That's a damn simple and difficult question. I made a similar decision for myself in my younger years. Back then, I was prepared to go to prison voluntarily for my personal freedom (which is what happened). But I wouldn't have let myself be killed for it (which, despite the dictatorship, I was relatively sure I could rely on). Today, 40 years later, I would do it again. Go to prison for a cause? Yes! Let myself be killed for it? No! That's why I can understand the young man's answer very well from his point of view. Whether I think it's right from a comfortable distance is another matter. Everyone should be able to decide that for themselves without being pigeonholed.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I understand the behaviour very well. But still, I ask myself: What if, in a democracy, the majority behaves like you?
The young man is alas fairly typical of many Germans. I have met many like him myself. The uncomfortable truth is that Germans do not (perhaps cannot) appreciate freedom because they have never had to fight for it nor fully secure it themselves. Sure, Germans enjoy the fruits of freedom but they are used to the historical reality that others have done the bloodletting on their behalf.
It is time for the Germans to wake up to the fact that 400'000 mostly young American men gave their lives between the beaches of Normandy and the Elbe River so that millions of Germans could live in freedom -- and not really appreciate it, philosophizing instead about "pacifism" and how preferable it would be to live under a dictatorship (again). Well, well. Germans who think like that have a scary fondness for authoritarian rule whether it be of the current form seen in Russia and Belarus or for of the kind of their own lurid past -- which exposes them to the charge that they have not ever really left their darkest period of their history behind.
Please tell the young man that there would be no peace nor security under authoritarian rule and that very likely he would be called to arms whether he liked it or not in the name of some half baked ideology and it would not be to fight for freedom but the subjugation of yet other people. Authoritarian regimes are by their very nature imperialistic and care not one whit about freedom, be it individual or collective in nature. The young man is a fool; he would not attain peace and security at the expenxe of freedom as these qualities would be contingent on one another and require both vigilence and often sacrifice to keep up. Look, my wife grew up in East Germany, not too far from a political prison where women were killed for opposing the regime. They were killed in the most cruel manner (with a man named V.V. Putin in Dresden in charge of state sponsored cruelty). To accept their sacrifice as inevitable while shirking your own responsibility is not only cynical but cowardly.
Is that what many Germans have become? An undisciplined mob of cowards that think nothing of sacrificing others while taking their own freedom for granted? Well, granted by whom?
I know that Weidel and Wagenknecht would just as soon deliver the entire German nation (and possibly the rest of Europe) at the feet of the aforementioned dictator. The two W's are mealy mouthed Pied Pipers of the worst kind, feigning patriotism and idle talk of peace while banking on what has become widespread German angst and, worse, inertia to the point where Germans will give themselves up in bondage again.
I have nothing but loathing for the Germans, especially the intellectual elite, who insist on enjoying the benefits of human rights they have not earned while deprecating the same privilges as a more moral pittance subject to the most despicable compromise. Pfui! Pfui! Pfui!
Really? The 30 t0 40% that could do without have me worried. In addition, they happen to be very vocal and drive public discourse and momentum. Scholz can't even deliver Taurus because he buys into their argument. The Germans standing up for NATO and shouldering their responsiblities are a majority perhaps but they are whimsical and fearful of recriminations, of being branded and ostrasized.
Yet I believe there is another aspect to be considered: It is not easy to appreciate the value of freedom if you have not experienced the absence of it. This young man, probably like most of us, has never lived in a system of "unfreedom".
If I could add a picture I would add a photo of tree roots that break through concrete they have been covered with.
My question would be: "Why do you think that, I believe without exception, every unfree system has to deal with individuals, who try to break the chains? Breaking the chains comes in all forms, from secret discussions circles all the way up to open revolution, going to war or, as in our German case, trying to jump the wall (Republikflucht) at risk of being shot.
That's a damn simple and difficult question. I made a similar decision for myself in my younger years. Back then, I was prepared to go to prison voluntarily for my personal freedom (which is what happened). But I wouldn't have let myself be killed for it (which, despite the dictatorship, I was relatively sure I could rely on). Today, 40 years later, I would do it again. Go to prison for a cause? Yes! Let myself be killed for it? No! That's why I can understand the young man's answer very well from his point of view. Whether I think it's right from a comfortable distance is another matter. Everyone should be able to decide that for themselves without being pigeonholed.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I understand the behaviour very well. But still, I ask myself: What if, in a democracy, the majority behaves like you?
