Fireside Chat Ep. 118 — Why Millennials Support Communism | Fireside Chat

Hello everybody i'm dennis prager. This is my home my fire and my dog That's pretty much it. My home my fire my dog. It's the fireside chat. I have this with you every week It's a chance to have as utterly 100% unscripted there is no There's no but he called teleprompter there. I'm not reading from anything. I am just as it were sharing thoughts about life with you So thanks for watching and thank you for all the love letters to otto There are now people who stopped me at the airport and just go say hi to anna or give out our rub I feel like Otto's companion or If I work for I work for Otto It's just fine with me that's that's not an issue anyway, I The thing that I do I give some thought to right before I do this each week is what will I open up? With regard to what will I talk about in the beginning? so Some things trigger it some things are things. I've been thinking about and just want to share with you But this one is what I just read 36 percent of Millennials Approve of communism. That was the headline on the market watch Some poll was taken so over 1/3 of Millennials it it's It's something I need to address because the issue is that's bad enough, but the issue is larger than that How is that possible that's the that's the question to be asked in light of that again I want to Always mention related Prager you videos I did a video titled why isn't convoys and communism as hated as Nazism and Of course, they're all five minutes and I strongly recommend that to you my field of study I don't I'm not sure I've ever mentioned this I might have my field of study Was a fairly rare Arena to specialize in my field was commune d'affaires that's what it was called communist affairs and was the heyday of the Cold War and I Did that at the School of International Affairs at Columbia University? And I was at what's called the Russian Institute. They had a East Asian Institute a an African Institute Middle East Institute or Russians to do probably something else. I was at both the Russian and Middle East Institute's because I did Arabic and Russian Already had known Hebrew so I Specialized in communist affairs, and I was sure when the Cold War ended That I remember thinking whoa. Am I lucky I didn't go into that field that won't be relevant anymore I couldn't even get a job But it turns out to have been the most important thing I could have studied and in fact outside of of religion, which I've been studying my whole life Because to understand the left and to understand communism is to understand the modern world It is beyond belief that 36 percent of Millennials approve of communism It shows you how bad our education system is from elementary school on to to Graduate college or to graduate high school and not know How evil communism has been is as if well, maybe they don't even know it's like not knowing how evil Nazism has been I Mean, can you imagine if there were a poll? 36% of Millennials have a favorable view of Nazism You would either assume one of two things right? You would either assume That a third of Millennials are evil or a third of Millennials are utterly ignorant Right, is there any other possibility if a third of Millennials or a third of any group thought favorably of Nazism you know, I again, I I Wonder which I will often wonder. What do you learn in high school in college? Oh My god, I guess the answer is leftism how bad America is how racist America is and All the related things learn the tremendous amount about climate change. I'm sure But the really important stuff The the good and evil stuff Which that's to me that and history of the most important things you could ever study what has happened and what? Is good. And what is bad? There's nothing more important. I've always been preoccupied with good and evil. That's why I did communist affairs That's why I that was my field of study because it was so obvious To me that anything that deprives billions of people of the elementary, right? To speech to expression to religion Which and which engaged in the greatest genocides in human history It's pretty important to learn about that. I Mean I'm looking at you and I'm a math to you on any age whether you're a millennial or not Do you do you have any idea? How many of people now killed in China how many people Stalin killed in the Soviet Union? Which was Russia Emmit and the republics it owned How many people Paul put's? Mayer Rouge read Cambodians killed You know almost a third of Cambodians were massacred by the communist regime there Every communist regime massacres and deprives people of any dignity. There's no dignity when you can't speak freely, that's when you are rendered a That is that is worse. I do believe that is worse than physical bondage If you said to me I could live free I could live in my home and Have my meals and so on but I could not say whatever was on my mind Or I could say what is on my mind, but I would be in bondage to to some master I I would take the latter that by the way, is is the famous American phrase? I think it's on one of the license plates in Some American state give me liberty or give Me death. I actually that's Patrick Kennedy. It's live free or die that's on one of the license plates I don't remember which state of the thing, Vermont or New Hampshire Which is somewhat ironic isn't Bernie Sanders from Vermont Guy guy who honeymooned in the Soviet Union it's hard to believe he has a license plate on his car to live free or die that's One of life's ironies if that's the case if I'm right about the license plate You know how many people were talking about? You know, I mean, you know, you have a moral obligation I believe We owe Those who were massacred? One thing we can't undo their suffering but we can at least give them the Dignity of knowing what they went through. I believe everybody needs to read about the Holocaust I think what so what the Nazis did I think everybody needs to read about what Stalin did just one book? What mal did what Paul Pott did? It's I I went to Cambodia a few years ago and I made it my