Doing The Hard Thing: Staying Positive & Taking Action When The World Has Gone Mad
It’s been a few weeks since the horrifying Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I stress, horrifying, as we watch the GoPro videos of Hamas terrorists going door to door killing civilians. The interviews of captured terrorists talking about killing children and the rape of women like they are buying groceries. Talk about the banality of evil. I mean these terrorists killed little helpless children and babies. That can never be justified by anyone or any cause. October 7th is Israel’s 9/11 but population wise, it’s proportional to the USA losing 40-50,000 people.
But what has been extra horrifying is the response by crowds of ignorant college students and people across the West, protesting and justifying these atrocities. Blaming Israel and showing their anti-semitism. As usual the extremists on the brain dead left and right have shown their true colors.
And then we go to social media and the level of insane stupidity is on another level. I think we have our answer on whether social media has been a positive or negative to society. Overall, probably a negative. It’s easy to lose hope in the state of the West and humanity when you wade through the cesspool of commentary here.
I admit I was in a strange state for 2-3 weeks after, between a funk of depression and pure rage at the senseless attack, the rising anti semitism as well as the pure stupidity and ignorance of the pro-Palestinian students who wander around blaming the victim.
I don’t not want to see Palestinian civilians killed by the Israel Defense Forces but I certainly think Hamas leadership and militants are fair game. These animals should be hunted to the ends of the earth. Nothing justifies what they have done on October 7th. This is the behavior of rabid beasts, not civilized humans.
My sense however is that this may be the straw that breaks all of our brains. Our brains were already overwhelmed and this is how the system/elites or matrix or whatever you choose to call it wants it. Confused, angry, divided and feeling helpless.
Our first instinct is to go tribal, focus on your family, get supplies and arm up. At least this was mine and it’s actually what I did. But since Covid and the Russian invasion of UKraine, I realized the best way to move forward is taking action.
One: I’ve donated to the International Rescue Committee (https://www.rescue.org/) and World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org/) which are important organizations helping refugees and victims of war and natural disasters.
Two: I’ve tried to learn more about the background of conflict so I won't be swayed by the mass disinformation out there.
Three: I think like a good venture capitalist investor and look at the long term possible solution to this crisis. Initiatives like the one Dror Peleg proposes is a good start. The Old New Fellowship, a venture approach to peace:
https://www.drorpoleg.com/a-venture-approach-to-peace/. As is Noah Smith’s idea here for economic development in Gaza after the conflict: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/economic-possibilities-for-gaza
Sitting around doing nothing, moping or even worse complaining, helps no one. If we want to make the situation better we have to take real action, even if they are small steps. We are entering a new world of disorder as Pax Americana is ending and we go toward a multipolar world. So every little bit we can do to make things better for our fellow man and woman is needed right now.