WHO WAS HITLER?
Sir-In view of "G’s" reply to my letter, may I amplify my earlier remarks? The crucial point is not so much that the Germans committed crimes. against humanity (the question of the relative guilt of the German people has been discussed in various quarters), but that humankind can be so indoctrinated and conditioned that such things become not only accepted but considered a right form of action. We should be mindful of the fact that there will always be those who are eager to exploit our vanity, sadism and greed; awareness that we can be so exploited is our principal safeguard. It is well to remember ‘that we are, all of us, products of our own particular culture, and that we are a\mere uncertain step from formerly accepted brutalities. The British, for instance, now commonly regarded as one of the least aggressive of peoples, held public hangings barely 100 years ago, and many were the intelligent and otherwise humane individuals -who regarded a hanging as a diversion not to be missed. I do not think we should take for granted humanity’s progress. There is no inevitable/ progression; every gleam of enlightenment has been hard won. That justice and right will always or even ultimately prevail is, to say the least. highly uncertain.
P.
(Hamilton).
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19570816.2.22.4
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 940, 16 August 1957, Page 11
Word count
Tapeke kupu
217WHO WAS HITLER? New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 940, 16 August 1957, Page 11
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.