Notes from the edge of civilization (late edition): Dec. 10, 2023
Definitions trigger resignations. Anti anti-semitism marches. Really, Nikki? The right move. Thinkers who think differently.
It’s been a busy Sunday, with the holidays now upon us. In recognition, we’re dubbing this Notes from the edge, Late Edition.
The president of University of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Magill, was forced to resign this week after an embarrassing testimony before Congress on Tuesday where she was unable to give a yes-or-no answer to the question: “At Penn, does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Penn’s rules or code of conduct?”
With a wry smile, Magill said, “If the speech turns into conduct it can be harassment.”
She later released an apology video in which she stated:
There was a moment during yesterday’s congressional hearing on anti-Semitism when I was asked if a call for the genocide of Jewish people on our campus would violate our policies. In that moment, I was focused on our University’s longstanding policies aligned with the U.S. Constitution, which say that speech alone is not punishable. I was not focused on, but I should have been, the irrefutable fact that a call for genocide of Jewish people is a call for some of the most terrible violence human beings can perpetrate. It’s evil — plain and simple.
On Thursday, lawyers for Ross Stevens — the founder and CEO of Stone Ridge Asset Management — notified the university that Stevens would be withdrawing a gift now valued at about $100 million.
Scott Bok, chair of the school’s Board of Trustees, broke the news of Magill’s resignation in a message to the school community on Saturday and then announced his own resignation from the board.
Jews around the world are feeling the heat of ratcheting anti-Semitism. On Sunday, thousands of people marched in protest in two European capitals.
According to the Associated Press, Brussels police said around 4,000 people attended a march in the Belgian capital, with some holding placards reading: "You don't have to be Jewish to march against anti-Semitism." In Berlin, police estimated that around 3,200 people gathered in the rain for a protest titled “Never again is now,” although organizers put the figure at closer to 10,000.
The surge in anti-Semitism came up during Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate, when candidate Nikki Haley claimed that, “For every 30 minutes someone watches TikTok every day, they become 17% more anti-Semitic and more pro-Hamas.”
Haley should probably take a quick refresher course in statistics, since she clearly misinterpreted the study she was quoting from (or was given bad information by her handlers).
What the survey actually suggests is people who use TikTok at least 30 minutes per day were 17% more likely than non-users to hold anti-Semitic/anti-Israel views, compared with 6% for Instagram and 2% for X. The analysis also found that for every video view with a pro-Israel hashtag in the US, there are 54 views with pro-Palestinian hashtags.
While Haley may have got it wrong (and she took heat for her mistake), her overall point that TikTok makes young Americans less likely to disagree with anti-Semitism has some validity.
Zero Hedge (along with our friend John Rubino) reported on a new and unprecedented trend: people moving states not just for jobs, schools, or lifestyle, but for political alignment.
As conservatives flee Washington, Oregon, and California for places like Idaho, Zero Hedge says, “this exodus of Republican voters is more than a demographic shift — it's a political hemorrhage. According to the report, 75% of Californian expats in Idaho are registering as Republicans. This movement intensifies the political polarization, with red states becoming redder and blue states bluer.”
"Are you sick of living in a Blue State with high taxes, radical policies, and high crime?" reads an ad from one real estate company, Conservative Move (Motto: "Moving Families Right"). "Find a new home in a state and community that reflects your values."
While this so-called 'big sort' certainly makes it easier for people to ‘find their tribe’ and build a community of like-minded souls, it also drives us further into our echo chambers and makes it even harder for us to figure out how to live together and work together as a union.
For the record, the team at Collapse Life made the move to Texas from a failed northern state. While we certainly don’t wish to see the demise of the United States — a nation with a remarkable history and former exemplar of liberty as well as beacon of freedom — we are happy to accept a Texas Republic redux. We leave those types of decisions to those with greater authority than us.
In our latest Collapse Life podcast, Lillian Skinner talks about the changing times we’re living through and how the divergent thinkers among us may be our saving grace. Divergent thinkers are the ones who may struggle to focus in a classroom but who excel in so many areas because they see the world differently and make connections that traditional, linear thinkers easily miss. It’s a fascinating conversation, especially for those with kids in school who may want to think about how to harness their child’s talents before it’s too late.