"It is one thing to try to avoid the good vs. evil mythology. It is another thing to construct a new mythology out of that avoidance that authorizes condoning overt evil. "
Concise and brilliant. Pithily lays waste all of Eisenstein's verbose hand-waving.
"It is one thing to try to avoid the good vs. evil mythology. It is another thing to construct a new mythology out of that avoidance that authorizes condoning overt evil. "
Concise and brilliant. Pithily lays waste all of Eisenstein's verbose hand-waving.
No. It is one thing to avoid good vs. evil MYTHOLOGY. It is another thing to embrace another MYTHOLOGY that rationalizes and condones overt evil. Although they are both embedded in narratives there is a difference between fiction and fact. Sometimes discerning that difference is difficult, even painful. But pretending a story is a story is a story is a fool's game.
There is no such thing as "overt evil". There is even no such thing as evil. Or good. We think about good and evil as if these were universal , fixed categories - and everyone should know what is good and what is evil. But what is good and what is evil is only defined by our belonging to different groups. What is considered "good" by one group is considered evil by another. This is the biggest trap all of the Western civilisation has fallen into. Democracy through its election system is only fuelling this battle between different groups' consciences.
You think you know what "overt evil" is? So did Hitler. And took measures to eradicate it.
So are you saying that what Hitler did to eradicate what he thought was overt evil was neither good nor evil? Or are you saying that people who think what Hitler did was evil are just like Hitler?
You initially replied to my comment saying it was "nonsense." How could there be such a thing as "nonsense" if there is no good or evil? In my book (which includes both the bible and enlightenment philosophy) nonsense is nearly a synonym for evil. If people believe nonsense, they will commit evil acts.
"It is one thing to try to avoid the good vs. evil mythology. It is another thing to construct a new mythology out of that avoidance that authorizes condoning overt evil. "
Concise and brilliant. Pithily lays waste all of Eisenstein's verbose hand-waving.
Nonsense. So, it is one thing to avoid good vs evil mythology, but we have to stay clear of avoiding good versus overt evil!?!
No. It is one thing to avoid good vs. evil MYTHOLOGY. It is another thing to embrace another MYTHOLOGY that rationalizes and condones overt evil. Although they are both embedded in narratives there is a difference between fiction and fact. Sometimes discerning that difference is difficult, even painful. But pretending a story is a story is a story is a fool's game.
There is no such thing as "overt evil". There is even no such thing as evil. Or good. We think about good and evil as if these were universal , fixed categories - and everyone should know what is good and what is evil. But what is good and what is evil is only defined by our belonging to different groups. What is considered "good" by one group is considered evil by another. This is the biggest trap all of the Western civilisation has fallen into. Democracy through its election system is only fuelling this battle between different groups' consciences.
You think you know what "overt evil" is? So did Hitler. And took measures to eradicate it.
So are you saying that what Hitler did to eradicate what he thought was overt evil was neither good nor evil? Or are you saying that people who think what Hitler did was evil are just like Hitler?
You initially replied to my comment saying it was "nonsense." How could there be such a thing as "nonsense" if there is no good or evil? In my book (which includes both the bible and enlightenment philosophy) nonsense is nearly a synonym for evil. If people believe nonsense, they will commit evil acts.