A question.

[EtUL]

Frankly many Americans think that we aren't the aggressors in our various conflicts so I'm inclined to think that the same thing could have occurred.

[Tsakali]

I actually asked myself that question, and I'm hard pressed to believe that an entire nation was full of little Hitlers.
I mean look at americans now. All the overseas atrocities they are responsible for are fully rationalized to them...yet it's pretty clear to the rest of the world that americans could be described as power hungry aggressors ...per country's actions as a collective.

[EtUL]

Yeah I would change my 'many' to 'most' actually

[GONNAFISTYA]

I actually asked myself that question, and I'm hard pressed to believe that an entire nation was full of little Hitlers.
I mean look at americans now. All the overseas atrocities they are responsible for are fully rationalized to them...yet it's pretty clear to the rest of the world that americans could be described as power hungry aggressors ...per country's actions as a collective.

At least the German people felt (and still feel) shame for their past transgressions. In fact, ask a random german citizen and they'll probably say the World Cup in 2006 was the first time they felt pride for their country since WW2.

Conversely, ask a typical yank (even after two humiliating wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) and they'll probably want to invade Iran tomorrow.

[Tsakali]

well that's actually an inconsistency... if they are to plead ignorance, they can't claim shame. So you're saying that they were aware of their actions? Mob mentality on a national level?

At least americans can plead ignorance... doesn't make it better, but it's consistent and credible.

[seremtan]

...swallowed up on the net of the Communists...

wat

[HM-PuFFNSTuFF]

Banality of evil is a phrase coined by Hannah Arendt and incorporated in the title of her 1963 work Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil.[1] It describes the thesis that the great evils in history generally, and the Holocaust in particular, were not executed by fanatics or sociopaths, but rather by ordinary people who accepted the premises of their state and therefore participated with the view that their actions were normal.

Explaining this phenomenon, Edward S. Herman has emphasized the importance of "normalizing the unthinkable." According to him, "doing terrible things in an organized and systematic way rests on 'normalization.' This is the process whereby ugly, degrading, murderous, and unspeakable acts become routine and are accepted as 'the way things are done.'"[2]

[GONNAFISTYA]

well that's actually an inconsistency... if they are to plead ignorance, they can't claim shame. So you're saying that they were aware of their actions? Mob mentality on a national level?

At least americans can plead ignorance... doesn't make it better, but it's consistent and credible.

I never mentioned ignorance, only shame.

As to Americans, I'm not convinced shame is actually possible....because shame is socialism.

And there is a big difference in that the atrocities were happening around the german people all the time, while yanks watch it on their tv...even if. So there's that huge detachment that makes it take much longer to come to grips with.

[Captain]

And there is a big difference in that the atrocities were happening around the german people all the time, while yanks watch it on their tv...even if. So there's that huge detachment that makes it take much longer to come to grips with.

And then there are people like this:

[Captain]

Speaking of worthless scum, whatever happened to busetibi? Did he get a full-time job with AIPAC or something?

[seremtan]

... Hannah Arendt ... Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil.

one of the best books. EVER

[Ryoki]

Speaking of worthless scum, whatever happened to busetibi? Did he get a full-time job with AIPAC or something?

What are you on about, busetbi never had a political opinion did he? I just remember him as someone intimately familiar with japanese cartoons and many other things that would interest children.

Wait no, my bad, that was honushi. Nevermind... carry on.

[seremtan]

boresetibi

[4days]

Speaking of worthless scum, whatever happened to busetibi? Did he get a full-time job with AIPAC or something?

What are you on about, busetbi never had a political opinion did he? I just remember him as someone intimately familiar with japanese cartoons and many other things that would interest children.

Wait no, my bad, that was honushi. Nevermind... carry on.

forgot about him, damn i fucking hated that guy - can't even remember why now.

[Whiskey 7]

I'd simply quote the above but that does just not cut it in my book

[seremtan]

forgot about him, damn i fucking hated that guy - can't even remember why now.

probably because he was one of the most gigantic bell ends ever to post at q3w

[menkent]

many Germans were anti-nazi in 1933 and many of those still were in 1938 and even 1944. being anti-nazi doesn't mean they thought hitler would start a war of that magnitude ("Did German citizens see WW2 coming?")... even once they'd attacked Poland it would still be easy to rationalize that as simply reclaiming territory that had been German until 1918 and was still populated by "Germans." mix in some long-standing nationalistic prejudices and limited availability of news sources from abroad (i.e., uncensored) and its quite plausible that the general population didn't realize what was happening until it was too late.