Are corporate interests and big business taking over the US political system to a degree where it is inevitable democracy will become obsolete and ruin the entire system of American government?
Even inasmuch as I think there are many parallels between early 1930s Germany and modern America, and that the dangers are very real, still... couldn't you find somebody to articulate the situtation and the dangers who isn't an alt-medicine crank and "vitamin entrepreneur"? Google this goddamn' nutcase and you'll see what I mean:
I think people (especially Americans) compare everything to Nazi Germany because it's all they know about history. Not everyone reads, but everyone has seen Academy Award-winning movies.
Very few broad-brush dismissals about "very few surviving scrutiny" actually can withstand scrutiny themselves.
Take this comment thread, for example. Instead of showing why 2011 America isn't like 1937 Germany, you simply conclude it is not because "very few" parallels can "survive scrutiny."
I guess if you've never studied the Weimar Republic and its transition into Nazism (National Socialism) you can't properly assess the parallels between that era in Germany and the present American era.
Whether the fellow in the video properly appraises the parallels is not important on the Q of whether there are parallels. It's only important on the Q of whether the video fellow has a clue.
"I guess if you've never studied the Weimar Republic and its transition into Nazism (National Socialism) you can't properly assess the parallels between that era in Germany and the present American era."
Are you suggesting I didn't study it? If so, you followed a critical argument with a presumption. I think you picked on a useless line to argue over.
In case you are presuming, for the record, I studied German history.
I do speak with "some" knowledge.
Sooooo....the analogy is bull. I've been hearing it for years. In my university class years ago, a student brought it up with a group of German professors who came to give a lecture. Let's just say they brought proper perspective to the discussion.
I don't feel like filling up threads with excessive comments. Heck, I don't like writing long posts too often on my own blog. I'll let this post do the talking for me...if it's ok with you:
"Whether the fellow in the video properly appraises the parallels is not important on the Q of whether there are parallels. It's only important on the Q of whether the video fellow has a clue."
I don't get this. Seems to me we interpreted the question differently.
Before I wonder if it's splitting hairs, I do invite an expansion here.
I just finished saying I don't want to clog up the threads and here I am doing just that. Meh.
The link I provided focuses on Weimar from a leftist point of view but one I think makes, with some room to debate, its points.
And I now turn around and ask a final question: How prove:
"Very few broad-brush dismissals about "very few surviving scrutiny" actually can withstand scrutiny themselves."
Let's be clear. All I made was a casual comment, beyond the video, about the bull shit of comparing the two. Not saying it shouldn't be explored, except that in my experiences not one that has convinced me.
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Even inasmuch as I think there are many parallels between early 1930s Germany and modern America, and that the dangers are very real, still... couldn't you find somebody to articulate the situtation and the dangers who isn't an alt-medicine crank and "vitamin entrepreneur"? Google this goddamn' nutcase and you'll see what I mean:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.drrathresearch.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_Rath
Godwin's law strikes again.
ReplyDeleteI think people (especially Americans) compare everything to Nazi Germany because it's all they know about history. Not everyone reads, but everyone has seen Academy Award-winning movies.
but everyone has seen Academy Award-winning movies
ReplyDeleteOr they watch the Hitler...uh, History, channel.
Maybe, but then why not compare more things to pirates, bigfoot, and aliens who built the pyramids?
ReplyDeleteTotal BULLSHIT comparing modern America with Nazi Germany.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I've grown tired of the Nazi Germany analogies. Very few survive scrutiny.
Very few broad-brush dismissals about "very few surviving scrutiny" actually can withstand scrutiny themselves.
ReplyDeleteTake this comment thread, for example. Instead of showing why 2011 America isn't like 1937 Germany, you simply conclude it is not because "very few" parallels can "survive scrutiny."
I guess if you've never studied the Weimar Republic and its transition into Nazism (National Socialism) you can't properly assess the parallels between that era in Germany and the present American era.
Whether the fellow in the video properly appraises the parallels is not important on the Q of whether there are parallels. It's only important on the Q of whether the video fellow has a clue.
Hello Charles,
ReplyDelete"I guess if you've never studied the Weimar Republic and its transition into Nazism (National Socialism) you can't properly assess the parallels between that era in Germany and the present American era."
Are you suggesting I didn't study it? If so, you followed a critical argument with a presumption. I think you picked on a useless line to argue over.
In case you are presuming, for the record, I studied German history.
I do speak with "some" knowledge.
Sooooo....the analogy is bull. I've been hearing it for years. In my university class years ago, a student brought it up with a group of German professors who came to give a lecture. Let's just say they brought proper perspective to the discussion.
I don't feel like filling up threads with excessive comments. Heck, I don't like writing long posts too often on my own blog. I'll let this post do the talking for me...if it's ok with you:
http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/weimar-germany-and-contemporary-america-any-parallels/
"Whether the fellow in the video properly appraises the parallels is not important on the Q of whether there are parallels. It's only important on the Q of whether the video fellow has a clue."
ReplyDeleteI don't get this. Seems to me we interpreted the question differently.
Before I wonder if it's splitting hairs, I do invite an expansion here.
Thanks!
I just finished saying I don't want to clog up the threads and here I am doing just that. Meh.
ReplyDeleteThe link I provided focuses on Weimar from a leftist point of view but one I think makes, with some room to debate, its points.
And I now turn around and ask a final question: How prove:
"Very few broad-brush dismissals about "very few surviving scrutiny" actually can withstand scrutiny themselves."
Let's be clear. All I made was a casual comment, beyond the video, about the bull shit of comparing the two. Not saying it shouldn't be explored, except that in my experiences not one that has convinced me.
I'm open though.