Ive worked in Hollywood for the better part of three decades.
Everyone here has rules about the stories they tell.
This is part of a process we like to callinformation management.
The Supernova Music Festival site in Kibbutz Re’im, IsraelAlexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
Allow me to illustrate.
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Why leave that out, you ask?
Well, who doesnt want to stand against genocide?
Its only courage if it comes with personal risk.
Otherwise, by definition, its cowardice.
To be clear, genocide is the intentional killing or destroying of an entire group of people.
Many throw this word around when talking about Israels response to the attack of Oct 7th.
The information they generally leave out is that Israel has never called for the deaths of Palestinians.
The actual definition of genocide mirrors the words in Hamas own charter.
Jon Stewart, a personal hero of mine, signed it.
This forced me to stop and think.
These are reasonable people who want peace.
Given all that, shouldnt I be screaming for a ceasefire?
Think about it for a minute.
What do they do at that point?
Negotiate for the release of the hostages?
But, negotiate with… Hamas?
Lets imagine that Hamas actually does want to negotiate.
Why must Israel be held to this impossible standard of trust, when all trust is broken?
Its easy to call for a ceasefire.
Again, you just have to manage information.
The bombs falling on Gaza are horrifying.
All of this is true and I believe it wholeheartedly.
A government, on the other hand, must protect its citizens.
Once again, information management.
Because of the iron dome?
But maybe the real reason is seeded much deeper.
Heres another rule of storytelling.
Character is defined by the decisions a character makes.
Preferably when everything is on the line.
True in storytelling, true in life.
Yes, the narratives you craft matter.
The language you use has consequences.
I debated writing this.
Maybe I should remain silent.
Silence can be the loudest statement of all, right?
The problem is that silence only helps those who commit evil.
It never helps the victims of evil.
So, I refuse to be silent.
And yes, because Jews.
