Current Events > "You would be a Nazi if you grew up in Nazi Germany" - some redditor

(+) Yeah! (+)

5k upvotes. 18 awards. I think this is some would-be nazi trying to justify shit to himself. Thoughts?

He's not wrong tho

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Who posted?

you would be a german if you grew up in nazi germany

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I think what they're trying to say is that people are heavily influenced by the surrounding culture and ethos of the time that they live.

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Beefbud posted...

I think what they're trying to say is that people are heavily influenced by the surrounding culture and ethos of the time that they live.

and that they'd fucking imprison or kill you or your family if you went against them

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LOL I'm an avowed socialist, I would be in a camp right quick in spite of being utterly harmless.

People tend to try to conform, so there would be a high chance any given random person would have been a nazi in that situation. That doesn't make being a Nazi okay though and is an argument for improving your ability to self-reflect and think better.

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hey remember that book THE WAVE from ninth grade
remember

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You would be a Trumper if you grew up in the US outside of a city and its immediate surrounding area.

a friend of mine once said that he doesn't really blame terrorists who were taught to think that what they do is good and just or whatever

whereas i think their idiocy and lunacy is a choice

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Thighon posted...

5k upvotes. 18 awards. I think this is some would-be nazi trying to justify shit to himself. Thoughts?

There's probably a lot of people on this board and reddit reading that message right now who would be loaded into carts to auschwitz if they lived in Nazi Germany.

And also maybe you would be Sophie Scholl instead.

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ScazarMeltex posted...

And yet there were plenty of Germans who chose to defy and oppose the Nazis.

the internet doesn't believe in those for some reason

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While I have no doubt there is some merit to the claim, I would be curious as to why this Redditor is making this point now. Don't get me wrong there is certainly a good discussion to be had about the impact of one's upbringing combined with the effectiveness of propaganda and one's desire to fit in to societal norms that could be had. But I just have my doubts that that is the intention of the people who make these sorts of claims normally

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There is truth to that

Beefbud posted...

I think what they're trying to say is that people are heavily influenced by the surrounding culture and ethos of the time that they live.

This, also information was a lot more controlled. Germans couldn't just go online and look up information. All they knew is what their school/friends/radio and TV broadcast said.

I think the point being made is while you have free will you are largely based on whatever you have been brought up to believe and what you see around you.

You'll see this a lot in religion too. Christianity and Islam are "the one true religion" and "God found me and told me what to believe" yet 97% of followers just grew up in countries that promote it.

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viewmaster_pi posted...

and that they'd fucking imprison or kill you or your family if you went against them

And yet many people still chose death when they had the option to.

Millions didn't have that option.

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Gheb posted...

While I have no doubt there is some merit to the claim, I would be curious as to why this Redditor is making this point now. Don't get me wrong there is certainly a good discussion to be had about the impact of one's upbringing combined with the effectiveness of propaganda and one's desire to fit in to societal norms that could be had. But I just have my doubts that that is the intention of the people who make these sorts of claims normally

Yeah. Where's the context in their statement? Was it in response to something or was it just out of the blue?


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What is the context of this? Was it in response to something or...

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The Trent posted...

hey remember that book THE WAVE from ninth grade
remember

No, what's that?

SwiggitySwoogit posted...

You would be a Trumper if you grew up in the US outside of a city and its immediate surrounding area.

I grew up in a unanimously republican family in republican suburbs that are now trump-country

The context is it's a thread on r/unpopularopinion

Thighon posted...

No, what's that?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave_(novel)

it's basically this exact thing but in a young adult novel form that everyone can understand and prompts classroom discussion!

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I'm pretty sure it's more complicated than that for one thing

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It's really no different than what goes on with radical indoctrination for any religion or group. The majority of the people doing these shitty things were not horrible people until they actively took part in the atrocities. The higher ups in all these situations who know what they're doing are the true evil. Though that doesn't take culpability away from the indoctrinated. Being swayed into a cause doesn't mean you're not a piece of shit if you kill someone under that cause.

Thighon posted...

No, what's that?

From memory a school creates a club where everyone wants to join because it's the club with all the cool kids that have their own slang/apparel etc. Eventually it begins to mirror the hitler youth

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^sig to post content ratio

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Thighon posted...