If the majority acted as I do, they would use education, morals and ethics in their everyday affairs to strengthen freedom and avoid killing fields.
It appears that many Russians lack the education to avoid the killing fields. And we have to remind them to stay away.
Thank you for your honesty.
Thank you, Johannes.
The young man is alas fairly typical of many Germans. I have met many like him myself. The uncomfortable truth is that Germans do not (perhaps cannot) appreciate freedom because they have never had to fight for it nor fully secure it themselves. Sure, Germans enjoy the fruits of freedom but they are used to the historical reality that others have done the bloodletting on their behalf.
It is time for the Germans to wake up to the fact that 400'000 mostly young American men gave their lives between the beaches of Normandy and the Elbe River so that millions of Germans could live in freedom -- and not really appreciate it, philosophizing instead about "pacifism" and how preferable it would be to live under a dictatorship (again). Well, well. Germans who think like that have a scary fondness for authoritarian rule whether it be of the current form seen in Russia and Belarus or for of the kind of their own lurid past -- which exposes them to the charge that they have not ever really left their darkest period of their history behind.
Please tell the young man that there would be no peace nor security under authoritarian rule and that very likely he would be called to arms whether he liked it or not in the name of some half baked ideology and it would not be to fight for freedom but the subjugation of yet other people. Authoritarian regimes are by their very nature imperialistic and care not one whit about freedom, be it individual or collective in nature. The young man is a fool; he would not attain peace and security at the expenxe of freedom as these qualities would be contingent on one another and require both vigilence and often sacrifice to keep up. Look, my wife grew up in East Germany, not too far from a political prison where women were killed for opposing the regime. They were killed in the most cruel manner (with a man named V.V. Putin in Dresden in charge of state sponsored cruelty). To accept their sacrifice as inevitable while shirking your own responsibility is not only cynical but cowardly.
Is that what many Germans have become? An undisciplined mob of cowards that think nothing of sacrificing others while taking their own freedom for granted? Well, granted by whom?
I know that Weidel and Wagenknecht would just as soon deliver the entire German nation (and possibly the rest of Europe) at the feet of the aforementioned dictator. The two W's are mealy mouthed Pied Pipers of the worst kind, feigning patriotism and idle talk of peace while banking on what has become widespread German angst and, worse, inertia to the point where Germans will give themselves up in bondage again.
I have nothing but loathing for the Germans, especially the intellectual elite, who insist on enjoying the benefits of human rights they have not earned while deprecating the same privilges as a more moral pittance subject to the most despicable compromise. Pfui! Pfui! Pfui!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. After all, there is broad support in Germany for a strong Bundeswehr and NATO. > https://www.bmvg.de/de/aktuelles/bevoelkerungsbefragung-2023-hohe-zustimmung-zu-bundeswehr-nato-5744796
Really? The 30 t0 40% that could do without have me worried. In addition, they happen to be very vocal and drive public discourse and momentum. Scholz can't even deliver Taurus because he buys into their argument. The Germans standing up for NATO and shouldering their responsiblities are a majority perhaps but they are whimsical and fearful of recriminations, of being branded and ostrasized.
The Swiss incidentailly support their army by a whopping 92%. See https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/295544/umfrage/aussagen-zu-armee-und-militaer-in-der-schweiz/
However, the Swiss maintain an infantile notion of neutrality that is in dire need of an update.
Your argument is solid.
Yet I believe there is another aspect to be considered: It is not easy to appreciate the value of freedom if you have not experienced the absence of it. This young man, probably like most of us, has never lived in a system of "unfreedom".
If I could add a picture I would add a photo of tree roots that break through concrete they have been covered with.
My question would be: "Why do you think that, I believe without exception, every unfree system has to deal with individuals, who try to break the chains? Breaking the chains comes in all forms, from secret discussions circles all the way up to open revolution, going to war or, as in our German case, trying to jump the wall (Republikflucht) at risk of being shot.