Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E who wrote (17881)	7/10/2001 5:12:14 PM
From: epicure	Respond to of 82486

Speaking of rationals... There was a very scary, and fascinating article (by George Will if I remember right)in Newsweek or Time about a new book coming out called Neighbors. It is about a small polish town in which, a few WEEKS after it was invaded by the Germans, the polish 1/2 of the population barbarously killed the Jewish 1/2 of the population- men women and children, merely because they could. There doesn't seem to have been much of a rationale necessary for it. I am not sure I will be able to read the book. That kind of insane bloodlust really turns my stomach. Because it is all about mob action, and violence, and the suspension of empathy and reason- everything that my logical, anti group mind can't stand. I'm sorry to point out that humans frequently don't need much of a rationale for killing. I mean plenty of them DO look for one- but if there wasn't one handy, one suspects, when men go mad, they'd just make one up. Beware vacuums of civilization- I think that's the ONLY thing one can learn from mad frenzies. Because when the external controls are off- those people who tell you they " can't be good" without something making them be good, or they "don't know what good is" without someone telling them what good is- they won't be good. I guess we just have to believe them. They really don't know how to act without external rules. Either they are just wired differently, which doesn't auger well for the development of humanity, or ...what?