The context is it's a thread on r/unpopularopinion

why do people upvote let alone give awards to popular opinions on r/unpopularopinion holy fuck it pisses me off every time

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/r/unpopularopinion is 99% just racist shitposting. Like half of the content on /r/badlinguistics comes from people on that sub "dae think aave is shit english" and other racist nonsense

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Balrog0 posted...

I'm pretty sure it's more complicated than that for one thing

A lengthy comment that is well thought out, well worded, dives into the complexities of the issue, and brings up both sides of the argument: Two upvotes.

A single sentence that is easy to understand and makes people feel smart for agreeing with: 5,000 upvotes. Multiple awards. Huge comment chain, comment maker is advised to run for President. Several Redditors have an orgasm.

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I grew up in the rural south bible belt and I am a far left atheist.

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LostForest posted...

He's not wrong tho

This. There's a LOT more to it than just "good or evil", it's more along the lines of "work with us, or we destroy your life".

MisterPengy posted...

Several Redditors have an orgasm.

ugh i'm posting on the wrong website

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ImmatureContent posted...

I grew up in the rural south bible belt and I am a far left atheist.

Were you threatened with persecution, jail, and death if you didn't follow their beliefs?

im black so no id probably be first in line to be gassed.

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RadiantJoyrock posted...

This

And with this my entire perception of you has changed. Lol.

RadiantJoyrock posted...

Were you threatened with persecution, jail, and death if you didn't follow their beliefs?

Yes.

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LostForest posted...

He's not wrong tho

I wouldn't be, and I'd probably be dead, too lol.

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That doesn't justify the actions of a Nazi

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ImmatureContent posted...

Yes.

No you weren't.

Thighon posted...

And with this my entire perception of you has changed. Lol.

Don't think I'm justifying nazis, I still support condemning anyone involved in the holocaust, just not judging soldiers, or people who didn't fight against it because they were afraid.

Conflict posted...

Gonna be honest, this is waaaaaaaay easier for you to say when you haven't actually been in that position.

I mean, sure. But I had family in Denmark who helped the Jews escape the Nazis, and my grandfather went over to fight them, so I'd like to think I'm cut from that same cloth.

RadiantJoyrock posted...

I still support condemning anyone involved in the holocaust, just not judging soldiers,

Ahhhh good ole clean wehrmacht myth from our boy Octillery. Fuck off.

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RadiantJoyrock posted...

No you weren't.

Don't think I'm justifying nazis, I still support condemning anyone involved in the holocaust, just not judging soldiers, or people who didn't fight against it because they were afraid.

now you're telling a dude that you know more about his life than he does. honestly the ego on some of you guys is absurd

I don't care that you don't support condemning nazis

RebelElite791 posted...

Ahhhh good ole clean wehrmacht myth from our boy Octillery. Fuck off.

honestly blew my mind reading that

RebelElite791 posted...

I had family in Denmark who helped the Jews escape the Nazis, and my grandfather went over to fight them, so I'd like to think I'm cut from that same cloth.

good genes :^)

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RebelElite791 posted...

Ahhhh good ole clean wehrmacht myth from our boy Octillery. f*** off.

Nah, just poorly worded, partly due to my ignorance(I didn't know regular soldiers were involved, but it doesn't surprise me). I'll clarify - I don't support judging someone for supporting the party, only for their actual actions.

Thighon posted...

now you're telling a dude that you know more about his life than he does. honestly the ego on some of you guys is absurd

I told a dude he didn't get arrested in the bible belt for not being christian, that's hardly absurd.

I support condemning people for their actions, not their inaction. What you're saying is that fighting against a tyrannical government, risking your and your family's life, should be expected of everyone, and that's absolute bullshit. The people like Rebel's family that saved people and helped them escape are heroes because they went above and beyond what should be expected.

::eyeroll::

mmk kid. Sorry you don't have principles.

RadiantJoyrock posted...

mmk kid. Sorry you don't have principles.

......The fucking dissonance of this post. What the hell lmao

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LostForest posted...

He's not wrong tho

Naw i would be hiding in an attic somewhere in Berlin or a camp.

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