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Evil - what is it?
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What do we mean be evil? My definition would be the deliberate, intentional harming of others. It is possible to harm others without actually intending to, but that's thoughtlessness or inconsideration, not actually evil. Evil has to be a consciously taken choice. Any thoughts?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil
say's it all
say's it all
One can look at the events and actions of World War 2. Hitler and his leadership decided to exterminate the Jewish population by any means - genocide. That was a conscious decision and a deliberate one and therefore: Evil.
Were the �foot soldiers� responsible for shuttling the Jews on to the trains, into the death camps and ultimately the gas chambers also evil? Or were they acting unintentionally and following the orders of their leader? Is their guilt relieved by their supposition that they were not consciously making the decision, merely obeying and carrying out orders? Or is it just the ones that derived pleasure from it? I suspect most of them went along with it, rather than being shot by their commanders or a firing squad. But does that make them 'evil'?
So whilst we can categorically say that Hitler was unequivocally evil. What about the minions?
Were the �foot soldiers� responsible for shuttling the Jews on to the trains, into the death camps and ultimately the gas chambers also evil? Or were they acting unintentionally and following the orders of their leader? Is their guilt relieved by their supposition that they were not consciously making the decision, merely obeying and carrying out orders? Or is it just the ones that derived pleasure from it? I suspect most of them went along with it, rather than being shot by their commanders or a firing squad. But does that make them 'evil'?
So whilst we can categorically say that Hitler was unequivocally evil. What about the minions?
People came out on the streets to defeat the poll tax, protesting and refusing to pay it. It was binned. They refused to be led along by the politicians. Equally, protests at the Iraq /Afghanistan wars are ongoing, and are beginning to show sign of success, but even if the success is slow in coming, it shows that there are still a lot of people who will not just go along with the politicians.
But, we all sign up for democracy, and that can often take us into situations we didn't envisage when casting the vote.
But, we all sign up for democracy, and that can often take us into situations we didn't envisage when casting the vote.
No Octavius not exactly although you could certainly argue a case for it.
I think a lot of people in this country demonstrated and indeed continue to do so their disaproval and outrage at this war and their reasons for it. I think in Nazi Germany that was not quite so easy to do. Freedom of speech and all that...
Do i think the soldiers are drones? Possibly. A little bit sometimes but again no, not really. It's very easy for me to judge sitting happily in my nice warm home wathcing the news isn't it? They do their job, it's what they signed up for. They can disagree with it but I guess if they decide they're not up for it they can't just turn round and leave. I suppose if any of them feel strongly enough they would give up their career.
I think a lot of people in this country demonstrated and indeed continue to do so their disaproval and outrage at this war and their reasons for it. I think in Nazi Germany that was not quite so easy to do. Freedom of speech and all that...
Do i think the soldiers are drones? Possibly. A little bit sometimes but again no, not really. It's very easy for me to judge sitting happily in my nice warm home wathcing the news isn't it? They do their job, it's what they signed up for. They can disagree with it but I guess if they decide they're not up for it they can't just turn round and leave. I suppose if any of them feel strongly enough they would give up their career.
Well I think that is a duty, as well as a right.
I am not so sure the same applied during the two world wars though, when disobeying any order usually meant court martial and firing squad. I am not even sure whether in the outbacks of the regions where the camps were that a court martial was part of the Nazi discipline process.
Anyway, this is a digression. I was merely wondering whether the drones and sheeples are equally guilty of evil, when it is something they are doing without thought or without making a conscious decision to go through with it, merely acting out of sole survival. I am not (nor never was) making any assumption that soldiers in Iraq are evil.
I am not so sure the same applied during the two world wars though, when disobeying any order usually meant court martial and firing squad. I am not even sure whether in the outbacks of the regions where the camps were that a court martial was part of the Nazi discipline process.
Anyway, this is a digression. I was merely wondering whether the drones and sheeples are equally guilty of evil, when it is something they are doing without thought or without making a conscious decision to go through with it, merely acting out of sole survival. I am not (nor never was) making any assumption that soldiers in Iraq are evil.
During WW2, my father was once ordered to execute a boy of about 14.
He refused, and his officer, proceeded to unholster his pistol.
Seeing what might be coming next, another soldier stood up, picked up his rifle, and volunteered. He walked off with the officer, into some trees. A shot rang out and they returned.
Nothing more was ever said on the matter.
He refused, and his officer, proceeded to unholster his pistol.
Seeing what might be coming next, another soldier stood up, picked up his rifle, and volunteered. He walked off with the officer, into some trees. A shot rang out and they returned.
Nothing more was ever said on the matter.
Octavious. - The order went out to local villagers to vacate the area, and that any males between ages 14 and 50 (?) found there after a certain time would be deemed to be conspiring with the enemy and shot.
A boy was found. Spying? I don't know.
The CO was obeying orders, and implementing Kings regulations.
I don't think anybody there was inherently evil. The greater evil was the war itself. No reporters back then to make judgements to the folk back home.
A boy was found. Spying? I don't know.
The CO was obeying orders, and implementing Kings regulations.
I don't think anybody there was inherently evil. The greater evil was the war itself. No reporters back then to make judgements to the folk back home.
The media can influence Theland but people can make judgements for themselves. You're really on a downer about that today aren't you poppet?
There's a Calvin and Hobbs strip with Calvin asking his bemused father how two sides killing each other solved the worlds problems. I always liked that way of looking at it.
Sorry Jock for going slightly off track there...
There's a Calvin and Hobbs strip with Calvin asking his bemused father how two sides killing each other solved the worlds problems. I always liked that way of looking at it.
Sorry Jock for going slightly off track there...
