Douglas Murray’s War of Ideas: Culture, Conflict, and the Future of the West

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Douglas Murray’s War of Ideas: Culture, Conflict, and the Future of the West

 

Douglas Murray sweeps into Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair with the air of someone used to attention. Dressed in a sharp blue suit and casual baseball cap, he’s clearly become something of a public figure, though he seems unaffected by it. When I tell him he’s famous now, he barely reacts. And yet, with over a million followers on X, sold-out arenas, and a best-selling new book On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel, Hamas and the Future of the West, there’s no denying Murray’s rise to prominence as a leading conservative thinker.

 

 

Over brunch, he’s guarded but playful. When asked about his meeting with Donald Trump, he dodges gently. Murray’s public persona may be a sharp panther, but in person he’s all feline grace and quiet confidence. Speaking in hushed tones, he criticizes anti-Israel protestors as those who “pollute” society—people who, in his view, cheer for Hamas while ignoring the stark reality that “evil exists and there are people who worship death.”

 

 

He sees a Britain paralyzed by inertia, governed by elites who “push off big problems” and indulge in woke cults and debates over gender and assisted dying. “Isn’t it wonderful,” he texts me later, “that our greatest legal minds have to spend their time trying to work out what a man is and what a woman is? It feels like such progress…”

 

Born in 1979 in Hammersmith, Murray’s early life was hardly one of privilege. His parents, both non-political, supported his academic path through scholarships to elite schools and ultimately to Oxford. His literary talents emerged early with a biography of Lord Alfred Douglas, praised by none other than Christopher Hitchens. Yet, instead of becoming a BBC staple or a Classic FM host—he is, after all, a choral scholar and pianist—he chose provocation.

 

His 2006 book Neoconservatism: Why We Need It set the tone, but it was The Strange Death of Europe in 2017 that catapulted him into notoriety, widely criticized as Islamophobic.

 

Murray has spent increasing time in the U.S., aligning with figures like Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro. His most recent evolution came after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, an event that sharpened his rhetoric further. “I can’t bear to see the pollution of our society and cities by people who obviously hate us,” he says. He draws a stark contrast between pro-Israel rallies, where Union Jacks fly, and anti-Israel protests, where he sees only Palestinian, Hamas, and Hizbollah flags. “No one is singing God Save the King that day.”

 

His appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience was another moment of confrontation. Instead of playing to the crowd, he took issue with Rogan’s guests who had spread conspiracy theories, including attempts to recast Churchill as a villain. “Horse s--- of the most profound kind,” he called it. “The aim… is basically to minimise the culpability of the Nazis, maximise the casualty figures caused by the Allies, and then claim there is moral parity in World War II… in order to say that we, in the West, were worse.”

 

Douglas Murray does what few men alive would dare: he calls out Joe Rogan in his own studio. This clip outlines how the next few years may unfold on the American right, so bookmark this and watch it carefully: The American left was defeated by Trump because it was hijacked by brilliant Machiavellian gatekeepers at key nodes in media, politics, and academia. These actors sought to steer society in their direction—and they succeeded too well. The resulting pushback is what see now.

Douglas Murray does what few men alive would dare: he calls out Joe Rogan in his own studio.

This clip outlines how the next few years may unfold on the American right, so bookmark this and watch it carefully:

The American left was defeated by Trump because it was hijacked by… pic.twitter.com/AEDysFbfip

— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) April 10, 2025

 

On Trump, Murray offers a mixed view: positive about his patriotism, cautious about tariffs, concerned about Ukraine, supportive of his Middle East stance. And though he acknowledges criticism of Israeli military actions, he refutes the charge of war crimes. “They’re not guilty,” he insists. To Murray, accusations of genocide are often flippant, weaponized by people ignorant of history.

 

Even Israeli critics, he says, represent a fringe: “Everybody would’ve done the same thing [militarily]… If you do the math,” he argues, the October 7 attack was proportionally “the equivalent of many thousand of British people being murdered in one day.” Britain wouldn’t tolerate that, he adds.

