> Though
> in some cases it may be violence on the politician's
> part. Towards that end, my question would also
> extend. How could Hitler go forward with the
> Holocaust, for example? How can our world leaders
> today go forward with their battles? What causes
> people to listen to them? (not part of my question
> really, but I had to go for it- I was on a roll,
> almost).
I am sitting here watching this part of the world (Australia/Indonesia) play with disaster. So it is much on my mind.
1.) IMHO, there can be an active, deliberate suspension of rationality, and a taking-up of rhetoric.
3.) There is also fear, and fear can be a runaway process, overtaking the mind. Once people are fearful, they can be made to agree to almost anything :(.
4.) Traditional hatreds, ignorance, dogmatism, stereotyping, "groupthink", identification, etc.
5.) Economic interest being placed above all else.
6.) Laziness. Unwillingness to look at alternatives to violence.
7.) Reliance on leaders to solve our problems. Wanting a "strong man" figure.
8.) Frustration.
9.) Plain Meanness.
This whole mess is fanned by the would-be leaders. Anyone who protests may be castigated or intimidated, and there is, I guess, a whole tangle of memes that can be activated in the service of violence.
Maybe the whole human race needs "something useful to do with its hands". Well there ARE useful things to do, but many of them are regarded with contempt.
But there are people who try to do positive things, one has to remember this. Dwelling on violence can be destructive itself.
Feeding/educating people would be a start.
Sorry if this is depressing !
Michael