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Is there a book written by a soldier that explains why people defend/enforce the power of evil people? Putin himself is not poisoning these people, someone is

Is there a book written by a soldier that explains why people defend/enforce the power of evil people? Putin himself is not poisoning these people, someone is doing it for him. Why? Doesn't have to be from Russia. Any soldier defending any evil person - why?

throwaw4y-plate 6y ago
Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?
- laksdjfkasljdf 6y ago
  reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/08/opinion/meddlesome-priest-comey-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/08/opinion/meddlesome-priest...
  - throwaw4y-plate 6y ago
    Nb: I was referencing Becket, not Comey lol
wombat-man 6y ago
Money? I'm sure the people needed to keep that whole show going are getting paid quite well.
- wruza 6y ago
  It's usually extensive training and ideology. It makes money an irrelevant or a secondary goal.
enkid 6y ago
Here's a YouTube video that summarizes the Dictator's Handbook. It gives an explanation about how the perspective of a dictator/autocrat is different than than someone who is in charge of a democratic organization. Basically, the fewer people you have to answer to, the more you need to reward those few followers by stealing from everyone else. This forms a pyramid scheme where everyone is trying to take as much as they can so they can then redistribute the spoils to their key supporters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs
rocky_raccoon 6y ago
I can't point you to a book written by a soldier, but you might be able to find some conclusions by reading "The Authoritarians" by Bob Altemeyer[0], which studies, as you say, why people defend/enforce the power of evil people. [0] https://www.theauthoritarians.org/options-for-getting-the-book/ https://www.theauthoritarians.org/options-for-getting-the-bo...
- fartcannon 6y ago
  I'm either guilty of having this mindset myself and unaware of it, or I'm unable to empathise with this mindset. But this link is approximately what I was looking for. Thank you. I would like to find an introspective writer who is also an authoritarian.
shuntress 6y ago
This Atlantic article [0] goes in to that subject a bit. It is less focused on "why do people defend/enforce the power of evil people?" and more on comparing people who collaborate vs those who do not. But still a good read. [0] https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/07/trumps-collaborators/612250/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/07/trumps-...
maxwin 6y ago
Well, this question is similar to foreigners cannot understand how any Americans can support racist/sexist/amoral Trump. For Putin’s supporters , his is the only person who can make Russia great
gullywhumper 6y ago
Christopher Browning's Ordinary Men is about a specific unit of German special police used to round up and massacre Jews. It's been 15+ years since I read it, but I think the conclusion was these otherwise ordinary men (not ardent Nazis) followed orders because of a mix of peer-pressure and obedience to authority.
- fartcannon 6y ago
  It's probably as simple as that. I'll read that, thank you.

throwaw4y-plate 6y ago

Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?

laksdjfkasljdf 6y ago
reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/08/opinion/meddlesome-priest-comey-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/08/opinion/meddlesome-priest...
- throwaw4y-plate 6y ago
  Nb: I was referencing Becket, not Comey lol

wombat-man 6y ago

Money? I'm sure the people needed to keep that whole show going are getting paid quite well.

wruza 6y ago
It's usually extensive training and ideology. It makes money an irrelevant or a secondary goal.

enkid 6y ago

Here's a YouTube video that summarizes the Dictator's Handbook. It gives an explanation about how the perspective of a dictator/autocrat is different than than someone who is in charge of a democratic organization. Basically, the fewer people you have to answer to, the more you need to reward those few followers by stealing from everyone else. This forms a pyramid scheme where everyone is trying to take as much as they can so they can then redistribute the spoils to their key supporters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs

rocky_raccoon 6y ago

I can't point you to a book written by a soldier, but you might be able to find some conclusions by reading "The Authoritarians" by Bob Altemeyer[0], which studies, as you say, why people defend/enforce the power of evil people. [0] https://www.theauthoritarians.org/options-for-getting-the-book/ https://www.theauthoritarians.org/options-for-getting-the-bo...

fartcannon 6y ago
I'm either guilty of having this mindset myself and unaware of it, or I'm unable to empathise with this mindset. But this link is approximately what I was looking for. Thank you. I would like to find an introspective writer who is also an authoritarian.

shuntress 6y ago

This Atlantic article [0] goes in to that subject a bit. It is less focused on "why do people defend/enforce the power of evil people?" and more on comparing people who collaborate vs those who do not. But still a good read. [0] https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/07/trumps-collaborators/612250/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/07/trumps-...

maxwin 6y ago

Well, this question is similar to foreigners cannot understand how any Americans can support racist/sexist/amoral Trump. For Putin’s supporters , his is the only person who can make Russia great

gullywhumper 6y ago

Christopher Browning's Ordinary Men is about a specific unit of German special police used to round up and massacre Jews. It's been 15+ years since I read it, but I think the conclusion was these otherwise ordinary men (not ardent Nazis) followed orders because of a mix of peer-pressure and obedience to authority.

fartcannon 6y ago
It's probably as simple as that. I'll read that, thank you.