4 ms·

If you are implying that a primary school teacher in nazi germany is inherently accountable for the crimes of the nazi regime, then I fiercely disagree with you

If you are implying that a primary school teacher in nazi germany is inherently accountable for the crimes of the nazi regime, then I fiercely disagree with you. I think that's an incredibly entitled opinion.

Talanes 5y ago
I believe the intended reference is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler_Youth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler_Youth
- spywaregorilla 5y ago
  I am not particularly well informed on the Hitler Youth. Most of my knowledge on them comes from the excellent but fictional comedy film, Jojo Rabbit. But I'd still reckon the average Hitler Youth counselor was not accountable for the crimes of the Nazi regime. Definitely less so than a facebook database engineer is for facebook being shit.
  - nautilius 5y ago
    Where’s your threshold? https://www.npr.org/2021/09/30/1041821397/nazi-concentration-camp-secretary-flees-trial-irmgard-furchner https://www.npr.org/2021/09/30/1041821397/nazi-concentration...
kesselvon 5y ago
Given that you had to join the party to be a teacher, and your whole job was pushing propaganda at children, yeah they are. Being a cog in the machine still makes you part of the machine, even if you didn't directly do anything.
- spywaregorilla 5y ago
  And yet, you might be a math teacher, who likes teaching kids math, and doesn't have the financial resources to move; or has familial constraints, or maybe just wants to live in their homeland. You might not like the nazi regime, and yet, you still need a job and are maybe in danger if you don't show some token support. Fiction in the free world loves to say "You always have a choice", but the characters who learn this lesson tend to have much more power than others, be it physical strength, political power, or maybe just access to some important thing. Many people don't have a meaningful way to make a difference, and the cost is the livelihood of themselves and their families. And it ignores the local goodness of their action in favor the some vague affiliation with a bigger picture that they may not personally agree with. I also think the whole analogy is entirely tangential.

Talanes 5y ago

I believe the intended reference is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler_Youth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler_Youth

spywaregorilla 5y ago
I am not particularly well informed on the Hitler Youth. Most of my knowledge on them comes from the excellent but fictional comedy film, Jojo Rabbit. But I'd still reckon the average Hitler Youth counselor was not accountable for the crimes of the Nazi regime. Definitely less so than a facebook database engineer is for facebook being shit.
- nautilius 5y ago
  Where’s your threshold? https://www.npr.org/2021/09/30/1041821397/nazi-concentration-camp-secretary-flees-trial-irmgard-furchner https://www.npr.org/2021/09/30/1041821397/nazi-concentration...

kesselvon 5y ago

Given that you had to join the party to be a teacher, and your whole job was pushing propaganda at children, yeah they are. Being a cog in the machine still makes you part of the machine, even if you didn't directly do anything.

spywaregorilla 5y ago
And yet, you might be a math teacher, who likes teaching kids math, and doesn't have the financial resources to move; or has familial constraints, or maybe just wants to live in their homeland. You might not like the nazi regime, and yet, you still need a job and are maybe in danger if you don't show some token support. Fiction in the free world loves to say "You always have a choice", but the characters who learn this lesson tend to have much more power than others, be it physical strength, political power, or maybe just access to some important thing. Many people don't have a meaningful way to make a difference, and the cost is the livelihood of themselves and their families. And it ignores the local goodness of their action in favor the some vague affiliation with a bigger picture that they may not personally agree with. I also think the whole analogy is entirely tangential.