Kelsey McGovern, Staff Writer
What made Nazi Germany so destructive?
In Nazi Germany, collective expressions of conformity contributed to Hitler’s ideal state. The failure to distinguish between truth and falsehood can create an alternate reality. Fascism has a rationalist element where the use of bureaucracy helps preserve order by penalizing dissenters. Hannah Arendt describes these people as ordinary, banal figures who exterminate state enemies. She believes the problem of human nature is those who cannot think from the standpoint of others.
Adolf Eichmann, a member of the Nazi Party, is the primary example of how people can remove the burden of guilt from their actions. Eichmann, a high official, was involved in the transportation of Jews to extermination camps. Responsibility and morality never crossed Eichmann’s mind – this is the problem.
Many members of the Nazi Party relieved themselves of their own judgments by following orders aimlessly and thoughtlessly. Nazis became so successful because of the banality of evil, the removal of any causality. Therefore, the cooperation of intellectual sheep contributed to the destruction. Ordinary men perpetuate civilization and do not question their values. This is the danger. All people can have this mindset that can repeat itself.
When does this occur?
When true and false become indistinguishable, people struggle to distinguish what they have witnessed from what they are told. In that case, anything becomes possible. People are exhausted and isolated, wanting to belong. These people can be easily manipulated because they may feel empty inside. Those who feel like they are “nobody” will follow anyone who makes them feel like they are somebody. These people then project nothingness onto the enemy because they feel like a “nobody” themselves.
In today’s world, for fascist ideals to stay contained, people must reject conformity. The saying “be a leader, not a follower” must continue to be emphasized in our society. Today, committing to one political persuasion through the news contributes to a rejection of differing values. Through engaging in various news sources, one can develop their own opinions about events instead of committing their mind to only what they are being told.
There is no question whether technologies lead to isolation. They do. In order for terror to function, a condition of isolation is needed. Zoom meetings instead of face-to-face meetings diminish the sense of community and human interaction. Zoom establishes a structure with time limits, not allowing the uniqueness and externalization of thoughts to be fully articulated. Alienation is then encountered. This is when people want to be accepted, and they will do anything to feel that.
People must have their own thoughts so moral judgment cannot be removed. Ordinary people can create such destruction as occurred in Nazi Germany. In society today, isolation is a major factor due to increased technology use and possible insecurities. Originality must be kept important for society to function in a democracy and not in a fascist regime. Everyone has the ability to engage in evil.
Be a leader, not a follower.
This world needs more people who recognize evil and, instead of feeling accepted by joining in, stop the action. People are too comfortable being terrible human beings and must be held accountable for destruction not to repeat itself.
