Tuesday 21 May 2013

Was Adolf Hitler a bad man?

I ran into this 'amusing' little thing earlier, asking me a few hypotheticals. Such as - out of three candidates with limited descriptions, who would I choose to be president. I decided upon the vegetarian man who doesn't smoke because I figured he would be a good figurehead in today's cancer riddled world. Anyway it turns out this character thing person was based on Adolf Hitler. Which got me thinking.... (of course it did)

Hitler was only a man, like anybody else and to empower him by putting too much on his shoulders is an injustice to those who died under the Nazi regime. Hitler, like any other politician, was primarily a people person. He was a fantastic motivator - as can be seen from his (what I assume are) forceful and dynamic public speeches. I hope I havn't offended anybody, but sometimes it is wise to step back and ask "Why is it bad that I picked Hitler over Teddy Roosevelt and Winston Churchill?". Is our knowledge so complete that we know that Adolf Hitler, placed in a different context (containing fluffy bunny rabbits and sugar gum drops) may not have committed atrocities ?

Having said that there is a hot coal in my stomach as I try to type "All were highly effective leaders." and I find I can't really justify saying it. Is a catastrophic and brutal legacy the mark of an effective leader? Probably not, although I am reminded of a character called Logen Ninefingers who is a brutal man, tearing up every situation he is in leaving a river of blood and a path of death everywhere he goes, yet people follow him and those closest to him take wisdoms from him and respect (fear?) him. My point is, just because a person is a bad person, doesn't make them a bad leader and just because a leader commits actions which, when done by an individual are atrocious, maybe do not stand in the same light when done by a leader representing a government.

Anyway I bought a copy of Mein Kampf impulsively. For years I have harbored this fear, this anger, this hatred and I want to be done with it. So this is me finding my balance within a highly unjust and controversial injustice that has always haunted me. Wish me luck.


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