Raging Against Which Extremes?
I have appreciated the work of Scott Galloway for a while now. Particularly around raising young men.
This morning I unsubscribed from all of his media. I did this as a signal protest following his discussion with Dr Abdul El-Sayed, where he said this: “As a Jew, I find it entirely unfair and not accurate to describe what’s happening in Israel as a genocide.” This happened on the podcast Raging Moderates.
More from Galloway:
“The word does have meaning, and when you use the term genocide, I think it connotes the notion that whoever is committing this genocide is guilty of something so horrific that it justifies potentially a genocide against them.”
The first part: yes, Israel is guilty of committing something so horrific, live-streamed, and no, nothing justifies a genocide against them. That is the point of never again. Never again to anyone. What was done to you, do not do it to others. Ever. Never. El-Sayed also said, “calling something a genocide does not justify a genocide.”
Should there be consequences? Absolutely. In law. But not through continued violence, not through hate.
“And that it might be horrific. It might be horrific. It might be a war crime. It might be wrong. But when you use the word genocide, one, I think there’s absolutely no factual support for that term that qualifies for that term. And two, it creates a level of hostility towards Jews in this city where the diaspora [feels vulnerable] because I am part and supportive of an organization that is committing genocide,” Galloway added.
No factual support for the term genocide, according to Scott, but not according to the following genocide scholars, all Jewish.
Omer Bartov, Amos Goldberg, Raz Segal, Daniel Blatman, and Shmuel Lederman: Historians and Holocaust/genocide scholars.
See Wikipedia for a list of human rights organisations here, including Amnesty International and B’Tselem, that support the term genocide being applied to Gaza. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_humanitarian_and_human_rights_groups_accusing_Israel_of_genocide_in_Gaza
Here is the inconsistency as spoken by Scott Galloway.
*In all of his writings and articles, he is thorough in his research.
In the case of this, given the overwhelming support for the term genocide by the scholars of genocide themselves, Galloway ditches the research in preference to his ideology.
Ok, we all do that in some way.
As to the level of hostility. Not all Jews believe in Zionism. Not all Jews support, in any way, what is happening to the Palestinians and Lebanese. Many Jews speak up, write, make documentaries about and actively protest. Criticising the actions of the Israeli state is not hostility towards Jews, and treating the two as the same erases those Jewish voices.
*The Podcast description.
Raging against the extremes. Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov are in the middle — and they’re mad, because being a moderate in America these days does NOT mean staying silent.
The podcast platform, described, I would imagine, with full endorsement by Galloway, raging against the extremes, indicates that Galloway and Tarlov stand for something that is not extreme.
I am shocked as to how they can think that more than 21,000 dead children is not extreme? That more than 74,000 dead people and a whole place reduced to rubble is not extreme? That bombing hospitals and killing more than 250 journalists is not extreme? That what is happening in the West Bank and Southern Lebanon is not extreme?
What extreme are we speaking of?
And then the staying silent part of the description. Being moderate in America these days does NOT mean staying silent.
If people speak up against what Israel is doing, in other words, if they are not silent, they lose jobs, get booted off stages, get arrested. Slightly more risky than Galloway speaking about the things he speaks about that he cannot be silent about.
And yes, Scott, remaining silent about the actions of Israel indicates you are supportive of the actions of Israel.
Integrity is hard. She kicks you in the face and asks you to be better when you choose integrity as your moral code. Given the backlash Galloway has had from this interview, and possibly the number of people like me who have sent a clear message in the best way we can by unsubscribing, there is a chance he will get the signal. I do believe in second chances. We all have our blind spots and biases. I hope Galloway listens to the esteemed genocide scholars with an open heart and mind. This would be a powerful example to set for the young men who need role models.
Our work, as lovers of humanity, life, and a better future for all, is to call out bias, blind spots, and incoherence as we see them. With love and care. To act with integrity, and when we fall, as we all do, to return to integrity.
Published September 25th 2026. Photo taken September 25th 2022