(idea submitted and written by Shayna D.)
“Jewish Guilt” is a chronic condition for many Jewish Young Adults which manifests in several significant ways.
The most prevalent kind of guilt is endogenous, and is cyclical within Jewish communities. This guilt was not created ex nihilo, but rather has its roots in the JYA’s relationship with his or her mother. A Jewish mother is never satisfied by the achievements or behavior of the JYA. For example, a JYA who receives a 98% on a difficult calculus exam can expect to be greeted with: “What happened to the other two points?” The remarks of the Jewish mother leave the JYA with a looming sense of guilt so strong that the mother’s actual physical presence is not required to illicit appropriate behavioral adjustments.
It is important to note that this guilt is institutionally perpetuated by nearly all Jewish holidays, notably Aseret Yemei Teshuva (the ten days of repentance after Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur (the official day to sit in shul and feel guilty for). A hallmark of most Jewish holidays is feeling guilty while not eating, feeling guilty about wanting to eat, or eating as a symbol of something to feel guilty about.
More interestingly, there is a second category of Jewish Guilt that involves the intentional deploying of guilt exogenously, meaning at Non-Jews, to coerce them into doing the things you want them to. This is particularly useful against Protestants who have not been raised in a culture of guilt and have developed no defenses against shame. Guilt directed at Non-Jews involves the JYA incorporating the same behavior-altering skill that they have learned from their mothers.
In a typical scenario, the JYA might have a regular bar night to attend. After being guilted into going because it’s someone’s birthday or because it’s only for an hour or because it’s only once a week she hears that some coworkers are skipping out. In order to change their decision, the JYA will adopt the tried and true practices of Guilt, staging: “I have a migraine, and I’m still going, so I think you can probably find a way to come along.”
Later that night a gentile friend might decide to order a drink. The JYA might then ask for a glass of ice water without too much ice and a slice of lemon. “Why don’t you just come with me?” The gentile will reasonably ask. Again the JYA will reach into their arsenal of finely tuned Guilt techniques and say: “Fine, I just thought that since you were getting up anyway, and it’s just a glass of water that you might get it for me especially since I’m not feeling well, but never mind. It’s not a big deal.” The gentile will feel horrible and will instantly fetch the water.
Why does using Jewish Guilt on Non-Jews work? Simple, the JYA has invoked suffering, and in non Jewish circles suffering is less like water and air and more like something to be avoided.
This is so true. Shayna guilted me into editing this. She has it down to an art.
-B. Schmidt
Shiksa, JBA
oh my god. i just used that on my roommate cuz i was feeling sick and asked for mac & cheese but she saw rite thru me.
AHAHAH Yup!! sooooo true!
Will the behavior a Semite embraces ever change to do something for itself rather than manipulating others to feed its lazy, idle characteristic via the guilt tool … grow up people and start becoming apart of the normal contributing society like everyone else in this world has to … you’ve become a society of cave-dwelling education sponges and cronyism-based employment harbors that contributes nothing to the healing of social issues.
This reminds me of a headline from The Onion:
“Jewish scientists discover new ways to disappoint their parents.”
[...] from Stuff Young Jewish Adults Like which is hysterically funny even if I am not jewish. I am Asian it’s almost the same thing [...]
It also exists to a lesser degree in Catholic families
Not if you are Irish-Catholic! More than enough guilt to go around.
Its when an x-wife has her brakes done and HAS the money to pay for her rent BUT tells the X-husband that she will be short on the bills and will llive in the street BUT does not want the help of the X-Husband
Mind you the X-husband is a Ginger breed and has many tactical weapons to allude the X-wife’s request….but he is NO match for the Jewish guilt as he will succumbed to the force of the Mighty Jewish guilt…
[...] When our ancestors were permitted to exit the ghetto, they gravitated towards those expressing universalist ideas, which were most often part of the ideology of the left. It was from the universalists that they experienced the first indications of tolerance. It’s therefore not surprising that they proceeded to derive intellectual sustenance and a modicum of physical security from the left, hence our historic loyalty. But today it is the American right that has evolved to the point where it is much more philo-Semitic and more pro-Israel than the left. The hawks and the evangelicals among them are the most fervent supporters of the State of Israel. From the perspective of our own survival, we must gravitate to, and work with, those who wish us well and support our standing in the world. via thejewishweek.com via a problematic and anecdotal prejudiced opinion stuffjewishyoungadultslike.wordpress.com [...]
Wow. I do this all the time. My grandma on my dads side is Jewish. I’ve always compared my own guilt trips to the kind she gives me. Also my boyfriend is Jewish, and he definitely tries to use these techniques on me. Most the time it works, too… Hey, I’m not 100% Jew.
I hate jewish guilt my gf uses it all the time ,
ive grow accustomed to it but from time to time she will get me
and the only reprocussion
is to ignore her for half a day till she gets the point.
Jewish guilt is merely a manipulation , used by women to get what they want.
its probably one of the reasons why i will never marry lol.