Weekly Signals - Nov 27, 2023
The "Human Social Practice Of War" Edition
Three Articles
The One State Delusion - The Atlantic
Azizi accurately writes, “Neither Israelis nor Palestinians are going anywhere, and neither will give up their national identity. Those who truly want peace and justice in the Holy Land should start by recognizing this reality.” The crux lies in a reliable, reality-based partner on both sides of the negotiating table. Hamas, as a terrorist org, is a non-starter, and the PA is feckless. Were it not for this war, Netanyahu would be/ still is questioned by most Israelis as reliable.
Grokking The History of Antiquity - Brad DeLong
Speaking of war, and the warrior ethos, we’ve glorified them, but do we actually want to be like Spartans? DeLong, who wrote the newly-seminal book Slouching Towards Utopia, makes a compelling case that emulating Leonidas and his crew of 300 is hazardous for our society.
Youth Participation In Sports - The Aspen Institute/Project Play
Speaking of warrior themes and memes in society, this is a concerning report on the “state of play” within youth sports. You wouldn’t know it here in Texas, as we seem to fight against the profligate spending of time and money associated with club sports, but apparently the rest of the U.S. doesn’t worship at the altar of David Wooderson. Alright, alright, alright.
One Question (or more)
Do you have a favorite war movie/series? (Mine is Band of Brothers). Why is it your favorite? What about it do you admire? What about it can you honestly say you romanticize about the characters and/or situation, even amidst the horrors of war?
One Person To Follow
Sahil Bloom might be the most intellectually curious and generous person I’ve come in contact with. After one newsletter, I was totally hooked. His X profile is a must-follow, as well.