 

Murray's own experience in Gaza, including a controversial visit to the site where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed, was criticized as propaganda. But he defends it. “I wanted to see the last thing the architect of October 7 had seen on this earth.” That, he says, was “devastation.”

 

Tel Sultan, Rafah - today. Where the terrorist Sinwar met his end.

Tel Sultan, Rafah - today. Where the terrorist Sinwar met his end. pic.twitter.com/YjcUgdEar9

— Douglas Murray (@DouglasKMurray) October 20, 2024

 

Why is Murray so committed to Israel? He sees it as a civilisational anchor. “Everyone who’s anti-Western is always anti-Israel… and they’ve chosen their target well. If you took Jerusalem out, I do think you cut civilisation absolutely at the root.”

 

Though once a self-described atheist, Murray’s relationship with faith is shifting. He now questions the absence of moral language in modern life. “I’m very conscious that in our society we’ve lost the terminology of evil,” he says. After witnessing a terrorist attack in Israel, he thought, “What a thing to do with your life.” Evil, to him, is not banal—it’s real, visceral, and must be confronted. “The answer is obviously Deuteronomy… ‘choose life.’”

 

And yet, he resists self-analysis. Asked about his celebrity, he shrugs it off. “I don’t like self-reflection.” What about being made a peer? “Yes, but the people you’ve got to meet,” he purrs. “You’ve got to spend a lot of time with former Liberal Democrat councillors.” Ever the contrarian. Ever the outsider.

 

Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph  2025-04-21

 

 

[JAG]

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

What about being made a peer? “Yes, but the people you’ve got to meet,” he purrs. “You’ve got to spend a lot of time with former Liberal Democrat councillors.”

🤗

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

And yet, with over a million followers on X, sold-out arenas, and a best-selling new book On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel, Hamas and the Future of the West, there’s no denying Murray’s rise to prominence as a leading conservative thinker.

 

If it's anywhere near as good as "The strange death of Europe" it will be a great read.

 

Will be ordering a copy.

[blazes]

26 minutes ago, JAG said:

🤗

It would be queer to be a peer....

[Chomper Higgot]

The full Joe Rogan show ‘debate’ from which the clip above is taken is worth watching.

 

Dave Smith opens the door for Murray to humiliate himself and Murray steps right in.

 

Murray’s ‘Have you been to the crossing point? …When were you last there at all?.. You’ve never been?!’  was one for the ages.

 

Murray simultaneously demonstrating the perfect application of the received British accent as a tool of condescension when addressing Americans who it doesn’t impress, while pummeling his own longstanding arguments against personal experience trumping any other argument.

 

It’s Murray’s intellectual dishonesty at its most pure.

 

 

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Murray’s ‘Have you been to the crossing point? …When were you last there at all?.. You’ve never been?!’  was one for the ages.

Murray simultaneously demonstrating the perfect application of the received British accent as a tool of condescension when addressing Americans who it doesn’t impress, while pummeling his own longstanding arguments against personal experience trumping any other argument.

It’s Murray’s intellectual dishonesty at its most pure.

And yet, others listened to this admonishment of Dave Smith deemed that it was very effective.  These people who have not been there and have not studied the history of the conflict are not credible. IMO.
I do not find Douglas Murray to be dishonest, but then I agree with many of the educated opinions expressed by Murray. Obviously, you do not, which is your right (at least here on AN and in the US. (Would it be hate speech in the EU & UK?)).

[Harrisfan]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The full Joe Rogan show ‘debate’ from which the clip above is taken is worth watching.

 

Dave Smith opens the door for Murray to humiliate himself and Murray steps right in.

 

Murray’s ‘Have you been to the crossing point? …When were you last there at all?.. You’ve never been?!’  was one for the ages.

 

Murray simultaneously demonstrating the perfect application of the received British accent as a tool of condescension when addressing Americans who it doesn’t impress, while pummeling his own longstanding arguments against personal experience trumping any other argument.