business to visit what's called The Killing Fields? where the Communists of Cambodia massacre they're their own citizens These are Auto genocides by the way, this is the interesting thing These are genocides against your own people Mao did it against Chinese. It's between 60 and 80 million people now Remember you have to realize something about the suffering Let's say it's let's take the lower number 60 million So for every one of those think of all the think of the ripple effect The number of people who have suffered because that person died It's it's an astonishing number of it's the the amount of suffering induced for no good reason Do you know why a mouse starved the 60 million people to death? So that he could send all of the of the food to the Soviet Union in Return for weapons so that he could make China into a military power The death of all, those people was completely irrelevant and The suffering and then the Cultural Revolution And that's what Stalin did to between 20 and 40 million people That's just the ones killed not the ones we're not talking about the people incarcerated I mean how many young people ever heard of the Gulag Archipelago? How could you graduate high school let alone college and not know the gulag or Auschwitz? That's obviously Nazi. But I mean there are certain terms. I mean to think that Everyone at college knows what preferred pronoun means but doesn't know what outfits or gulag is This is sick folks. This is sick. This is morally and intellectually sick Most colleges are worthless. I actually I wish they were worthless. They're actually they're worse than worthless When you when you when you know such nonsense, what is your preferred? Pronoun? I? Should do a talk on preferred pronouns. The preferred pronoun issue should not be an issue. I Conducted I conduct orchestras periodically, I conducted an orchestra. Just allow me this Tangent for a moment. I conducted this Orchestra many years ago and The timpanist and that's the person who plays the drums that at the of the inin Orchestra The Was a woman am I said to the conductor after the rehearsal their regular conductor? I said, you know, it's pretty rare to see a female timpanist and he said he said yes but as it happens that this person is a transsexual that's the way was known and should be and I thought big deal and I said it meant nothing and this is way way before anything that we talk about trans today Because for all intents and purposes as far as I was concerned This was a female. She looked like a female talked like a female at a female name dressed like a female nobody cares She didn't she if she were in a class in college. She wouldn't have to announce my preferred pronoun as she Everybody would have said she that's not an issue. It's the people who want to Destroy Male-female distinction that have come up with the preferred pronoun thing. If you look like a woman then you're a she Okay, that's important that's really important How do you how could you how could you not know it's this pure evil known as communism Well, that's this it's been an enforced ignorant That's what it's been you have a moral obligation to know the suffering of those in the past, especially on such large scale So that's a very it's a depressing statistic Okay, let's see. Now. Let's begin with our video question. Is that correct? All right. I press the magic button and Nothing happens because I didn't press it well enough now I did Okay, hi Hey Dennis, I'm Vince tau I'm a 16 year old high school student in Los Angeles And I'm a member of preggers force My question for you is what would you say the Conservatives who morally support Israel? But I promise with the amount of money that America gives to them they simply offer the principles of fiscal conservatism and limiting government spending Okay, good question in case you didn't catch it folks and thank you Vince Vince does not strike me as an introvert as a shy guy. I have a sense that He feels confident in expressing himself, which is great and thanks for being on Praeger force so Let's see. We I know it's transcribed Why would you say to conservatives who morally support Israel? But our problems with the amount of money America gives to Israel because these conservatives offer the principles of fiscal conservatism fiscal being monetary conservatism and Limiting government spending. Well, there are a number of answers Number one not necessarily in order of importance the vast majority of financial aid We give to Israel Israel then spends on American military hardware in Effect it comes back to the United States and that is not true for all of the countries that we give money to number two if people isolate Israel There's there's obviously a hatred of Israel involved if they say we shouldn't be giving money to anybody Then fine but if they say we shouldn't be giving money to Israel You have a very simple question. Why do you isolate Israel? I mean we give Plenty to Egypt and we give plenty to other places and to a very large extent. It is very good for the United States We want we want to help countries that are aligned with us. Why would we not want to do that? And Third this notion well morally, but not fiscally I don't understand the distinction Moral is more important to me than anything. That's why I'm not a libertarian I think morally I don't only think fiscally so people have to decide what is the appropriate thing the day that the the Muslim countries around Israel say you know what? folks Israel's the size of New Jersey or El Salvador Let's just leave it alone. You know let them live in peace. Let's have a big sort of Middle East Common Market, or you eat Middle East Union? And and benefit each other then we won't have to give aid to Israel Israel's the most embattled country the only embattled country for its existence on the face of the earth I mean that's a good enough reason to give but please know that they spend their money on our stuff and we get a massive Amount from is real. I mean if just think of the Iron Dome the the anti Anti-missile defense system that Israel has perfected along with the United