Young People Increasingly Hold This Bigoted Belief. How Do We Fight It?

"Back in 2024, a Democratic pollster named David Shor released some polling data from more than 100,000 voters. He said he found that a quarter of those younger than 25 held an "unfavorable opinion" of Jewish people. That sentiment plummeted with age, but Isaac Saul has started to wonder if this is a warning—especially because of how younger people are getting their information online and from far-right influencers."

"On a recent episode of What Next, host Mary Harris spoke to Saul about why antisemitism is everywhere and how to confront it. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity. "I think what people miss is just how ubiquitous it is," says Saul, who writes the Tangle newsletter and is Jewish. "Everybody talks about Nick Fuentes or Candace Owens and they're the superstars, but there are dozens, hundreds of other people who are 'smaller' that still have bigger platforms than me.""

Polling from 2024 found that roughly a quarter of voters under 25 held an unfavorable opinion of Jewish people, with negativity falling sharply with age. Concern centers on younger people sourcing information online and from far-right influencers, increasing exposure to antisemitic content. High-profile figures attract attention, but many smaller influencers wield substantial reach. A Jewish observer describes a shift from dismissing antisemitism to experiencing escalating incidents, moving from jokes to more serious hostility. Recent violent incidents, such as an attack at Bondi Beach, underscore fears about the growing normalization and spread of antisemitic sentiment.

Read at Slate Magazine