Jew in Progress

The left, the right and Roger Waters.

Most of us know Roger Waters, the brilliant musician behind some of Pink Floyd’s greatest music. He is also one of the most ardent supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), a group hostile toward the State of Israel.

So imagine my shock last month when I watched Waters and his entourage enter the HaaretzQ Conference in New York, a conference sponsored by two pro-Israel entities, Haaretz and New Israel Fund (NIF).

My first thought was, “What the hell is this guy doing here?”

Despite much misinformation, NIF does not support the BDS movement. Waters’ presence, I figured, would only give NIF detractors more reason not to listen to us. But what could I do? In a free country, he has as much right to attend as anyone else.

Waters and his entourage were whisked past security — and I followed him. I wanted to see which sessions he would attend. Most of the day’s panels were already over. Not surprisingly, Waters headed straight for the session with Haaretz’s left-of-left columnist, Gideon Levy — who had recently interviewed Waters for Haaretz. Waters sat in the front row. After interviewing a leader of the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, Levy acknowledged Waters as his personal hero. After posing for a few photos with the panelists, Waters promptly left.

It was then I was hit by a very uncomfortable epiphany.

I have often personally grappled with what makes a person politically left or right. When I try to articulate it, it comes out something like this: Those on the right are more linear regarding cause and effect. They attacked us because their religion teaches them to hate. End of story. 

The left prefers complexity; that is, yes, they attacked us — and they do hate us — but do we fully understand why, and is there something we can do to change it? My working assumption was that the left was more open to differing points of view and valued inquiry over certainty. After watching Waters leave the conference as quickly as he came in, I realized that this model was completely wrong.

Waters had no interest in complexity or empathy toward Israel — just simple slogans. That’s why he didn’t bother to check out any of the other sessions at the conference. This kind of “blinders-on” ideology of isolated righteousness was something I thought was practiced only by the right — but it’s clear it can be just as bad on the left, as well.

But the truth is, it’s everywhere. The more I thought about it, this phenomenon seems to be happening throughout our culture. Whether on the right or left, we tend to immediately dismiss facts and opinions that contradict our own narratives and prejudices. Think about the debates in our Jewish community: Israel (you are either unconditionally for or against the state); settlements are either securing or destroying Israel’s safety; Breaking the Silence is either saving or betraying Israel). These examples mirror the debates that are dividing this country — health care, immigration reform, gun control. It’s all or nothing for the people who care about these issues.

No wonder we manage to accomplish so very little.

So, back to the uncomfortable epiphany: If Roger Waters represents the new normal for the left, and Pamela Geller and groups such as Im Tirtzu are the new normal for the right, then where does that leave me?

The obvious answer is: the center.

Honestly, a centrist is not how I want to be perceived, and it certainly feels like I am in some way betraying myself. How am I going to accomplish important things in this life without an unwavering set of beliefs and uncompromising goals? Unfortunately, based on what I am observing in the public sphere, I am not sure that approach is accomplishing much of anything. 

We need a new approach. So, here is my proposal to the left and right: Join me in the center.

I’m not sure what “the center” even looks like anymore. But that’s what we need to rebuild. A community made up of diverse views that can freely come together with a willingness to listen as well as talk — regardless of their left or right or whatever orientation. A place where we agree it’s not acceptable to walk away from the table without trying to do something constructive and positive for the betterment of Israel, Jews and, hopefully, the rest of humanity.

Be a centrist. Trust me, I am just as uncomfortable with this designation as you are, but as I look at the polarizing alternatives out there, this is looking more like our best and only chance to effect real change. Who knows, we may realize we have more in common than we thought. We might even accomplish things together that we could not do on our own.

And who would have thought that could have been inspired by the front man for Pink Floyd?

Joshua Greer is an inventor and patent-holder, and has co-founded a number of technology companies including Digital Planet, Walden Media and RealD 3D. He now spends his time working in the medical industry and various Jewish initiatives.