November 15, 2012

Self-Hatred or Self-Help?

Ben Cohen, Jewish Ideas Daily

One of the most insightful scenes from Larry David's comedy series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, begins with David and his on-air wife, Cheryl, standing at the entrance to a movie theater.  As they chatter aimlessly, David starts whistling a tune composed by Richard Wagner.  Cheryl's delight at the bewitching melody is offset by the reaction of a bystander, a fellow Jew who rounds on David for whistling a composition written by "one of the great anti-Semites of the world."  The two embark upon a furious argument, which culminates in David's adversary slamming him as "a self-loathing Jew."  "I do hate myself," David barks in response, "but it has nothing to do with being Jewish." 

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TAGGED: Jewish Ideas Daily, Judaism, Jewish

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