 

It’s Murray’s intellectual dishonesty at its most pure.

 

 

 

Who cares what any of them think

[proton]

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

His 2006 book Neoconservatism: Why We Need It set the tone, but it was The Strange Death of Europe in 2017 that catapulted him into notoriety, widely criticized as Islamophobic.

 

His book the Strange Death of Europe criticises the devastating results on Europe of mass and illegal immigration over the past two decades, whether they are muslim or not. There is nothing 'Islamophobic' about it, if you actually read it. The word Islamophobic should not even be used as it was just made up to demonise any light shed on that so called religion, which history has proved IS something to fear.

[Bkk Brian]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The full Joe Rogan show ‘debate’ from which the clip above is taken is worth watching.

 

Dave Smith opens the door for Murray to humiliate himself and Murray steps right in.

 

Murray’s ‘Have you been to the crossing point? …When were you last there at all?.. You’ve never been?!’  was one for the ages.

 

Murray simultaneously demonstrating the perfect application of the received British accent as a tool of condescension when addressing Americans who it doesn’t impress, while pummeling his own longstanding arguments against personal experience trumping any other argument.

 

It’s Murray’s intellectual dishonesty at its most pure.

 

 

 

The full show is 3 hours, when did you watch it............lol 

 

Murray has experience, he's been there and studied it, more than that stand up comic Dave Smith who got trounced not only by Murray on Joe Rogan but also by a military expert on urban warfare.

 

Here's a video I know you'll not watch. Yes it contains facts.

 

Dave Smith HUMILIATED as Military Expert Exposes His Lies on Israel-Gaza

 

As for your claim of "Murray’s intellectual dishonesty at its most pure." I'd say its pure projection on your part. 

[retayl]

2 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Who cares what any of them think

Thanks for your incisive contribution.

[richard_smith237]

Articulate & well spoken with incredible powerful and effective arguments. 

 

This man should run for UK PM... 

 

With views seen as quite extreme by the left, there is no doubt that Douglas Murray sees things as they are and does not hold back.

 

I for one think his commentary on many issues is outstanding.

 

 

[Will B Good]

7 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

If it's anywhere near as good as "The strange death of Europe" it will be a great read.

 

Will be ordering a copy.

 

You do know he is openly gay?

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

You do know he is openly gay?

I think anyone that didn't would be pretty naive, why do you bring that up?

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

You do know he is openly gay?

 

Of course. 

 

Why should that matter to you?

[richard_smith237]

Just now, Will B Good said:

You do know he is openly gay?

 

Is that of any relevance to his commentary ?

 

 

Some might contend that his homosexuality creates an inherent bias against nations and regimes where legal systems impose anything from inhumane treatment to outright persecution of homosexuals. But doesn’t that simply reinforce the point - that these regimes exhibit profoundly poor human rights records?

 

Even if Murray were heterosexual, his arguments would remain just as compelling.

 

His sexual orientation is entirely irrelevant to the validity of his critiques; the focus should remain on the substance of the issues, not the identity of the one raising them.

 

Those who factor in Murray’s sexuality when assessing his commentary may well be revealing more about themselves - either a streak of homophobia, or a lack of the intellectual clarity and critical thought required to separate identity from argument.

 

In either case, it’s a failure to engage with ideas on their own merit.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike_Hunt]

11 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

You do know he is openly gay?

It seems to matter to you. 

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

And yet, others listened to this admonishment of Dave Smith deemed that it was very effective.  These people who have not been there and have not studied the history of the conflict are not credible. IMO.
I do not find Douglas Murray to be dishonest, but then I agree with many of the educated opinions expressed by Murray. Obviously, you do not, which is your right (at least here on AN and in the US. (Would it be hate speech in the EU & UK?)).

It’s not simply a matter of agreeing or disagreeing.

 

Murray did a 180Degree about face on his own longstanding points of view in an attempt to shut Smith down.

