Varying degrees of ethics, morality and beliefs are traits we’re all born with, but eventually develop throughout our lives. Right vs. Wrong, Good vs. Bad. From biblical parables to Brothers Grimm fairy tales, we’re seeded with the concepts of westernised virtuousness before we learn to spell virtuosity.
These principles are agreed upon by society, however, dictated by what I call Gatekeepers. Elitist decision-makers who consciously decide how we should behave as a society. I’ll admit that we have certain base characteristics that defy choice, like taking the life of a toddler for example. Those virtues are native to our more mammalian selves i.e. protecting our young for the continuity of our species.
With this in mind, I question MY values. Is what I believe to be right, right? I won’t grab an apple at a fruit vendor because I’ve been taught that it is wrong to take something without the permission of the owner – but that’s because I have the means and provisions to question my actions. In contrast, someone who has not eaten a meal in 7 days will object to this similar discern, and have his actions justified as IM-probable cause. The point I make, is that before you judge my following opinion, make reference to the fact that your moral standards interlink with my above opinions and that of ‘ol Winston.
Should Adolf Hitler be completely condemned?
Firstly, I am ambivalent toward how I feel about Hitler in the same way I feel about G.W Bush. A stark comparison, but once again judgement is based on western principles. Many people label the one foe and the other friend purely because of information shared that has not been studied to form a scholarly opinion. Remember, both of these men regarded their deeds as good when invading another country, their audience indoctrinated into believing that their deeds were just and honourable. The malevolence of Hitler was taught to us by the same folk who fed us the ‘justifiable’ intentions of Bush 1 & Bush 2. The military on both sides of the ocean decades apart, both acted upon the justification of their actions being morally correct. I like to think that if we lived in New Germania today, Hitler would have been considered a hero by us and the Allied Forces as the malignant enemy of pure evil. Societal opinion would have been completely different, albeit drilled into us militantly.
The second part of my opinion is that of leadership. I believe that an average leader focuses on results – that’s corporate leadership. A good leader focuses on behaviours that will get results. Whereas a great leader will focus on the emotions that drive behaviours! When a single man with a skewed vision steps up and shares that vision, strong enough in his conviction to have millions act upon his ideology - that’s great leadership. I find it difficult to convince another man to pick up his weapon and take the life of another. Despite it being an act of respect or fear. Despite it altering your values. Despite it recreating principles which you may or may not have been taught. It is for this reason that I respect (not admire) Adolf Hitler.
My final outlook is that of man. I like to think that it’s in our nature to brand. Think football and you think David Beckham. Think apartheid freedom fighter and you think of Nelson Mandela. Think holocaust and you think of Adolf Hitler. Unfortunately, with our tendency to classify and brand is the equal barbaric animal in all of us. We’ve always been at the precipice of evil. Every single one of us is capable of killing another. We only need the means to justify the cause and Bob’s your uncle. Well, dead uncle if he deserved to die. Classist tensions between ‘German’s and everyone else’ may have predated the cause for 6 million Jews exterminated. All the ‘superior’ Germans needed were motive. Motive which came in the form of an inspiring leader who justified the culling of an inferior race. It’s like giving your kid that extra nudge needed to step outside of its comfort zone and express what they’re harbouring inside. From that perspective, we should condemn the bigotry of man and not that of A MAN.
I’ve justified my opinion and hope that it’s not misconstrued as support for the needless deaths of 11 million people. I do not believe that any murderous cause is justifiable. As reputable as Adolf was, he was not admirable. That is the differentiation we should make when considering the feats of his vision; technology, scientific advancement, infrastructural improvements and most importantly understanding ourselves. There will always be wars. In fact there have been 148 wars since WW II. It’s in our nature to fight, destroy, plunder and kill. It’s what makes us human. The question is what will it take to make us humane?
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