19 Comments
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Gary Belsky's avatar

Powerful

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Doug Iliff's avatar

Love you, Russ. We’re with you. Most of us.

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Ali Rahnamae's avatar

It is disheartening that you cannot even imagine a world where Gaza no longer suffers, no longer being described as the largest open-air prison or, as Joseph Borll put it, the largest graveyard in the world. This shocking lack of empathy towards people living so close to you is the root cause of all your miseries, particularly the one that exposes your regime so blatantly that it led to the grounding of an Iranian diplomatic premise. Despite this rogue action, you believe that you should not bear the consequences. You are truly different!

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Russ Roberts's avatar

Not to worry, Ali. Read my other posts here or listen to 10+ hours of EconTalk episodes I've hosted on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. I think you'll find the empathy from me that you long for. You'll learn that I mourn the deaths of innocent Gazans. And you'll discover that I very much hope for a post-war Gaza that is free of Hamas, free of Jew-hatred and a place where future generations of Gazans will have the chance to flourish. I hope we're on the same side.

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Ali Rahnamae's avatar

I appreciate your perspective, and I apologize if I misjudged you. After listening to some of your podcasts, I sensed that you have an understanding of the suffering experienced by Gazans. Therefore, I was surprised when I read your post here.

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Subaru Bill's avatar

If we consider Israel to be a busy beehive, why do people keep attacking the beehive and not expect the bees to defend their hive? Would the bee attackers not be held responsible for the stinging they inspired on themselves and those around them? It is against Nature itself to demand that the bees not sting their attackers. We know more attackers will come when the buzz subsides. So the bees will keep busy building themselves up to defend themselves again. So if you dont want to be stung, stop pestering the bees, and keep a vigilant eye on those who would.

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anzabannanna's avatar

Is your opening line rhetorical, or genuinely sincere? Because if sincere, it might be a rather unpleasant undertaking....and, it would be a very good opportunity to analyze the propaganda and psychological techniques involved in such discussions that cause the problems to persist indefinitely.

Maybe this is why such conversations are typically held in controlled, suboptimal settings.

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Subaru Bill's avatar

Its poetry. Glad you were touched

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anzabannanna's avatar

This is a rather interesting reply, it is written as if my comment contains something other than it does.

Have you any theories to explain this strange situation?

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Subaru Bill's avatar

I cannot control others perceptions, only my own responses. Nor do I require others to control mine.

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John Sweeney's avatar

Hang in there. Hang tough, too.

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Stephen's avatar

I'm glad to hear that your family continues to be safe. This is OT, but I'd also like to express my gratitude for your work, especially EconTalk and your novels. When I was a recovering social democrat trying to understand why interventionist policies always backfired with bad consequences for people, the economic clarity I gained later began with your voice.

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Herbert Jacobi's avatar

Of course the problem with listening to the Sirens is they can lead you to dash your ship on the rocky cliffs of their homeland. And even if you avoid that it is a narrow course between the the rock of Scylla and the whirlpool of Charybdis.

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Brenda Yablon's avatar

You were lying in bed, not laying in bed.

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Russ Roberts's avatar

Fixed. Thank you.

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Marc Gunther's avatar

Chag sameach, Russ. Wishing you and your family a peaceful Passover.

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anzabannanna's avatar

Can you imagine a world where you wonder what is actually true, and actually optimal gameplay?

Don't forget: Karma (cause and effect) is a real phenomenon.

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Matthew Kuipers's avatar

truly a frightful situation - heartfelt sympathies - but shame about Bibi leading an ant death cycle

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Karen Grubaugh's avatar

I read Russ’s X-Tweet from the stairwell. I am filled with joy to read the rest of the story. Thank you.

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