ain't that sweet her daughter is so mindful--this mama relayed that she told her, "Oh don't worry about wasting at an event LIKE THIS as there's always WAY too much an' nobody will care or notice." So.... I oft call us chews fer many reasons includin' that we DO enjoy fressin' an' good eats AND perhaps....we'd ruther havin' too much than too little when we celebrate. A crime? But wasteful? That'd be a bi-ass too. I grew up with my bubbe who saved (I'm so sorry ta share this) RUBBER BANDS (always re-used), string (all bits over 12" were fair game), used wrappin' paper (she'd remove the tape), plastic bags (if not dirty), an' "Suceral" packets from when... the 1960's? 70's? long banned by the FDA. Why? She'd remind me she'd lived thru two world wars! Like Scarlet O'Hara (which jew wrote that line?), she'd "Never go hungry again!" (nor be without a rubber band when rubber gits rationed lol).
So two bi-asses are "cheatin' / dishonesty" an' "over indulgence / wastefulness"...
Fergawdsakes laydeez--enjoy yer 'effin' gold ring, enjoy the fries...be GLAD ya gotta bargain & an invite (lol)....
It's hard to read you but it's always worth it! You make great points.
Listening to the comments reminds me of when gays were closeted and real careful who they talked to, had to laugh at gay jokes, even told a few to throw people off the trail.
shucks an' thanks fer sloggin' thru 'em... read some Al Capp (Lil' Abner) ta sharpen yer vernacular-readin' chops!
an' yup....there's a whole secret gay lingo called polari, created in the UK just fer self-protection--I had friends that tried ta learn it fer fun, heard it was quite colorful! Thank goodness we're past that but I'mma longtime fan of colloquialisms, funny euphemisms, slang (not cursin' per say but amusin' lingo) an' other such!
Even conversion wasn't an effective shield against antisemitism, as Jews who converted were always eyed with suspicion as not having been sincere, and in fact some were merely acquiescing in hope of being left alone instead of being forced into exile or killed. Portugal's national dish of pork and clams was developed as a means of testing the sincerity of Jews who converted to Catholicism and the Nazis' race laws looked at a person's ancestry. A single Jewish grandparent was enough to doom you to death. Benjamin Disraeli was mocked by some political opponents for his Jewish ancestry.
Excellent essay, Pat. Unconscious biases are, indeed, all around us. But like all stereotypes, they are based on elements of truth. When it comes to Jews, however, there is little recognition of where these stereorypes come from. For example, because of discrimination, Jews were restricted from many professions, and allowed to engage only in limitee activities, such as in financial services. So, not being able to do other things, they have become good at what they could do. They also had to study and work harder than the mainstream groups and achieve higher results, simply to be treated the same. But then our unconcious biases turn this into a fairytale of some domination conspiracy and a reason to drive hatred.
I’m working on a piece about how Jews have historically been forced into particular situations and then condemned for responding as necessary to that situation. For example, today, Israel is condemned for being militaristic. Which is a polite, pacifist way of saying we don’t like it when Jews refuse to go to slaughter like sheep.
That's another good example of where Jews had to become very good at something to survive oppression and discrimination.
I disagree with your premise because it indulges the double standards of the progressives; where implicit bias is considered racism or called white supremacy, but somehow the same kind of implicit, institutionalized bias against Jews doesn’t qualify as antisemitism?
And the double standard itself, according to Natan Sharansky’s definition of antisemitism, also qualifies as antisemitism.
Let’s not give any ground to those who seek to deny antisemitism by every kind of equivocation and through redefinitions of every contortion to claim their prejudice is justified or not real
I don't understand where we disagree?
That you are saying it needs to be called something other than antisemitism.
Even the smallest‘micro aggression’ is considered racism and white supremacy..
as such, prejudice against jews, whether intentional or unrecognized and subconscious should be called antisemitism
Oh, I see. OK. Well, you haven't changed my mind. I still don't think the term encompasses the range of phenomena. I think it is easy (and correct) for a lot of people, when accused of antisemitism, to say "But I don't hate Jews" and they don't. But they are not invited to delve deeper into their biases.
Why not just point out the phenomenon of implicit bias, give the example of how racism is now understood and invite them to explore in the same way they do with racism?
Why don't you write that Substack and share it here?
You are getting at the distinction between implicit and explicit biases, which has a large literature in psychology that accompanies it. I think the question you raised is even more general. One could, for instance, have negative implicit biases toward Muslims and yet not be fearful of them, so the term Islamophobia would be a misnomer. On the other hand, some negative stereotypes about powerful, insidious Jews might make the term Jewophobia applicable, yet we never use phobia in conjunction with Jews. Antipathy towards Jews is also well-known to be driven by envy, so perhaps Jew-hate is not as appropriate as Jew-envy, yet we hardly ever see the latter term employed. It seems we just don't have a very good lexicon of terms to describe the conceptual space of antipathies between social groups in and across human cultures.
At any rate, a great read, as always.
Thanks David!
Thank you for the insightful analysis, Pat. I have noticed, in relation to the current war against the regime in Iran, that very few people ask, "how is your family in Israel doing?" It might be that one reason for this is the unconscious bias and brainwashing that conditions people to believe that the suffering of people in Israel is not real or worthy of empathy because somehow they "bring it upon themselves."
Exactly. Or worse. They hope for the worst.
I am quite fascinated by this phenomenon. It requires analysis.