Im Totem Winkel
I just watched a German documentary entitled Im Totem Winkel (English title: Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary). It is an interview with Traudl Junge, Hitler's personal secretary. I believe she died of cancer in 2002, the day the movie was released. This is an amazing piece of journalism and should be required viewing in every high school world history class. She describes a side of Hitler never seen; a human side. When she met him in 1942 she was struck by his gentle, paternal demeanor. She describes what it was like to live and work with the Fuhrer every day while he was orchestrating all manner of atrocities.
One thing that she pointed out was that Hitler had no concern for humanity. He was driven by an ideal of German Nationalism that would someday realize a purified society of super-humans. Wow. What does that mean for a society like ours that is built on the pursuit of an ideal? I can see the seeds of misanthropic tyranny in the jingoistic nationalism of social and religious conservatives. Social liberals are equally driven by ideals (animal rights, gun control, etc) the expense of individuals and their inalienable rights. Idealism, then, ultimately rejects the sovereignty and autonomy of the members of the society it is trying to perfect. It is becoming clear to me how our hatred, or worse, apathy is established and perpetuated by a total commitment to ideals.
Via Media (the middle way) must become the ultimate respecter of persons. The Radical Middle, as it is known in politics, is exemplified by people like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. The idea in so-called "third way" political thought is to eliminate false dilemmas such as the debacle of Rep. Sam Brownback, R-Colorado trying to pass a law banning physician assisted suicide on the basis that the slippery slope will necessarily end in physicians declaring that certain persons don't deserve to live. This is an example of a false dilemma. There are already provisions in place that protect patients from being terminated against their will (namely civil protection against murder). There is an ideal that is demanded from people who practice a rule-based ethic (in this case the rule is Natural Law; a medieval construct of Thomas Aquinas) and this ideal looks past the individual and their right to choose a dignified death.
The institution of racism in America is full of false dilemmas.
"We can't allow affirmative action because it's only going to be used as reverse discrimination."
"Mexicans are all just going to come over here and take all our jobs."
"What are the Native Americans complaining about? They make millions with their casinos."
I have to examine my conscience and find out for myself what ideals I am putting before the welfare of humanity. As I search myself I discover that there are behaviors and patterns that I use to dehumanize certain people around me. Every time I say, "Those people..." I am rejecting the humanity of potentially innumerable people. That's a hard thing to bring under control. I pray that I may be willing to put aside an ideal for the sake of just one person who needs to feel like a human being.
PAX
Erik
One thing that she pointed out was that Hitler had no concern for humanity. He was driven by an ideal of German Nationalism that would someday realize a purified society of super-humans. Wow. What does that mean for a society like ours that is built on the pursuit of an ideal? I can see the seeds of misanthropic tyranny in the jingoistic nationalism of social and religious conservatives. Social liberals are equally driven by ideals (animal rights, gun control, etc) the expense of individuals and their inalienable rights. Idealism, then, ultimately rejects the sovereignty and autonomy of the members of the society it is trying to perfect. It is becoming clear to me how our hatred, or worse, apathy is established and perpetuated by a total commitment to ideals.
Via Media (the middle way) must become the ultimate respecter of persons. The Radical Middle, as it is known in politics, is exemplified by people like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. The idea in so-called "third way" political thought is to eliminate false dilemmas such as the debacle of Rep. Sam Brownback, R-Colorado trying to pass a law banning physician assisted suicide on the basis that the slippery slope will necessarily end in physicians declaring that certain persons don't deserve to live. This is an example of a false dilemma. There are already provisions in place that protect patients from being terminated against their will (namely civil protection against murder). There is an ideal that is demanded from people who practice a rule-based ethic (in this case the rule is Natural Law; a medieval construct of Thomas Aquinas) and this ideal looks past the individual and their right to choose a dignified death.
The institution of racism in America is full of false dilemmas.
"We can't allow affirmative action because it's only going to be used as reverse discrimination."
"Mexicans are all just going to come over here and take all our jobs."
"What are the Native Americans complaining about? They make millions with their casinos."
I have to examine my conscience and find out for myself what ideals I am putting before the welfare of humanity. As I search myself I discover that there are behaviors and patterns that I use to dehumanize certain people around me. Every time I say, "Those people..." I am rejecting the humanity of potentially innumerable people. That's a hard thing to bring under control. I pray that I may be willing to put aside an ideal for the sake of just one person who needs to feel like a human being.
PAX
Erik
posted by Erik at Monday, June 12, 2006
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