Antisemitism kept Jews fighting back

TIny caught in the magic albedo of early-morning light reflected off the kitchen window back to the entry of The Little House built by Tuck way back when for the feral beauty who would become the Mother of All Chelsea Grays.

"Freud attributed the survival of the Jews not to a special loyalty to God or even faith in God (Jews are like everyone else -- they have good days and bad days in the faith department), but rather, to antisemitism, which kept Jews fighting back. Being in a never ending opposition to European cultural, religious and social realities kept the Jews 'in shape,'" say Sigmund, Carl and Alfred in their tour de force blogpost "America, Europe, The Pope and De Tocqueville." Their argument about keeping the Jews in shape calls to mind our own post last year about how constant opposition within academia and the media has kept right-of-center thinkers in fighting form:

Leftists have become soft and flabby in their thinking over the last 20, 30 or more years because their fellow travelers in the mainstream media -- supposed to be keeping them honest -- have been giving them a free ride, even as thinkers of the right, not enjoying such reflexive support, have been honing our debating and intellectual survival skills. That leaves the left soft and lazy and the right battle ready.  Enter the bloggers, stage right.  As paleontologist Dr. Vermeij might say, "It isn't going to be pretty."

One small quibble with Sigmund, Carl and Alfred's otherwise totally awesome [We're from Boston, so we're allowed to say that] argument, as we said in their comments: Instead of the over-used, fading-rose, Belle-of-the-Ball simile to characterize postmodern Europe, how about the more topical manliness simile -- think Harvey Mansfield -- of the man of un certain age buying a sports car and acquiring a trophy wife in a last-gasp effort to display his plummage in the dying light? All's fair. That said [as they say -- we despise the expression], we totally agree with SCA's bottom line:

American leaders always invoke God's name -- God Bless America, they say. To be sure, that blessing will come to pass only if we deserve that blessing -- and that has nothing to do with faith. That has to do with values.

As we wrote here the other day, It doesn't require religious faith to believe in something worth fighting for.

Update:  Siggy & Co. in the comments reveal what comes to mind:

Today, as I noted in a post, simply having an opinion is reason enough to assume that opinion is credible. This is what passes for critical thinking today. Clearly, there is too much flab . . .

As for your critique, I responded as follows: "Fair enough, Sissy -- and in fact, maybe even more accurate. European desperation to regain credibility is akin to the drive that keeps hair transplant surgeons in business."

Needless to say, I will now be getting hate mail from barbers.

Googling for a link to Cy Sperling -- founder of the Hair Club for Men -- for a suitable rejoinder, we stumbled upon Dr. Zhao, "the Cy Sperling of the East":

In a country where baldness is considered unsightly and associated with disease, Dr. Zhao has developed a cult-like reputation as a healer, and today China's bald and balding men and women had lined up to have this Shaman comb through their ailing locks . . .

The next frontier: the U.S.A. where he'll open up a store in Los Angeles as soon as he gets FDA approval.

Ah, globalization. European desperation to regain credibility is akin to the drive that keeps a Chinese snake-oil salesman in business?

Comments

[goomp]

While the majority of us are not Jewish, we still have the anti-western culture advocates to keep us on our toes and ready for combat.

[sigmund, carl and alfred]

"Leftists have become soft and flabby in their thinking over the last 20, 30 or more years"

Brilliant observation. Today, as I noted in a post, simply having an opinion is reason enough to assume that opinion is credible. This is what passes for critical thinking today. Clearly, there is too much flab.

I spent time in your fair town- and loved it. That said, the bastards at the used and rare bookstores just about cleaned me out.

As for your critique, I responded as follows: "Fair enough, Sissy- and in fact, maybe even more accurate. European desperation to regain credibility is akin to the drive that keeps hair transplant surgeons in business."

Needless to say, I will now be getting hate mail from barbers.

[Richard Lawrence Cohen]

The survival of the Jewish people is, as far as I know, the clearest example of a miracle in human history. Which does not, by the way, invalidate Freud's observation.

[Scott]

What a beauty Tiny is.