This week I opened up the phone lines and did a call in show. We had friend of the show Jon Gold call in to discuss the recent attacks on Ilhan Omar and the continued exploitation of 9/11 trauma. Jon talked about the recent spate of politicians and media figures invoking 9/11 and the “Never Forget” mantra to score political points. Later Kai called in to talk about the political situation in Sudan. We discussed the recent coup which has removed long time leader Omar al- Bashir, and the grassroots protest movement that fomented this change. Kai and I touched on the lack of overt western interference in Sudan and speculated on what this may mean. We also touched on the politics of water and the importance of the Nile River. Kai also talked about the background role that Israel and the Gulf are playing in Sudan.
Friend of show JG Michael of Parallax Views also called in to discuss Julian Assange and the strange media fascination with the Notre Dame fire. JG and I touched on why we dislike Assange but also fear the repercussions of extraditing him and the threat to journalism that it poses. I rounded out the show by talking with listener Thor in Switzerland. We discussed the role that private finance and corporations are playing in Africa and the negative effect they can have. Thor and I also touched on the concept of micro-financing. I finish the show by answering some listener questions from good friend of the show Curtis.
This week I am joined by Yuval Laor of the Open Minds Foundation, and one of my co-hosts for Open Minds On Air. We discuss the neoconservative movement, the exploitation of trauma, and Israel. Yuval and I start off the conversation with the breaking news that Donald Trump has decided to pull the US out the Iran Nuclear Deal. We talk about what this means for America and the prospect of war with Iran. Yuval gives us his perspective of this as an Israeli-American, and how the public within Israel is reacting to the news. Yuval and I then shift into the neocons who are obviously happy with Trump’s latest pronouncement. We look at their belief system and the psychology of the movement by using Israel as a template. Yuval talks about the continual use and exploitation of the holocaust and the trauma of it with in Israel. He discusses how this has manipulated Israeli society on a psychological level to the point where they view the Holocaust as constantly being right around the corner. We talk about the way that the Israeli state continually traumatizes its youth with regards to the Holocaust. Yuval and I then break down how this is the same method by which the neocons have sought to manipulate people here in the United States.
Later Yuval and I talk about the power of awe and fervor. Again using Israel as an example we talk about “Jerusalem Syndrome” and how it works on people who are not even religious. Yuval talks about John Kerry’s awe moment at Masada as well. We then shift into high fervor people and their inability to view the world outside of a good vs. evil black and white mentality. Yuval explains how the neocons have psychologically fallen into this mindset, and the ways in which it has effected their views on foreign policy. We also address whether neoconservationism is a cult group or a secret society. We also touch on Trump’s psychology and why he is so susceptible to manipulation, particularly by the neocons. Yuval also discusses the concept of a thought-terminating cliché. Yuval then closes out the episode with a very appropriate joke.
Porkins Policy Review 