Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Showing Original Post only (View all)

Emile

(40,919 posts)
Tue Jan 13, 2026, 02:22 PM Jan 13

If you ever wondered how Germans became Nazi's [View all]

you're seeing it firsthand with Renee Good's murder.

“The banality of evil.”

That famous concept coined by Hannah Arendt sprung from her studying the Nazis after The Holocaust. It stands for the proposition that everyday people can commit horrific acts. In her own words, the Nazi officer she studied was “neither perverted nor sadistic” but rather “terrifyingly normal.”

How do people or are otherwise “normal” become seduced to commit these crimes against humanity? She found this was due to a mix of factors such as conformity, people being lost and seeking purpose, nationalist fervor, propaganda, and fear.

Some have disagreed with Arendt’s view, but I believe she’s correct. And that is why what we are seeing with MAGA—especially after the murder of Renee Good by an ICE officer--is so deeply alarming.

Continued at:

https://deanobeidallah.substack.com/p/if-you-ever-wondered-how-germans

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»If you ever wondered how ...