States we get We get our money's worth many times over in in supporting Israel Okay, Mike seventy. That's a that's a jump Okay, one minute. I don't I get rid of the they were there. There we go Indianapolis, Indiana hi salutations to Dennis and Otto He was not moved Mike Here's a question from an old curmudgeon Let me start by saying that's his words. Let me start by saying I hold no malice in my heart for LGBT people but I really resent the current campaign bent on normalizing and even romanticizing the LGBT way of life the leftist entertainment industry owns a bully pulpit of influence and is taking full advantage Why do leftists feel the need to push this on us? There is a reason because and that is the reason for the hatred of chick of chick-fil-a originally until they bent and stopped giving money to the or the hatred for the Salvation Army and the chick-fil-a, no longer gives money to to the Salvation Army Salvation Army treats everyone equally if you come for help to the Salvation Army they don't care if you're trans. If you're gay if you're bi if you're indeterminate, they don't they just help human beings but being Religious Christians which is why they're so charitable to a large extent. There's no secular Salvation Army right? Think about it Doing the work that they're doing for a fur so such little money. They get paid almost nothing It's unbelievable the salaries of people in the Salvation Army But one of their beliefs aside from loving their fellow human being is that God believes That it is God's will that men and women marry? I Believe that And it it's Why does that make you a hater I don't even understand that Certainly, the the gay couple whose kids that my wife and I are Godparents to no my know my belief. They respect me for the belief in fact But they're healthy they they don't believe that everybody has to believe is they It's so funny how people on the Left always Christians think everybody has to believe in Christ Yeah, but you believe everybody has to believe in same-sex marriage And and and you force a whole lot more people to do that than Christians force people to believe in Christ And I'm a Jew saying this The The reason for the anger is it's it's not anger at not Treating gays properly which I would be angry at if person didn't treat a gay properly It's they angry that they still maintain that Marriage should be between a man and a woman and in my heart I'm not certain as I say in my heart. I suspect that They suspect there may be some validity to it if they were secure in the notion that Their line gender doesn't matter which I think is not true gender is extremely significant Then what would they care what people think? why why would the LGBTQ groups Care what the Salvation Army or chick-fil-a thinks? Right thinks if they don't act on it, what do I care? If you if you think that I am wrong in my religion Let's say just totally wrong, but you treat me respectfully. What do I care? You can think I'm wrong but every leftist movement is totalitarian meaning they want to control how you think and Certainly speak. That's why the left is so dangerous. It is not enough that you treat gays properly which everyone should You must think like the LGBTQ community or they will ruin your life That's the difference They they don't want us to think a different thought That's why the left is so scary. It wants to control how you think and how you speak? There is no exception to that in the entire world of the left liberals. Don't think that way Conservatives don't think that way but the left does always did always will it's a distinguishing feature of leftism controlling how people think Andrew 18 Los Angeles, what are some key values or attributes that help you become successful? PS give ATO some more belly rubs for me Should I Be the man you are the man That was from Andrew 18. I don't What are some key values or attributes that helped you become successful? Well believe it or not that I aimed this is gonna sound corny, but I'm gonna tell you my answer. I didn't aim for success. I Aim to do what was right that Was it that is that is one of the single biggest they're reasons that that alec hard work i've worked very hard I have maximized my Gifts everyone has gifts It's a big thing to know what you give there was no human being I've ever met who doesn't have a gift It may take a while for you to realize what it is, but that that's a factor, but the the biggest for me was that uh All those who know me for many years. There are many people who do they they always marveled I I wasn't believe it or not. I wasn't particularly ambitious. I Mean, I hope I hoped I would succeed for the sake of the values I have but I You know, I I didn't live for success And I wanted to have wonderful friends. I wanted to have a wonderful family life I wanted a whole host of things, but I was never successful and The people who were success driven Become successful sometimes But but not for long It's very few people who for whom it's enduring and then they They hit a point in life and they go that that's it. I Got the success. And now what? So and then by the way, if you aim for success you'll never be happy because there's always more success to have Right. You become a CEO of a company, but there's a bigger company. You could be a CEO of That's why I am convinced that's why billionaires to go for two billion dollars They're just not satisfied with 1 billion thoughts. I always wonder why have you still pushing? I don't I've never quite figured it out. I I always think when the Forbes what is the 4 400? The 400 richest the people come a Forbes magazine publishes each year And I always think people people like us to think wow boy, you're on that list. You are really rich, which is true But you know what number 17 is not happy You don't get on that list unless you really want to be rich Just the way it is. I'm not even saying they're wrong. I if they don't hurt anybody, that's fine with me But I never wanted to be rich I never wanted to be poor aretha. Don't get me wrong. I don't believe in poverty It's not it's not an ideal in my in my religious