We each have a Nazi in us. We need to understand the psychological roots of authoritarianism

newiceberg@piefed.social to politics @lemmy.world – 1 points – We each have a Nazi in us. We need to understand the psychological roots of authoritarianism | Gabor Maté
theguardian.com

Neuroimaging studies have shown that the amygdala, the tiny almond-shaped brain structure that mediates fear, is larger in people with more rightwing views

21

Provocative headline, good read.

On a less serious note, does the small Nazi in us have an even smaller Nazi inside them?

Scary to think that it could be Nazis all the way down.

Maybe it starts, with a nod to xiouxiou, by polishing the mirror until there is no mirror for the motes to land?

I read once that Holocaust research causes three distinct traumas. One is where you realize that it really happened to real people. Two is when you empathize with the victims and can visualize yourself of loved ones in that position. Three is when you empathize with the perpetrators and can visualize yourself or loved ones in that position.

It's natural for children to believe that good people do good things and bad do bad, but that opinion can't survive into adulthood without profound lack of self awareness.

Wasn't the gas chambers planned because German soldiers kept going crazy executing people directly. Even if you're trained and brainwashed shooting a child in the back of the head is gonna mess you up (especially more than once). Dehumanising the victims, putting them into work camps, moving them to a room where the overseer can flip a switch. It was all to make you see them as less than human and make it easier to not connect the act of killing them to taking a life. Of course there were a whole lot of absolutely f*cked up monsters but I feel really bad for all the nazis who got sucked into a brainwashed cult and by the time they realised what they were doing they had no out left.

I noticed something for the first time, likely due to social conditioning that I'd missed it before: we have to stop dehumanization when speaking of large and small scale humans. They are not monsters, they are humans, like us. Perhaps if they'd been treated in s humane way, they would have enjoyed some happy coincidence of nature and nurture and not gone on to such egregious acts. "In the beginning was the word," and abuse starts with thoughts, progresses to belittling, dehumanization and then physical abuse.

I don't understand why people think that human and monster are mutually exclusive categories.

It's dehumanizing. Most of so-called monsters are made, and with proper social and holistic treatment could be rehabilitated and reintegrated. But it's work, and perhaps more importantly, money from the coffers of those with far more wealth than a hundred generations could ever meaningfully use.

Power gives people the freedom to act as they choose, and they choose a lot of nastiness. Does it not make sense that unconstrained choices represent who a person truly is?

Perhaps who they have become. What if these people had loving, supportive homes? Why can't we utilize* their wealth for everyone who doesn't or hasn't had, including them? What if we reimagine re-education as therapy, and education about their own trauma reactions and redirected them to healthier thinking and behaviors, for as long as it takes? Maybe some are too far gone. Are they not human beings deserving of humans care?

As someone on the spectrum, I've been ostracized, humiliated, and dehumanized all my life, yet I did not become a Nazi. It only made me angrier at the people who want to put their boots on your neck.

I'mma guess the answer to your question, is no, Friend TimeSquirrel. Get on wit' yo' Bad Self!

Edit: My assessment is that your anger is righteous, so that's why I encouraged you to continue as you are. Peace.

Reactive abuse is still abuse. That's not saying don't defend ourselves. It is saying it's fine to remove myself and not seek to justify my behavior in becoming that which I found abhorrent. It happens. It's a l long journey of healing, before I could even about that to myself. Looking at ourselves need not be distorted for better or worse. I can only correct my behavior by hm, to borrow a 12 step phrase, "fearless and searching moral inventory." No justifications, no excuses. The abyss does indeed look back.

Lmao yes those poor nazis didn’t get enough love

I guess the headline was right after all

Tolerance is a peace treaty. You do not give tolerance to intolerance. If your core ideology is the rejection, dehumanization, or destruction of other groups of human beings, then your group does not deserve respect or consideration.

You do not give tolerance to intolerance.

This is the type of rhetoric I'm talking about. Call someone intolerant and you can do whatever you want to them. "Punch a Nazi!", etc.

The irony of this story going viral in this community specifically is astronomical.