Just wanted to say - no idea what’s going on in the comments, don’t take it too hard. People are angry. Just as I would not condemn every Russian because Putin is a giant asshole, I wouldn’t condemn every US american. Especially not those in the fediverse - it’s likely you suffer as well under your dictator.
It’s hard to make that distinction. Even in Germany under the jackboot of National Socialism there were still good people, some even dared to take action while others dragged their feet as much as possible without endangering themselves and their loved ones. This is where the difference between guilt and responsibility arises. In my opinion not all US Americans are guilty, just like not all Germans were, yet all US Americans share a responsibility to rid themselves of their political polarisation and the hatred at its root, just like the good people of Germany managed to do in the decades after the war.
I agree. However one can address this responsibility in many ways, depending on ones skills and situation in life. Telling people to just go out on the streets and overthrow the government or get rid of their leaders is an easy appeal, but not everybody is able to translate that into action. Caring for yourself, for your family, your neighbors and your community is what most people care for in the first place. In hindsight it’s always easy to say you would have joined the resistance. Many young Germans today would claim they would have prevented the rise of the Nazis, but I doubt very many of them would have done so.
I don’t condemn every Russian because Putin is a giant asshole, I condemn them because they’re content to “stay out of politics” and let Putin use their country to commit atrocities against their innocent neighbours. I condemn all of those who haven’t taken at least the same risks and efforts that their neighbours are forced to take to defend themselves.
Just wanted to say - no idea what’s going on in the comments, don’t take it too hard. People are angry. Just as I would not condemn every Russian because Putin is a giant asshole, I wouldn’t condemn every US american. Especially not those in the fediverse - it’s likely you suffer as well under your dictator.
It’s hard to make that distinction. Even in Germany under the jackboot of National Socialism there were still good people, some even dared to take action while others dragged their feet as much as possible without endangering themselves and their loved ones. This is where the difference between guilt and responsibility arises. In my opinion not all US Americans are guilty, just like not all Germans were, yet all US Americans share a responsibility to rid themselves of their political polarisation and the hatred at its root, just like the good people of Germany managed to do in the decades after the war.
I agree. However one can address this responsibility in many ways, depending on ones skills and situation in life. Telling people to just go out on the streets and overthrow the government or get rid of their leaders is an easy appeal, but not everybody is able to translate that into action. Caring for yourself, for your family, your neighbors and your community is what most people care for in the first place. In hindsight it’s always easy to say you would have joined the resistance. Many young Germans today would claim they would have prevented the rise of the Nazis, but I doubt very many of them would have done so.
I don’t condemn every Russian because Putin is a giant asshole, I condemn them because they’re content to “stay out of politics” and let Putin use their country to commit atrocities against their innocent neighbours. I condemn all of those who haven’t taken at least the same risks and efforts that their neighbours are forced to take to defend themselves.