Internal Exile and Politics

This essay has two parts. One scans notions of inner exile as withdrawal from society; the other examines politics. There are many ways of withdrawing from society: solitary life in a remote place, or retreat to the "inner citadel," the inner self free from the yoke of society. But withdrawal can take place while being amidst society. The essay addresses moral implications of retreat from society, especially from its politics. The discussion concentrates on societies in which the act of withdrawal can be voluntary. The paradigmatic cases are the recent events in Israel: the liberal protest against authoritarian "reform" of the judicial system, and Hamas's brutal attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing cruel counterattack by Israel on Gaza.