Newsletter: Standing for Values and Remaining Active
Don’t Self-Censor or Accept the Unacceptable
This week’s livestream will be tomorrow, Wednesday, August 20th, at 3-4 p.m. EDT. We hope to livestream on YouTube, Substack, Instagram, and perhaps some others! I welcome everyone to tune in with questions and comments! Last week’s livestream was a great success; you can see the recording here if you missed it.
In this week’s episode of Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum, titled “We Will Dance Again: Documenting the Nova Music Festival Terror Attack by Hamas Terrorists," I interviewed Emmy award-winning filmmaker and documentarian Yariv Mozer, who describes the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on the Nova music festival attendees on October 7th, 2023. This film was a particularly emotional watch for me, and we discuss how most Israelis–and Jewish people worldwide–do not support the ongoing war against the civilians of Gaza and continue to demonstrate in the streets against the extremist messianic groups influencing the Netanyahu government. Most Israelis still believe in a two-state solution and fervently hope for an end to the war. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Of course, the video of the interview is on our YouTube channel and is embedded in the Substack post.
This past Saturday, I was asked to speak in a special Substack Live with my friend and colleague, Dr. Bandy X. Lee, the noted forensic and social psychiatrist, who is the editor of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, The More Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, and The Much More Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. I interviewed her for my podcast yesterday.
In next week’s episode of my Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum podcast, titled “The Instability of Truth: Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyper-Persuasion,” I spoke with Rebecca Lemov, PhD, about her groundbreaking book of that title. We focus on how the prevalent glut of misinformation on social media is being used to influence us to act against our best interests as a society. The video of our talk is available in advance for our YouTube members, so now is an excellent time to become a YouTube channel member.
A Wired article with Tess Owens was just published today: People Are Trying to ‘Deprogram’ Their MAGA Parents Through Book Clubs. Owens asked me for an interview, and I reiterated my firm belief that we must reach out to our MAGA relatives, friends, and community with respect, empathy, and curiosity. Ask an open-ended question, like: “I would really like to get your take on recent political events. What do you think?” Ask what they now think about Musk and Trump? Ask them what they think about the failure to share the Epstein files? Did you watch any of the videos and stories about the recent meeting with Putin in Alaska? What do you think? People are most effective when listening, and asking questions rather than trying to persuade with logic or facts. Of course, if someone asks for the facts, don't overreach if you aren't sure. Long-term trust is very important. It is vital to remember that love is stronger than mind control, and to focus on the relationship you had with your loved one before they became swept up in their current beliefs.
I was touched by strong emotion watching the Emmy award-winning documentary We Will Dance Again by Yariv Mozer. I invited him for a second interview to focus solely on this film. We had previously discussed his documentary The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes on another episode of Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum, where we unraveled the illusion that Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi, was “just following orders” when he actually ordered Holocaust executions.
Yariv Mozer is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and director who teaches at the Steve Tisch School of Film at Tel Aviv University. His 2024 documentary captures Hamas terrorists brutally attacking the Nova music festival attendees on October 7th, 2023, and shows the horrifying events that followed, including hostages taking. It is challenging and important to watch. I recommend everyone look at it to understand the Israeli perspective on what occurred that day. Additionally, we need to understand what is still happening with the Israeli hostages not yet released. We must not forget the horror of this attack, nor lose its significance in the discussion of conflicts in the region.
Read the blog post or listen to the podcast, below:
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
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