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This strikes me as a massive overgeneralization. States are just an organizational structure of institutions, tasked with operating a society. They are not intr
by Aqueous 9y ago
This strikes me as a massive overgeneralization. States are just an organizational structure of institutions, tasked with operating a society. They are not intrinsically inclined towards building concentration camps any more than they are intrinsically inclined towards providing healthcare or delivering a basic income. States operating under an ideology of madness will operate as if mad. States operating under an ideology of reason will operate reasonably.
And for me at least, the main take-away from the image of the concentration camp is clear: elections have consequences, so take your vote seriously. Form a functional coalition with others to elect the least terrible person you can. If you don't, you may end up handing the machinery of the state - capable of harm on a massive scale - over to the unsavory or the insane. That's the lesson of the concentration camps and the lesson of recent history.
So I think the distinction between the nature of the state and the nature of its citizens is important for effective democratic participation. If you are so cynical that you think that 'concentration camps reveal the nature of the modern state,' why would you participate in such a thing? If we are collectively down on the very concept of the state, there's no way to run a good one.
- mmustapic 9y agoStates, or Nation States, are not just an organizational structure. They are THE organizational structure of the modern world. It is no coincidence that concentration camps are created by modern states and not for example tribes or criminals.
- tptacek 9y agoIt's not like the predecessors of the modern state were strangers to genocide and mass enslavement.
- honestoHeminway 9y agoThe concentration camps showed humanitys tendency to shirk responsibilities towards processes. The same apparatus is at work today in states and companys. What can I do, im just a , i have to perform * or else i will loose my *. Thats where the evil is and was.
- jancsika 9y ago> And for me at least, the main take-away from the image of the concentration camp is clear: elections have consequences, so take your vote seriously. Form a functional coalition with others to elect the least terrible person you can. At least in the U.S. a potent mix of cynicism and tribalism with the two party system makes this extremely difficult. Lots of people take for granted that the system is broken. But when you actually begin to discuss policy they are likely to interpret criticism of their cynically chosen party's position as cynical politically motivated flak and defend accordingly. In that kind of environment "least terrible" doesn't seem to function anymore. I've wondered if one attack on this vicious cycle could be flippism. Exercising my right to vote for a randomly chosen candidate may be repulsive enough to most Americans that they may actually prefer to use their critical thinking skills to convince me not to do that. (I.e., I don't think most Americans are as cynical as they claim to be.)
- maxxxxx 9y agoThis applies to any kind of large organization like states, military or corporations. Individuals don't really see anymore what the organization does but they just play their little role. In such a system it's easy for the organization to do evil while each individual just thinks they are doing their job without being responsible for the bigger picture. I think this will get worse because technology allows even tighter control of large organizations.
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