[TopQuark]

This piece, written in October 1944 and published in 1946, seems to be of relevance today, in view of the developments in the Middle East, Europe, and here in the U.S.

Some people recently asked about the psychology of anti-Semitism. Indeed, there is a great body of work on the history of this phenomenon, but not that much appears to have been written on the psychological underpinnings of hatred in general and anti-Jewish prejudice in particular.

It is this emphasis on the psychology and sociology of anti-Semitism that distinguishes Sartre's work that I am posting today. I hope that you will find it to be of interest --- that is, if you have not read it already. As you know, Sartre had leftist delusions. However, to dismiss this particular work on that basis would be as wrong as to dismiss Aristotle because his writings do not reflect modern physics.

Should you read this post, I would like to ask for a favor. In order to make this post, I have scanned an old paperback and spent a few days correcting the words that have not been properly recognized by the software. I am sure I missed some. Could I ask you please to let me know (by FR Mail) if you find some striking errors: I would like to clean up this file?

[weikel]

Unfortunately some anti semites are logical, & methodical. The Holocaust was organized in a very efficient buisnesslike manner.

[Erasmus]

I am fascinated by the fact that Sartre, a Marxist (and pretty much all-round Schlemiel) could see the issue of anti-Semitism so clearly.

Of course his Marxist ideology pitted him against Fascism and its excrescenses. One of these was anti-Semitism, and his perception of this as a Fascist sentiment seems to have wiped a clear spot on an otherwise foggy window.

Although he loves to hear himself write, his clarity on this subject would seem to disqualify him as a patron saint of postmodern intellectualism. Or, as I call it, postintellectual modernism.

[TopQuark]

Ping.

[babble-on]

Very long (as in, I read the first third, skimmed the rest) but you can certainly see Sartre's analytical genius. It nails anti-Semitism perfectly, and I will save this thread to pick apart the anti-Semites who appear from time to time on these pages (usually Federal Reserve System is the keyword for their ravings).

Thanks for posting this. It deserves the space.

[SJackson]

Excellent post. Thank you. I'll have to reread later.

[knighthawk]

I will read the post when I got time (I hope tomorrow) and I will check for errors too.