Ask Haviv Anything Episode 95: The idea that broke the Middle East, with Dr. Micah Goodman
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Mar 5, 2026 Dr. Micah Goodman, Israeli philosopher and bestselling author who teaches at Hebrew University, discusses ideological roots of modern Islamism and the politics of blame. He examines why some regimes hollowed out while others thrive. They explore how Israel combined fierce individualism with tribal solidarity, and whether recent conflict could discredit pan‑Islamist narratives.
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Bomb Shelter Strike And A Different National Togetherness
- Haviv Rettig Gur recounts a recent missile strike that penetrated a bomb shelter in Beit Shemesh, killing at least nine and creating national fear.
- He contrasts October 8th's unity from failure with current unity born from successful counterstrikes two and a half years later.
Origins Of Modern Islamism As An Answer To Decline
- Islamist movements arose as an answer to the question of why Muslim civilization declined after WWI.
- Hasan al-Banna argued Islam weakened by Western individualism and must be political again, opposing Atatürk's secular modernization.
How The Politics Of Blame Preserves Revolutions And Breaks States
- The politics of blame (externalizing all problems to America/Israel) became a sustaining identity for revolutions like Iran's.
- This narrative avoids domestic reform by making perpetual revolution the raison d'être, preserving energy but destroying competence.