The protection of the masses has in all times been the pretense of tyranny - the plea of monarchy, of aristocracy, of special privilege of every kind. The slave owners justified slavery as protecting the slaves.
Henry GeorgeRead
Genocide, after all, is an exercise in community building.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that genocide, despite its horrific nature, can create a disturbing sense of community among perpetrators.
Philip Gourevitch's quote unexpectedly highlights the dark and twisted nature of genocide, positing that it can serve as a perverse form of community building among those who enact such atrocities. It draws attention to how shared beliefs and actions, even if deeply immoral, can forge bonds among individuals, reflecting the complexities of human behavior and morality in extreme circumstances.
Themes
GenocideCommunityAtrocityMoralityHuman Behavior
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impacts of historical atrocities.
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