Assuming people haven’t gotten particularly dumber over the years (hardware, not software-wise), how would ‘the usual suspects’ prevent some demagogue to use the weakest and more stupid members of society against their own interests, condemning also their souls in the process? Italy is at it again, so is Germany, and there are more than enough whiffs of racism and violence in the UK and France too. Americans might just be the worst of the Europeans, but we’re mostly headed in the same direction, so… how can we make sure this never happens again in the West, or at least not as often?
At this point, I don’t think there is a way to prevent evil. Like maybe there’s a way to prevent this specific flavour of it but ultimately it (and most other flavours) are driven by core human qualities (that aren’t necessarily dominant in everyone). Lust for power and control, greed, jealousy, envy, pride, lust, hate, wrath. The desire for love, comfort, ensuring basic needs are met, laziness. Wanting to avoid being hurt, then wanting to change the rules to avoid being hurt again when hurt inevitably happens. Not wanting to spend the time or effort to understand or analyze things properly.
Have you noticed the pattern of toxic people doing something that gets described and named by others wanting to prevent it and take the power away from those doing it, only for that name and process to be weaponized by other toxic people (or sometimes the same ones) and it ends up just being another way they can manipulate others? And at the same time, others who seem to have good intentions start calling it out in places where it doesn’t apply, wanting to help or be a hero or something despite not understanding what they are trying to fight?
Power is a pendulum with many people pushing at it in various directions. The corrupt will always seek it and the uncorrupt that find it can be corrupted by it, sometimes with good intentions the whole way but just lacking perspective that shows the other side of the blade of their uses of that power.
Ultimately, I think any real attempt to stamp out evil ends up becoming a new evil itself and the best we can hope for is to be able to deal with specific instances of it or wait for it to fizzle or flare out. And also to remain willing to re-examine our own beliefs about what is evil and how it should be dealt with to avoid pushing that pendulum so far that it ends up coming back even harder.
Also be wary of anyone who claims they do have an answer to that.
Assuming people haven’t gotten particularly dumber over the years (hardware, not software-wise), how would ‘the usual suspects’ prevent some demagogue to use the weakest and more stupid members of society against their own interests, condemning also their souls in the process? Italy is at it again, so is Germany, and there are more than enough whiffs of racism and violence in the UK and France too. Americans might just be the worst of the Europeans, but we’re mostly headed in the same direction, so… how can we make sure this never happens again in the West, or at least not as often?
At this point, I don’t think there is a way to prevent evil. Like maybe there’s a way to prevent this specific flavour of it but ultimately it (and most other flavours) are driven by core human qualities (that aren’t necessarily dominant in everyone). Lust for power and control, greed, jealousy, envy, pride, lust, hate, wrath. The desire for love, comfort, ensuring basic needs are met, laziness. Wanting to avoid being hurt, then wanting to change the rules to avoid being hurt again when hurt inevitably happens. Not wanting to spend the time or effort to understand or analyze things properly.
Have you noticed the pattern of toxic people doing something that gets described and named by others wanting to prevent it and take the power away from those doing it, only for that name and process to be weaponized by other toxic people (or sometimes the same ones) and it ends up just being another way they can manipulate others? And at the same time, others who seem to have good intentions start calling it out in places where it doesn’t apply, wanting to help or be a hero or something despite not understanding what they are trying to fight?
Power is a pendulum with many people pushing at it in various directions. The corrupt will always seek it and the uncorrupt that find it can be corrupted by it, sometimes with good intentions the whole way but just lacking perspective that shows the other side of the blade of their uses of that power.
Ultimately, I think any real attempt to stamp out evil ends up becoming a new evil itself and the best we can hope for is to be able to deal with specific instances of it or wait for it to fizzle or flare out. And also to remain willing to re-examine our own beliefs about what is evil and how it should be dealt with to avoid pushing that pendulum so far that it ends up coming back even harder.
Also be wary of anyone who claims they do have an answer to that.