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I really disagree with the implication. It’s not like Hitler or the slavers were well read in their Greek philosophy. Traditionally — and I hope going into the

I really disagree with the implication. It’s not like Hitler or the slavers were well read in their Greek philosophy. Traditionally — and I hope going into the future — the classical works of western civ have been a source of enduring liberalism. They show the value and meaning of freedom — and nuanced, complex, non-black/white thought. But of course I’m biased because I’m deeply immersed in the classics—and I draw from it regularly. I find it troubling that people feel comfortable portraying classical civ as Nazi fodder…

wk_end 4y ago
Which "slavers" are you referring to? Almost all of the American Founding Fathers owned slaves, and they were of course very familiar with the tradition of liberal thought. I can't speak for Hitler's knowledge of the Greeks specifically, but he was democratically elected by the nation of Germany, which - like I mentioned - was considered to be one of the most "civilized" in Europe (and thus the world). It's easy enough to draw a line from Hegel or Nietzsche - both on this list - to Nazism, after all. It's even easier to draw a line from Heidegger to Nazism, and he's also on this list.
- thow4533566 4y ago
  Hitler was only sort of democratically elected. He lost the direct vote for president by a landslide against Hindenburg. Later, his party became the largest in parliament though without a majority (37%). He was only made chancellor after another election were his party lost ground (33%), through a backroom deal. Hitler's highest formal education was finishing secondary school.
  - neaden 4y ago
    That is just how elections work in a parliamentary system though, it's not unusual to have a ruling party without a majority of the vote.
    - thow4533566 4y ago
      Not disputing that. It's just important to know the historical context and not give the wrong impression when saying "he was democratically elected". He was, in the sense that in representative democracy a vote for a party often in fact is a vote for a particular politician. But he was not in the sense of a direct, personal democratic election. It's also important to be aware that Hitler, at the point he became chancellor, had already served a prison sentence for high treason for trying to abolish parliamentary republic in the Munich putsch. Those were highly unusual and tumultuous times, after all.

wk_end 4y ago

Which "slavers" are you referring to? Almost all of the American Founding Fathers owned slaves, and they were of course very familiar with the tradition of liberal thought. I can't speak for Hitler's knowledge of the Greeks specifically, but he was democratically elected by the nation of Germany, which - like I mentioned - was considered to be one of the most "civilized" in Europe (and thus the world). It's easy enough to draw a line from Hegel or Nietzsche - both on this list - to Nazism, after all. It's even easier to draw a line from Heidegger to Nazism, and he's also on this list.

thow4533566 4y ago
Hitler was only sort of democratically elected. He lost the direct vote for president by a landslide against Hindenburg. Later, his party became the largest in parliament though without a majority (37%). He was only made chancellor after another election were his party lost ground (33%), through a backroom deal. Hitler's highest formal education was finishing secondary school.
- neaden 4y ago
  That is just how elections work in a parliamentary system though, it's not unusual to have a ruling party without a majority of the vote.
  - thow4533566 4y ago
    Not disputing that. It's just important to know the historical context and not give the wrong impression when saying "he was democratically elected". He was, in the sense that in representative democracy a vote for a party often in fact is a vote for a particular politician. But he was not in the sense of a direct, personal democratic election. It's also important to be aware that Hitler, at the point he became chancellor, had already served a prison sentence for high treason for trying to abolish parliamentary republic in the Munich putsch. Those were highly unusual and tumultuous times, after all.