The Sky Isn’t Falling–But Taboos Are

I would argue that the world is more complex to think our way through today than at any previous time in human history. There are just so many factors to consider, and finding your way through complexity is always hard. Soon AI may take over our thinking duties, but for now, we need to remember, and teach, that there is no one human construct through which to view history and current affairs. We will need to draw on more tools and concepts than identity, colonialism, race, gender and class, although all of these can add value. People talk a lot about the multiverse; well, it’s time to start laying the ground for multi-thinking, including much more emphasis on pragmatic bridge-building, trust-building, diplomacy and common sense. Science too, misunderstood as it has been lately, is a powerful analytical tool, although it always opens the door to additional questions. That’s hard, because our nervous systems crave simple answers. Nevertheless, we’ve got to push ourselves to lean into complexity.

American Jews and all Americans need to gather in a new center to find a fresh set of shared values and develop a less divisive, more authentic language to summon them. And we have to do this at a time when social media and technology have changed how we and our brains interact with one another and the world. It’s become natural to reside in reassuring bubbles and see the world as black and white. But it’s our responsibility to do the hard work—to rediscover the curiosity necessary to really learn, to search for the extremes.

This leads me to our November/December 2024 issue. Adding to my earlier list of most-likelies, expect that our political, linguistic and social taboos will continue to erode and fall. Donald Trump is a taboo breaker who has helped shatter many of the norms that American society has relied on for decades. In a provocative new essay, “The Vanishing Antisemitism Taboo,” Moment Opinion and Books Editor Amy E. Schwartz traces how one of the most sacrosanct taboos has eroded—the taboo against antisemitism, which was forged in the ashes of World War II. After probing the elusive nature of taboos (at their best, they can function to protect societies from some of the most odious ideas), Schwartz explores how this happened and reflects on what we can do about it.

Dana Bash on Antisemitism and the Call of Journalists Today

We were moved last week when we awarded CNN 's Dana Bash the Robert S. Greenberger Journalism Award at our 2024 Gala. In her remarks, recorded in the video below,, Bash recounted her courageous resolve to continue seeking the truth in the face of antisemitic harassment and intimidation.