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This kinda reminds me of the argument made in Ken Burns Vietnam that the brass tried to "measure success" of the war by body count and that created a perverse i
by AdamM12 8y ago
This kinda reminds me of the argument made in Ken Burns Vietnam that the brass tried to "measure success" of the war by body count and that created a perverse incentive to manufacture body count. And by argument I don't mean the series as a whole but it was a thought brought up in one or more of the episodes.
- digi_owl 8y agoNot sure where i ran into the claim (may have been the Oliver Stones series), but it went something like this: While on patrol one of the soldiers shoots a elderly woman holding a bicycle in a village. By the time the report reached the DC it had become an ageless, genderless, Vietcong with a grenade.
- AdamM12 8y agoI tried to watch his "Untold History of the United States" and it felt like some of it was taken out of context or attributing malice where naivety, incompetence or insufficient information would be a more plausible explanation. Can't think of any specific examples. Just what I remember from watching it before stopping.
- kolpa 8y agoThe dead and their mourners can't tell the difference between malice and incompetence. Why does it matter?
- AdamM12 8y agoI don't believe in consequentialism. Intent is more important imo. Not to say the consequence isn't important it is just I don't think it should be the only thing taken into account.