Episode 108: Seth Weiss’s “IMHO Tail-ends Hamas, Abandons Marxist-Humanist Philosophy”

Andrew reads and comments on a recent article by Seth Weiss, a longtime supporter of Marxist-Humanist Initiative, titled “IMHO Tail-ends Hamas, Abandons Marxist-Humanist Philosophy.” The article analyses an October 15, 2023 statement written by Kevin Anderson, and endorsed by his so-called International Marxist-Humanist Organization (IMHO). Seth charges them with implicitly supporting Hamas—not Palestine—and abandoning Marxist-Humanist philosophy. Andrew explains and defends Seth’s claim that Anderson and IMHO are abandoning the philosophy of Marxist-Humanism, not just a specific political position, and he discusses how and why they are abandoning it. In addition, Andrew elaborates on Seth’s point that Marxist-Humanism has always affirmed the right of all peoples to national self-determination, including in the Middle East; discusses the relation between campism in general and the particular claim that Israel is a settler-colonial state; and concurs with and elaborates on Seth’s argument that it is imperative to condemn Hamas as well as Israel.

During the segment, Andrew quotes from a 1967 document and a 1969 document on the Middle East conflict written by Raya Dunayevskaya, and Israeli leftist Yuval Idan’s recent letter to “Western leftist friends” (discussed with her in Ep. 106). He also refers to statements by Karl Marx (p. 300, on different bases for life and science), G.W.F. Hegel (para. 1798, “come before consciousness without reciprocal contact”), V.I. Lenin (“essence of anti-dialectics”), and Dunayevskaya (p. 29, on absolute method engaging all in battle).

Plus current-events segment: Supreme Court reinstates Idaho’s ban on emergency abortions, endangering women’s health and lives. Andrew quotes portions of Jessica Valenti’s recent post, “Of Course They Want Us Dead,” and Adam Serwer’s essay, “The Cruelty is the Point.”

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