 

In doing so he displayed utter intellectual dishonesty.

 

Now all you have to do is decide which of his ‘educated opinions’ you agree with, those he expresses today or the completely contradictory ones he’ll switch to when he needs to shut down someone who disagrees with him?!

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not simply a matter of agreeing or disagreeing.

 

Murray did a 180Degree about face on his own longstanding points of view in an attempt to shut Smith down.

 

In doing so he displayed utter intellectual dishonesty.

 

Now all you have to do is decide which of his ‘educated opinions’ you agree with, those he expresses today or the completely contradictory ones he’ll switch to when he needs to shut down someone who disagrees with him?!

What? They were in a heated debate and Murray pointed out some facts. You are the only one with intellectual dishonesty making up false claims like that.

[James105]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Murray did a 180Degree about face on his own longstanding points of view in an attempt to shut Smith down.

 

In doing so he displayed utter intellectual dishonesty.

 

I must have missed that.  What exactly did he do an about face on?  Does he now think islam is a religion of peace?  Does he think that not enough cultural rapists are entering Europe illegally?  Does he think that Trans women are actually women?   Does he think that Hamas are not terrorists and are the good guys in the conflict?  Can you be a bit more specific?  

[Chomper Higgot]

37 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

I must have missed that.  What exactly did he do an about face on?  Does he now think islam is a religion of peace?  Does he think that not enough cultural rapists are entering Europe illegally?  Does he think that Trans women are actually women?   Does he think that Hamas are not terrorists and are the good guys in the conflict?  Can you be a bit more specific?  
 

 

Refer my first post in this thread.

 

[Bkk Brian]

7 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

Refer my first post in this thread.

 

Its been read and has nothing to offer by way of credible claims to back them up, exactly the same as your second and third posts. More intellectual dishonesty from you.

 

8 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The full Joe Rogan show ‘debate’ from which the clip above is taken is worth watching.

 

Dave Smith opens the door for Murray to humiliate himself and Murray steps right in.

 

Murray’s ‘Have you been to the crossing point? …When were you last there at all?.. You’ve never been?!’  was one for the ages.

 

Murray simultaneously demonstrating the perfect application of the received British accent as a tool of condescension when addressing Americans who it doesn’t impress, while pummeling his own longstanding arguments against personal experience trumping any other argument.

 

It’s Murray’s intellectual dishonesty at its most pure.

 

 

 

 

[atpeace]

5 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

The full show is 3 hours, when did you watch it............lol 

 

Murray has experience, he's been there and studied it, more than that stand up comic Dave Smith who got trounced not only by Murray on Joe Rogan but also by a military expert on urban warfare.

 

Here's a video I know you'll not watch. Yes it contains facts.

 

Dave Smith HUMILIATED as Military Expert Exposes His Lies on Israel-Gaza

 

As for your claim of "Murray’s intellectual dishonesty at its most pure." I'd say its pure projection on your part. 

Not saying you're wrong but I watched both and came to the opposite conclusion. So did most the internet as far as I can tell.  Did you read the comments on both videos? I usually like Murray but the people commenting felt the same way as I did.  He was pompous and forgot to debate.  Wish he had because I agree with him more than Dave. 

[proton]

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

Refer my first post in this thread.

 

Why should he, nobody else does 😆

[Bkk Brian]

4 hours ago, atpeace said:

Not saying you're wrong but I watched both and came to the opposite conclusion. So did most the internet as far as I can tell.  Did you read the comments on both videos? I usually like Murray but the people commenting felt the same way as I did.  He was pompous and forgot to debate.  Wish he had because I agree with him more than Dave. 

I don't read the comments no and then come to the conclusion that most of the internet does as well. Murray wasn't in the second video by the way, it was a military expert........so again your conclusions are rather bizarre. Or you're just being dishonest 

[Social Media]

@Cameroni Please do not post inflammatory non substaniated claims and homophobic slurs.

 

15. You will not discriminate or post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, nationality, disability, medical history, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, paternity, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other irrelevant factor.

