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What do you call the guy who abhors the tenets of national socialism but joins the Nazi party solely for the opportunity to sabotage the movement from within? A

What do you call the guy who abhors the tenets of national socialism but joins the Nazi party solely for the opportunity to sabotage the movement from within? Are they also a Nazi? Would you consider all members of group X to be represented by X?

nocoiner 1y ago
That’s an interesting question. I’m not sure I’ve ever thought about it, but definitionally, I think I’d have to say they’re a Nazi. Especially if they’re, like, presenting golden trophies to curry favor with higher-ups in the organization. The obvious counterexample is a deep undercover cop - are they a member of the mafia or a biker gang? I’d say no since they’re operating under the color of law, but it’s a pretty analogous situation. This leaves aside the question of partisans, members of the resistance or just surly shop stewards enforcing union work rules to the letter were more effective Nazi opponents than a guy who aimed to take the organization down from the inside. I have my suspicious.
- adfm 1y ago
  How about IBM? They supplied nazis the punch cards they needed to process the data they collected to round up jews and other marginalized groups and put them into concentration camps through a subsidiary and refuse to this day to be transparent about it. Are they Nazis? The number tattooed on every concentration camp prisoner was an IBM number. https://teachingsocialstudies.org/2024/02/19/ibm-and-auschwitz-new-evidence/ https://teachingsocialstudies.org/2024/02/19/ibm-and-auschwi...
  - nocoiner 1y ago
    The German IBM subsidiary was, in my book, a collaborator for sure and morally culpable. I don’t have a view on whether a private enterprise can be a Nazi.
noduerme 1y ago
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegut, "Mother Night". Good book that is a direct answer to your question.

nocoiner 1y ago

That’s an interesting question. I’m not sure I’ve ever thought about it, but definitionally, I think I’d have to say they’re a Nazi. Especially if they’re, like, presenting golden trophies to curry favor with higher-ups in the organization. The obvious counterexample is a deep undercover cop - are they a member of the mafia or a biker gang? I’d say no since they’re operating under the color of law, but it’s a pretty analogous situation. This leaves aside the question of partisans, members of the resistance or just surly shop stewards enforcing union work rules to the letter were more effective Nazi opponents than a guy who aimed to take the organization down from the inside. I have my suspicious.

adfm 1y ago
How about IBM? They supplied nazis the punch cards they needed to process the data they collected to round up jews and other marginalized groups and put them into concentration camps through a subsidiary and refuse to this day to be transparent about it. Are they Nazis? The number tattooed on every concentration camp prisoner was an IBM number. https://teachingsocialstudies.org/2024/02/19/ibm-and-auschwitz-new-evidence/ https://teachingsocialstudies.org/2024/02/19/ibm-and-auschwi...
- nocoiner 1y ago
  The German IBM subsidiary was, in my book, a collaborator for sure and morally culpable. I don’t have a view on whether a private enterprise can be a Nazi.

noduerme 1y ago

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegut, "Mother Night". Good book that is a direct answer to your question.