And now it is time for the interview with GILAD ATZMON!!
Hi all,
happy to publish this wonderful interview with Gilad Atzmon.
Thanks for reading and sharing!!
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi – ProMosaik e.V.
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi : When did you realize that you aren’t just a musician but that
you also have a political soul?
you also have a political soul?
Gilad Atzmon: I believe that describing me as a political being is slightly
misleading. I have never been part of any political party. I despise
politicians collectively and I am not a great believer in the value of the
political spiel. I guess as a philosopher I am interested in the human
condition. I care about that which establishes meaning, beauty, happiness,
yearning, knowing, belief etc. Unlike banal activists who suffocate us with
faulty answers, my role is simple; I refine the questions.
misleading. I have never been part of any political party. I despise
politicians collectively and I am not a great believer in the value of the
political spiel. I guess as a philosopher I am interested in the human
condition. I care about that which establishes meaning, beauty, happiness,
yearning, knowing, belief etc. Unlike banal activists who suffocate us with
faulty answers, my role is simple; I refine the questions.
This intellectual adventure is fully consistent with my Jazz and
music career. As a Jazz artist I strive to reinvent myself on a daily basis. This
is the essence of truth seeking, we submit ourselves to the process rather than
the goal.
music career. As a Jazz artist I strive to reinvent myself on a daily basis. This
is the essence of truth seeking, we submit ourselves to the process rather than
the goal.
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi: Do you remember the day when you changed your mind about
Israel and Zionism?
Israel and Zionism?
Gilad Atzmon: Was it a day? Or a phase? Or a recognition that dawned on me
over a period of time? I don’t really know. I suppose that discovering Jazz and
then craving to become a black man helped.
over a period of time? I don’t really know. I suppose that discovering Jazz and
then craving to become a black man helped.
However, my views of Zionism are far from settled or complete.
Fifteen years ago, I basically believed that Zionism was at the core of modern
evil. But the more I learned, the more I understood that Zionism is just
one symptom of Jewish identity politics. It took me a while to accept that the
so-called ‘good Jews’ namely the ‘anti’ Zionists are even more supremacist than
the ultra Zionists. In ‘Zionist’ Israel, for instance, the 3rd biggest party in the Knesset is the Arab Party, and yet, I do
not see the board of JVP or JFJFP allowing any goyim, let alone Arabs.
Gentiles are permitted to join and pay fees, but they can never join the
leadership.
Fifteen years ago, I basically believed that Zionism was at the core of modern
evil. But the more I learned, the more I understood that Zionism is just
one symptom of Jewish identity politics. It took me a while to accept that the
so-called ‘good Jews’ namely the ‘anti’ Zionists are even more supremacist than
the ultra Zionists. In ‘Zionist’ Israel, for instance, the 3rd biggest party in the Knesset is the Arab Party, and yet, I do
not see the board of JVP or JFJFP allowing any goyim, let alone Arabs.
Gentiles are permitted to join and pay fees, but they can never join the
leadership.
As far as I understand it, early Zionism, was a unique and
short-lived moment of truthfulness in Jewish history. It was a brief phase when
insight into self-loathing matured into an ideology. Early Zionists such as
Borochov, Nordau and Herzl promised to ‘civilize the Diaspora Jew.’ They
admitted that the Diaspora Jewish identity was parasitic, capitalistic and non
productive. They genuinely believed that ‘homecoming’ and settlement would
rescue the Jew.
short-lived moment of truthfulness in Jewish history. It was a brief phase when
insight into self-loathing matured into an ideology. Early Zionists such as
Borochov, Nordau and Herzl promised to ‘civilize the Diaspora Jew.’ They
admitted that the Diaspora Jewish identity was parasitic, capitalistic and non
productive. They genuinely believed that ‘homecoming’ and settlement would
rescue the Jew.
We now know that they were wrong. Israel is a horrid place
mainly because the early Zionist’s anti Jewish inclination was replaced by
Jewish self-love. Israel, the place that Zionism promised would cleanse the
Jewishness out of the Jew, became the home for every problematic Jewish
supremacist symptom.
mainly because the early Zionist’s anti Jewish inclination was replaced by
Jewish self-love. Israel, the place that Zionism promised would cleanse the
Jewishness out of the Jew, became the home for every problematic Jewish
supremacist symptom.
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi: How would you present your book The Wandering Who to our
readers?
readers?
Gilad Atzmon: As the sub title
states, The Wandering Who is A Study of Jewish Identity Politics. The book
asks, if Israel defines itself as the Jewish State: what is Jewishness?