[atpeace]

9 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

I don't read the comments no and then come to the conclusion that most of the internet does as well. Murray wasn't in the second video by the way, it was a military expert........so again your conclusions are rather bizarre. Or you're just being dishonest 

Not dishonest just made a mistake.  Meant to say both Murray and the other military experts were torn apart in the comments.  You are behaving childish and this seems to be a no discussion for you  other than your what you agree with.  As I stated in my earlier post, I may be wrong but rage on if that floats your boat.  Weird how people get bent when someone has different opinion...

[Bkk Brian]

24 minutes ago, atpeace said:

Not dishonest just made a mistake.  Meant to say both Murray and the other military experts were torn apart in the comments.  You are behaving childish and this seems to be a no discussion for you  other than your what you agree with.  As I stated in my earlier post, I may be wrong but rage on if that floats your boat.  Weird how people get bent when someone has different opinion...

A mistake? quite a large one then, making such unsubstantiated claims over a video that never even had Murray in it and now proceed to claim the military expert was torn apart and I am being childish.

 

Take a peek at just some of his published work, John W. Spencer is a retired United States Army officer, researcher of urban warfare, and author. He currently serves as the chair of urban warfare studies. Been to Gaza a couple of times and you think he got hammered by a stand up comic 

 

https://www.newsweek.com/authors/john-spencer

[Chomper Higgot]

Here’s how badly it went for Murray and how much he knows it.

Having humiliated himself oh the Joe Rogan show and been well and truly owned by Dave Smith he went running to  the NYP where he had this to say:

 

“Claiming some Jewish ancestry, he [Dave Smith] has spent the 18 months since Oct. 7, 2023, being very unfunny indeed.

Specifically, he has decided to spend his time going around the podcast world sounding off about Israel.”

 

Let’s be very clear about this, Dave Smith isn’t ‘Claiming some Jewish ancestry’, Dave Smith is Jewish, both his parents are Jewish, he’s the grandson of a Holocaust survivor.

 

This here is Murray’s “intellectualism”, a snide antisemitic innuendo aimed at a guy who owned him on live stream, so he goes off line and writes stuff he would never dare say to Dave Smith’s face.

 

I can’t say I look forward to hearing the defense offered up for this disgraceful behavior.

 

https://nypost.com/2025/04/17/opinion/douglas-murray-so-called-israel-hamas-ukraine-war-experts-spew-false-info-on-joe-rogans-podcast-there-has-to-be-a-standard/

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Here’s how badly it went for Murray and how much he knows it.

Having humiliated himself oh the Joe Rogan show and been well and truly owned by Dave Smith he went running to  the NYP when he had this to say:

 

 

“Claiming some Jewish ancestry, he [Dave Smith] has spent the 18 months since Oct. 7, 2023, being very unfunny indeed.

Specifically, he has decided to spend his time going around the podcast world sounding off about Israel.”

 

Let’s be very clear about this, Dave Smith isn’t ‘Claiming some Jewish ancestry’, Dave Smith is Jewish, both his parents are Jewish, he’s the grandson of a Holocaust survivor.

 

This here is Murray’s intellectualism, a snide antisemitic innuendo aimed at a guy who owned him on live stream, so he goes oof line and writes stuff he would never dare say to Dave Smith’s face.

 

I can’t say I look forward to hearing the defense offered up for this disgraceful behavior.

 

https://nypost.com/2025/04/17/opinion/douglas-murray-so-called-israel-hamas-ukraine-war-experts-spew-false-info-on-joe-rogans-podcast-there-has-to-be-a-standard/

Oh look more unsubstantiated slurs, its perfectly possible to have anti-Semitic Jews........ and your interpretation of the above article is as usual a wild opinion not based on the facts. He often writes in the NYP, to claim he went running to them is bizarre.

 

https://nypost.com/author/douglas-murray/

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A post trolling with repetative unsubstaniated claims that have already been disproven has been removed.