George Soros Essay PDF

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Essay about who George Soros is, why he is relevant to the course, what people have made him out to be, how it corresponds with anti-semitism....

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Billionaires throughout the globe are not looked upon kindly by the general population for many reasons; be it hoarding wealth, a lack of care for those in need, lackluster efforts to improve the lives of those below them and more. Even those who do donate large sums of money to help different causes are targeted by people who are on the opposite end of the political spectrum. The life of one of the greatest investors in the world can be described as a Robin Hood situation: a man of meagre means finds success and spreads his wealth amongst those in need. The man in question is Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist, George Soros. Known for his generosity and success in hedge-fund management, he has donated billions to charitable causes. Soros has funded “education and health programs, human rights, and the furtherance of democracy.”1 Because of Soros’ investment into politics, there has been pushback from individuals who are not aligned with his ideals. As a participant in politics through large donations, Soros has invested his money in the Democratic Party in the United States2. Because of Soros’ involvement, there has been a trade of memes from right-wing individuals which depict Soros in a negative light. Oftentimes, the memes will weaponize the fact that Soros lived through the Nazi occupation of Hungary between 1944-19453. The weaponization of Soros’ past is a direct reflection of the issues of antisemitism in America, specifically the stereotyping of Jewish individuals in regards to money. One such meme shows a picture of Soros with the words “From your president's no.1 donor and advisor…’Destroying America will be the culmination of my life’s work’ - George Soros a.k.a

1

The Investopedia Team, “Who Is George Soros?,” Investopedia (Investopedia, September 10, 2021), https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/soros.asp#citation-3. 2 The Investopedia Team, “Who Is George Soros?,” Investopedia (Investopedia, September 10, 2021), https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/soros.asp#citation-3. 3 “The Life of George Soros,” George Soros, accessed October 22, 2021, https://www.georgesoros.com/the-life-of-george-soros/.

Gyorgy Schwartz.4” The change of Soros’ name is distinctly disturbing as he is of Jewish descent and the last name Schwartz is known to be a German and Jewish last name5. The intended offense of using a colloquially known German last name for Soros is in effort to de-legitimize his contributions to the Democratic Party and as a philanthropist. Though fuelled by anger and misinformation, memes such as this can distort the reality of Soros’ life, de-realizing his accomplishments and using him as a figurehead for hate and propaganda. When researching why Soros is widely hated, there were many easily identifiable “justifications” that came up. Most revolved around his ideologies, the way in which Soros donates to left-leaning political campaigns and his donations to initiatives which seem to be focused on leftist ideas. There was one which stood out among the rest from articles that held a considerable amount of weight: “Carlson says he doesn’t think people understand the scale of Soros’ influence. Never has there been so much money in a system whose goal is to create a new order in society – money that isn’t subject to any political system, Carlson says.”6 Understandably, the scale of money which Soros invests into politics and funding for those in need is beyond what is easily comprehensible. An individual usually cannot understand the influence that a billion dollars can have on the world, let alone for a specific side of politics. Because of his investment, many attack not only Soros but also political leaders for being under his thumb. Many of the memes regarding Soros depicts him being a puppet master to political leaders, specifically Justin Trudeau. One such meme shows Soros with a puppeted Trudeau and the words “Of course I control him...this idiot has never had an original thought.” The outrage 4

Kristi Ann, “George Soros Is Anti-USA / Anti-Israel!!,” Kristi Ann's Haven, November 5, 2020, https://kristiann1.com/2015/04/28/gsen/. 5 “Schwartz Family History,” Schwartz Name Meaning & Schwartz Family History at Ancestry.ca®, accessed October 22, 2021, https://www.ancestry.ca/name-origin?surname=schwartz. 6 Nirit Anderman, “Why Do so Many Hate George Soros?,” Haaretz.com (Haaretz, June 16, 2021), https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium.MAGAZINE-why-do-so-many-hate-george-soros-1.9904284.

that created the circulation of this meme stems from Trudeau’s efforts to open the Canadian border for immigrants, most of whom are muslim. The consistent and overwhelming issue that burdens Soros is propaganda and conspiracy theories surrounding his wealth and where it is being allocated. There are conspiracy theories that surround feminism, racism, drug trafficking and more that involve Soros being the main operator behind the funding7. In an effort to re-write Soros’ life and his accomplishments, right-wing conservatives have continuously made an effort to tear him down via the internet. Fascism in modern society is less out in the open and more covert in its efforts to tear down those who do not fit with the idealisms of nazism. While the stereotypes that Nazi Germany used against Jewish people are still fundamentally alive today, it is less intense in its mission to eradicate those that are identified as Jewish. The anti-semitism that Soros faces is blatant and violent, with a pipe-bomb being delivered to his residence during the 2016 election when he criticized Trump for his views 8. Soros also faces backlash for his fortune, since there is the stereotype that Jewish people are evil and hoard the wealth that they accumulate. However despite the backlash and constant harassment he faces, Soros has made a considerable mark on human history. His philanthropic investments have paved the way for countless people to have a better life, a more sustainable future and a chance at having a functioning political system in their country. Soros’ principles have not wavered despite his old age and the threats to his life. The billionaire investor turned benefactor is known to be the most generous and best investor in the world, despite critics against his ideals, and that will remain as his legacy.

7 “Billionaire Philanthropist George Soros a Target on Multiple Fronts This Week | CBC News,” CBCnews (CBC/Radio Canada, October 25, 2018), https://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/national-newsletter-soros-midterms-health-care-carbon-tax-1.4872560. 8 “Billionaire Philanthropist George Soros a Target on Multiple Fronts This Week | CBC News,” CBCnews (CBC/Radio Canada, October 25, 2018), https://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/national-newsletter-soros-midterms-health-care-carbon-tax-1.4872560.

Bibliography Anderman, Nirit. “Why Do so Many Hate George Soros?” Haaretz.com. Haaretz, June 16, 2021. https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium.MAGAZINE-why-do-so-many-hate-george-sor os-1.9904284. Ann, Kristi. “George Soros Is Anti-USA / Anti-Israel!!” Kristi Ann's Haven, November 5, 2020. https://kristiann1.com/2015/04/28/gsen/. “Billionaire Philanthropist George Soros a Target on Multiple Fronts This Week | CBC News.” CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, October 25, 2018. https://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/national-newsletter-soros-midterms-health-care-carbo n-tax-1.4872560. “George Soros.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Soros. “The Life of George Soros.” George Soros. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.georgesoros.com/the-life-of-george-soros/. “Schwartz Family History.” Schwartz Name Meaning & Schwartz Family History at Ancestry.ca®. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.ancestry.ca/name-origin?surname=schwartz. Team, The Investopedia. “Who Is George Soros?” Investopedia. Investopedia, September 10, 2021. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/soros.asp#citation-3....