Dissecting Evil
Evil is a mythical creation — something we invented so we can more simply understand behaviors that we cannot otherwise explain. At its core, it comes down to two things: the lack of empathy and the gathering of power. I read about the Nazis in the past. I wasn't impressed with what I found — not because it wasn't horrifying, but because I had already seen it before. In Balkan history, Ottoman history, Greek history, European history. I am sure in many other histories too. But what makes World War II unique is its propaganda and media coverage. We don't only read about it — we see it on a screen. The barbaric war tactics, the choices of winners and losers, all of it documented, broadcast, analyzed. Did we understand the lessons of World War II? I'm not even asking about World War I, because I'm sure that today fewer people in Europe know who was involved in it and why. So I'll ask only about the second one. What did we learn? Do you see history repeating it...
