: a catchphrase used to impersonate and mock Jews and the
antisemitic conspiracy theories connected to them
WHY IT’S ANTISEMITIC:
“The Goyim Know,” sometimes followed by “Shut It Down,”
is a popular antisemitic meme based on conspiracy theories
of manipulative Jews with plans of world domination and in
control of the media, economy, and governments (see control).
An example of the popular
“The Goyim Know. Shut It
Down.” meme.
Typically paired with offensive images of a stereotypical Jew
talking on a phone or holding a shocked expression, this meme is widely used by white supremacists and other
antisemites — on sites like 4chan and 8kun (formerly 8chan) — to
mock a panicked Jew whose secret plot or manipulations have
been revealed by non-Jewish people, or goyim.
While “goyim” is a term used by some Jews to refer to non-
Jews, antisemites and white supremacists have weaponized
the word to mock and accuse Jews of promoting a prejudiced
support for their own clan.
As it spread online, “The Goyim Know” also made its way
offline through an antisemitic song parody by the same name,
as well as the phrase appearing on signs during the “Unite the
Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Other manifestations
of the far-right using “Goyim” to mock Jews are the Goyim
Defense League (GDL) and GoyimTV.com.