Who are the Jews? What is Judaism? How do these terms relate to Zionism,
Israel and Jewish power? I offer a few answers and my studies reveal that
all forms of Jewish politics, whether Zionist or ‘anti,’ Left or Right, are
always Judeo-centric, racially oriented and exclusivist to the core.
states, The Wandering Who is A Study of Jewish Identity Politics. The book
asks, if Israel defines itself as the Jewish State: what is Jewishness?
Who are the Jews? What is Judaism? How do these terms relate to Zionism,
Israel and Jewish power? I offer a few answers and my studies reveal that
all forms of Jewish politics, whether Zionist or ‘anti,’ Left or Right, are
always Judeo-centric, racially oriented and exclusivist to the core.
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi: How difficult is it as a Jew to live in the middle of
Zionism, Anti-Zionism, Jewish Identity and Lobbies?
Zionism, Anti-Zionism, Jewish Identity and Lobbies?
Gilad Atzmon: To start with, I am not necessarily qualified to answer this
question because I have not been a Jew for quite a while. I define Jewishness
as a template that facilitates choseness. All Jewish political discourses- both
Zionism as well as ‘anti’ celebrate the specialness of ‘being Jewish.’ Zionism
calls upon Jews to return to ‘their’ alleged ‘promised land’ after 2000 years
and take it over. It is the choseness that justifies such an unusual plunderous
attitude. But at the same time, The anti Zionist Jews would claim that their
voices are uniquely privileged because, after all, they are Jews and therefore
special for opposing the bad Zionists. In fact the ‘anti’ claim to be ‘über Chosen.’
It seems that when Jews operate politically as Jews, they fall collectively
into the same supremacist trap.
question because I have not been a Jew for quite a while. I define Jewishness
as a template that facilitates choseness. All Jewish political discourses- both
Zionism as well as ‘anti’ celebrate the specialness of ‘being Jewish.’ Zionism
calls upon Jews to return to ‘their’ alleged ‘promised land’ after 2000 years
and take it over. It is the choseness that justifies such an unusual plunderous
attitude. But at the same time, The anti Zionist Jews would claim that their
voices are uniquely privileged because, after all, they are Jews and therefore
special for opposing the bad Zionists. In fact the ‘anti’ claim to be ‘über Chosen.’
It seems that when Jews operate politically as Jews, they fall collectively
into the same supremacist trap.
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi: What can music do for human rights? How can music be the
universal language of peace?
universal language of peace?
Gilad Atzmon: Art and music in
particular celebrate the best in the human condition; the ability to
experience the power of beauty. Art and music remind us what humanity and humanism
are all about. I assume that once our hearts are open to beauty, we are also
able to think empathically. I do not like the idea of art being recruited by
political institutions. I know that I am seen as a political artist, but I am
not. I am an artist who thinks deeply about social and humanist matters and
that is probably reflected in my art.
particular celebrate the best in the human condition; the ability to
experience the power of beauty. Art and music remind us what humanity and humanism
are all about. I assume that once our hearts are open to beauty, we are also
able to think empathically. I do not like the idea of art being recruited by
political institutions. I know that I am seen as a political artist, but I am
not. I am an artist who thinks deeply about social and humanist matters and
that is probably reflected in my art.
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi: What does ethical awareness mean to you?
Gilad Atzmon: The ability to produce a universal judgment that
distinguishes between good and evil. But also to accept that different people
can produce different and even contradictory universal judgments. For me, this
is the real essence of diversity and ethics that are essential for ethical
awareness. And it is something I really miss in Left thinking.
distinguishes between good and evil. But also to accept that different people
can produce different and even contradictory universal judgments. For me, this
is the real essence of diversity and ethics that are essential for ethical
awareness. And it is something I really miss in Left thinking.
Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi: How can we explain to the Jews that Netanyahu does not
represent them?
represent them?
Gilad Atzmon: I actually think that he does. Apparently a poll in Britain
revealed last week that British Jewry’s support of Netanyahu is massive. The
Israeli election today proves that Netanyahu doesn’t just represent the Israeli
he is actually a representation of what Israel is all about.
revealed last week that British Jewry’s support of Netanyahu is massive. The
Israeli election today proves that Netanyahu doesn’t just represent the Israeli
he is actually a representation of what Israel is all about.
One thing is clear though, not a single Israeli politician
offers any alternative vision of peace or reconciliation. Israel is a doomed
escapist society, the more doomed its fate, the more paralyzed the society
become.
offers any alternative vision of peace or reconciliation. Israel is a doomed
escapist society, the more doomed its fate, the more paralyzed the society
become.
