"I never did harm to any Jew," says a former guard at Auschwitz.
The guy sleeps well at night. He invited his wife and neighbor, who have all heard it before, to listen to the interview. He stood in front of a permanent bonfire of people, with a gun, and imagines himself as a victim. The power of rationalization is terrifying. And the smarter you are, the better you are at it.
Would you have had the courage to desert under threat of getting shot? I'm not sure I would.
I feel quite certain that I couldn't possibly be brainwashed to do a thing like that willingly. But under threat of pain and death I'm not sure I would be capable of standing up to that kind of force. I honestly don't know what I would do.
On the other hand, my conscience would most certainly not be clear in the aftermath.
The guy sleeps well at night. He invited his wife and neighbor, who have all heard it before, to listen to the interview. He stood in front of a permanent bonfire of people, with a gun, and imagines himself as a victim. The power of rationalization is terrifying. And the smarter you are, the better you are at it.