That's an interesting point about overstating the fear.
I remember Ann Coulter, ages ago (more than a decade) saying that we learned the wrong thing from the Holocaust. The lesson should have been 'Don't kill.' The lesson we learned instead was 'Don't discriminate.'
It's not that well phrased, as discrimination can destroy a society too, b…
That's an interesting point about overstating the fear.
I remember Ann Coulter, ages ago (more than a decade) saying that we learned the wrong thing from the Holocaust. The lesson should have been 'Don't kill.' The lesson we learned instead was 'Don't discriminate.'
It's not that well phrased, as discrimination can destroy a society too, but the overall point has merit. Discrimination in the positive sense (distinguishing between right and wrong, between the good and the best, between individual and group capabilities) is necessary for a functioning society.
The moral lesson about not harming people is necessary too, but separate.
I agree. And as we know the word discrimination was until recently understood in the positive sense. A discriminating palate if you were a chef etc.
For many reasons the events of WW2 have focused on one ethnic group. But tens of millions died. That should be the context for discussions. The senseless waste. We do seem to have this with WWI mind you.
I firmly believe academia of all places needs to be fearless. Facts are facts. And a functioning academia, with open debate, is well placed to destroy non-factual information or bias. This would include distortions such as differences in group average IQ means one group is inferior. It is quite possible to discuss these things sensibly.
That's an interesting point about overstating the fear.
I remember Ann Coulter, ages ago (more than a decade) saying that we learned the wrong thing from the Holocaust. The lesson should have been 'Don't kill.' The lesson we learned instead was 'Don't discriminate.'
It's not that well phrased, as discrimination can destroy a society too, but the overall point has merit. Discrimination in the positive sense (distinguishing between right and wrong, between the good and the best, between individual and group capabilities) is necessary for a functioning society.
The moral lesson about not harming people is necessary too, but separate.
I agree. And as we know the word discrimination was until recently understood in the positive sense. A discriminating palate if you were a chef etc.
For many reasons the events of WW2 have focused on one ethnic group. But tens of millions died. That should be the context for discussions. The senseless waste. We do seem to have this with WWI mind you.
I firmly believe academia of all places needs to be fearless. Facts are facts. And a functioning academia, with open debate, is well placed to destroy non-factual information or bias. This would include distortions such as differences in group average IQ means one group is inferior. It is quite possible to discuss these things sensibly.