Shall I blame myself for having been brainwashed unter this or that regime? Shall I call myself bad names and regret my former stupid young me?
I don't blame you. I laud you for having seen your way out of the propaganda induced hypnotic state.
Very interesting essay. I had to look some of the words up to understand it better. While you were taught Ammie sentiments, we learned nothing about the post war Germans. Nothing that I can remember. We had in common, however, learning that Russians were the enemy. So we were set up way back then to play our parts, to follow instructions really, and to hate the Russians today, Our war machine never forgave them for ending Hitler. We were making too much money and promoting eugenics there. The US entered the war reluctantly, only when we would lose face if we didn't. I'm thinking out loud here. I need to learn much more about those world wars.
Sounds like teenagers then are very much like teenagers today.
Thank you so much for commenting. I am very interested how Americans were raised and what they have been taught in school about the Germans. We young people had no sentiments towards the US whatsoever.
I was eager to go there and my first trip took place in the mid 90s. We enjoyed the stay, were pleased by the open minded folks we met and the easy to make contacts. But I also remember how shocked I have been to experience so much restrictions and being controlled in public. We wouldn't have thought how prudish and fearful it also was. You weren't allowed to lie topless on the beach (totally normal for us), you weren't allowed to drink alcohol in public and the clubs and festivals had much stricter prohibitions than ours (back then). I flew home with the feeling that things were much more permissive in my country, even if I found the taciturnity in German supermarket queues a shortcoming afterwards.
Oh, I have rarely heard this aspect in this way. How does this view come about? Was there critical journalism on this?
Yes about the freedom. I live in New York State, where everything is illegal. Here we are, coming off two years of having been told where to go, what to wear, who to hang out with, and who to believe, but we Ammies still think our government is trying to insure that freedom reigns in the world. It's absurd. We are not the good guys. No matter how many times our commander in chief says so, and how many in the halls of power cheer him on for saying so.
Same here.
I agree, there are no good guys. Everyone has also a dark side, it's just very difficult to admit. I wouldn't want to get to know myself that way for an even longer period of time. Already, my mind has hardened due to the last two years.
In a crooked way, all those cheerleaders maybe smarter in a way, for they seem to think that there, where the power lays, more safety and acceptance will be found. ...
I detest it very much being told where to stay, with whom and how many.
Quite a lot actually, but the only one I have handy discusses what we did for the German scientists, the men who designed and performed the experiments, after the war. If you want an overview, check out Corbett's two excellent documentaries How... and Why Big Oil Conquered the World.
Thank you for the video. I have not yet watched it. Will do.
Are you familiar with Chestertons book "Eugenics and other evils"?