It’s literally the one message every old European used to preach to us younger generations back in the day. I remember how important it was to them to make us understand that the minute we start dehumanizing people we don’t like, we are repeating the cycle.
It is why movies like Der Untergang exists. We have to understand that the most despicable people who ever lived were still human beings and much closer to ourselves than we like to think.
I have carried with me, my whole life the knowledge that I am fallible and I am capable of evil no matter how good of a person I think I am. To a lesser extent, every time I have thought I was too clever to fall for x, y and z, that’s when I have fallen right into it. “I would never end up in an abusive relationship. I have too much self respect for that” 🤡 “I’m far too strong to become the doormat in this and that friendship” 🤡 “I’ll never fall for fake information online. I’m too observant” 🤡
I could never trust myself to believe I would be too smart, kind or principled to not fall into a destructive and abusive pattern of behavior if the circumstances are twisted just right. I think more people would benefit if they reminded themselves of their imperfections and got off their high horses. On Lemmy alone I have encountered far too many holier than thou types who are super duper anti fascist but ironically act exactly like fascists, but to them it doesn’t count because they are “on the right side of history”.
Am I sad that some nazi KKK guy died? No. But he was human. Most likely a very terrible human, but still human.
PalmTreeIsBestTree@lemmy.world 5 days ago
There is only so much empathy you can lend out to a black hole before it sucks you into its hateful gravitational pool. Purity tests like what you are proposing just makes them stronger.
JeSuisUnHombre@lemmy.zip 5 days ago
I’m not saying you have to treat them with kindness. I am saying you have to reckon with the fact that they are still human. Or you will be doomed to follow the same path.
PalmTreeIsBestTree@lemmy.world 5 days ago
I recognize what happened to them was wrong and shouldn’t have happened, but I am glad it wasn’t a person of better moral character to be the victim.
Soulg@ani.social 4 days ago
This is a much better and well reasoned take than the one in the OP image.
tane@lemy.lol 4 days ago
I don’t believe they are the same species as me. They have devolved to the point where their brains lack empathy, a distinctly human trait.
the_crotch@sh.itjust.works 4 days ago
You sound an awful lot like a Nazi right now.
AlexLost@lemmy.world 4 days ago
Is empathy only a human trait? Doubtful. Animals have been known to show empathy as well. Humans aren’t all that special, we’ve just learned to fuck over everything else on the planet.
sartalon@lemmy.world 4 days ago
Wouldn’t the fascists even argue that empathy is toxic?
PalmTreeIsBestTree@lemmy.world 4 days ago
They do, but they also perform double speak to counter their hypocrisy. They’re rather famous for doing it.