18 Comments
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Miranda Childe's avatar

As I read them, I focused on the fact that breaking down people’s being able to distinguish between truth and radical falsehood was at the root of the dissolution of order in the society. I believe that is true.

Arendt’s writings were a true assessment of her time and a disturbingly prescient description of our word today. Dictators are in vogue now and those of us who see past the tricks must fight harder than ever to save hope in the world.

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Tony Christini's avatar

A lot of times truth and alternatives are purposefully hidden. This is why the greatest refutation of the false and vile are the presentation of the true and good.

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Susan I Weinstein's avatar

Love these. Ahrendt used these disassociations in her escapes, because the captors were also vulnerable.

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Joshua Bond's avatar

Noting that this post promises "three bit-sized quotes" and gives four quotes (as did the previous posting #218 with quotes from Byung-Chui Han), can I still trust what is posted here?

Spotting this anomaly however does not (yet) deprive me of my "capacity to think and to judge", nor do I applaud the attempt at "superior tactical cleverness". This is merely a case of a 'terrifyingly normal person' being inconsistent. Thankfully, I have neither been gassed, nor gas-lighted.

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Philosophors's avatar

I appreciate you noticing and letting me know!

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Alan's avatar

"...does this suggest that propaganda succeeds not by imposing falsehoods, but by offering a form of emotional or ideological reassurance?.."

Absolutely; just look at Facebook and all the other toxic platforms - falsehoods and reassurance.

It's becoming obvious the tech bros have been playing the long game.

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Tony Christini's avatar

Propaganda does all the above. To do this is must hide and/or deny what is true, good, and possible. Profiteers will brainwash everything and everyone head to toe if there's a buck to be made.

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Sven Roelse's avatar

Wow, powerful stuff. I'm not sure what to think now; You lead me on with promising three bite sized pieces, but you gave me four. Is this trying to give me more hope after reading all the quotes?

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Alan's avatar

" If totalitarianism thrives when people lose the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, how can societies defend against political systems that deliberately blur these lines?..."

If we knew the answer to that, the United States wouldn't be undergoing a coup and transitioning to totalitarianism right now. Unfortunately, it appears the world has to ride out the cycle.

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Tony Christini's avatar

Always a need for tools and organizations for political and intellectual self defense and assertion.

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Alan's avatar

"If ordinary individuals, rather than overtly evil figures, are capable of committing great atrocities, what does this suggest about the nature of moral responsibility in bureaucratic and hierarchical systems?..."

Eichmann demonstrates that an ordinary, bland bureaucrat can be corrupted to ignore moral responsibility, and that's what Hannah Arendt found absolutely terrifying. Unidentifiable until its too late.

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Ozkar's avatar

Wonder what she would think of the ongoing conflict…

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Pavel Života's avatar

Lidé s nižší inteligencí jsou lidé bez validních informací a s absencí kritického myšlení, jejich myšlení je mnohdy stupidní.

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Joe Blow's avatar

These kinds of generalized statements strike me as banal platitudes typical of over privileged elites and function as another flavor of propaganda that when discussed out of context serve very little purpose. You might as well be talking to AI and just give us the results …

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Jayaprakash's avatar

Quote 1

That's why capitalism created modern press to have the illusion of information.. informed citizens..free press.. freedom of thought..etc.

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Rusty's avatar

Just like when the media knock on your door for an interview, and all you can say about your neighbor is “He was always so polite and quiet! Just a really good neighbor. “

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Michael Karjalainen-Dräger's avatar

Absolutely contemporary!

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Robert C Culwell's avatar

Wow

Thank you

Very timely and timeless wisdom.

Σοφία Χάρης Αγάπη Δόξα! 🌐🔔🔥

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