“Those who can make you believe in absurdities Can make you commit atrocities.” Agree or disagree?

[Still-alive]

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Im not sure

[HighlyVolatile]

I strongly agree. That's actually how I think 98% of human beings throughout history did horrible things is that they were persuaded into thinking they were doing the right thing through it. I think only 2% or so committed atrocities while knowing full well that it was wrong.

In fairness, I might underestimate a human's ability to tell right from wrong. On the flip side, I think the people who most strongly disagree with me underestimate the ability of a human being to be persuaded -- through a series of gray choices and pressure -- to lose their sense of what's right and wrong as they become so immersed in their tasks.

[HighlyVolatile]

My thinking also makes far more people uncomfortable because it doesn't look at people as being born good or bad. I know the popular way is to look at people that way. So maybe the truth is somewhere between my view and the people who most disagree with me but I think it's closer to mine because I'm not steered away from my view from the idea that it's so uncomfortable. I'm okay with being uncomfortable.

[RolandCuthbert]

I just keep thinking giant Jewish space lasers. When you have public officials believing nonsense and spreading it, there isn't anything that is off the table.

Gilead/Nazi Germany, here we come.

[purplepoppy]

I'd update to "the goal of absurdity is atrocity" after all why else do people go to all the effort if not to encourage atrocity.

[menina]

I agree. It's easy to do something cruel when you're influenced by nonsensical thoughts.

[MuddyMole]

I feel like that takes too much of the responsibility away from the individual.
It should be more like "Those dumb enough to believe in absurdities can easily be manipulated into committing atrocities".

[bademoxy]

any history student of 20th century Socialism (Soviet, Nazi or Red China) realizes this to be a fact.

[DryGermanGuy]

Just look at the horde of dimwitted idiots on January 6th...

[OddBeMe]

Its kinda like hitler’s apocryphal quote about bigger the lie, more people believe it.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

Sounds familiar