conviction, but but I I never sought to be rich I never success to me was leaving a good life and having good friends, and as I said and my religion and my and my and having a family that's that's what that's really at success the We have we have defined success in an F in a bad way That's that's worthy of a of its own open commentary as well So be be Noble Pursue virtue and that's that and and and all these other things in life like friends and family and religion and Hobbies, I mean, there's so much to give you joy. This success doesn't give people as much joy as People think that's the problem. It's why parents though. You got to get into a good college you got into you So what so if you don't get into a quote-unquote good college, what the hell the difference? You know, it's amazing I've oh I've on occasion mentioned this what's our time factor here I've on occasion mentioned this I have been I've been on radio 37 years. You should try to hear my radio show It's three hours every day every weekday that's easily found on the internet Either on a celestial or a terrestrial radio or through the internet So I've I've often mentioned this I have been asked almost everything I've been asked about my my life my personal life my family my My childhood do you know what there is only one question I have never been asked ever What college did you go to? nobody cares This thing that we raise kids to think is the most important thing in their life and that's what they do think It's what most parents teach their kid gotta get into a good college gotta get into a gotta get into good college We're gonna we're gonna get you to have a special You know courses so you get better SAT scores and you're going to join 17 extracurricular group, so it's a better better application to some prestigious college But Later no one cares Let me tell you if you're if you're young right now Nobody's gonna give a hoot what what college you went to? You will you will either impress people as mature and knowledgeable rely? Hard-working all these wonderful traits or not But it doesn't even occur I'll bet it never occurred to any of you Watching me each week. Gee, I don't know if I'm gonna watch him next week I don't know what college you went to you don't even know if I went to college and it Doesn't matter. That's the point you earn Your bona fides you in other words you get legitimacy in life by how you act talk think Etc how you behave not where you went to college. So it's all part of the success issue So by knowing all of that I have more success today than ever before in my life, but it's I was happy before I just was I was I was trying to do what I could do and I always said it's and the rest is in God's hands, right? I will try to do I really do believe I want to do what God wants me to do which is to In religious terms bring the world to the 10 commandments That's that's what I believe because if everybody observe the Ten Commandments we wouldn't be police. We wouldn't need locks on our doors and Nobody would be hurt. It'd be a really nice world would be perfect, but it would be Rita rific That's so that's it. And By the way, you know and you know, I'm successful. Ok, so I am successful but it's all relative, right? You know, so I always think about this so Let's see take my radio career So I I've had a couple of million listeners. I Think I may have more may have less it's averaged I think about a couple of million listeners a week Over a different listeners not you know, so it's a lot of people but is it a lot of people The the guy who broadcasts in America at the same time I do for much of my career Rush Limbaugh has as about four times more listeners than I do. I Never it never bothered me for a day was I'm I was I success Yet compared to people who have to listeners. I was a rousing success Compared to him I wasn't a success says in what a success being So now I there's a billion views on Prager University That that's even more than Russian before it gets I even college. So now I am I more successful I mean it doesn't this is not how I think It's a very important thing to understand that it's it's why this I've spent so much time on this question Because you're you're misled to think that's that's the be-all and end-all of life. You have to even define you should write down What does success mean? In my opinion a big part of success is getting married and making a family not everybody can do it I acknowledge that not everybody could be a CEO now. I acknowledge that to Having friends who love you that's a big success That's a huge success You know how many the lonely people there are? Would you rather have two people three four wonderful friends in your life? and and and and make $100,000 or make two hundred fifty thousand dollars that have no friends Everyone of you will say you rather have the friends and fifty thousand So what success mean having friends is successful It's really important stuff Maybe it's a good one to end on IRA other good questions here, Clooney, Eric and Budapest Coming to Budapest to speak by the way, Eric. I Don't want ounce my speech in Hungary Got another I got two invitations to Hungary Co so I'll let you know all Right that was a passion filled session It was an important stuff, by the way that reminds me to remind you of the following first these Fireside chats are really not dated So if you go back, you know forty fireside chats ago I hope you'll still find it extremely valuable and show it to friends These are important things I talk about and they're not talked about much Certainly not enough and if you want to know since I mentioned my belief in God and so on I Think you'll find my My two books, I'm gonna have five eventually on the first five books of the Bible My commentary it it's meant to be life-changing. It's called the rational Bible. Give it a try I only use reason To make my case God is a big deal. I want to talk about that once why he's got a big deal Be that as it may I'll see you next week on behalf of Auto Thanks for watching Thank you for watching. 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