The “Longest Hatred” Explained: Confirmation Bias and the Persistence of Antisemitism

Most scholars of antisemitism dismiss the idea, famously articulated by Robert Wistrich, that Jew-hatred is the “longest hatred.” They reject the notion on historical and methodological grounds, insisting that manifestations of antisemitism depend on context, differ widely over time, and do not causally produce further cases of the phenomenon. Even so, many of these scholars suggest that antisemitic “tropes” or “characteristics” or “fantasies” account for the persistence of antisemitism. The article seeks to intervene in this debate by making sense of the mechanisms at work in the reproduction of antisemitic imagery over the long term. It will rely on the theory of confirmation bias to detail processes by which people, usually unconsciously, seek to reinforce previously learned information, especially if it supports their own way of life. Devoid of essentialist overtones, confirmation bias is well-placed to address Wistrich’s “longest hatred” without subscribing to the ahistorical concept that Jews have faced and continue to face eternal enmity.