An article from "Harper's" dated 1941

[StPatrick]

First: mods, if this fits better elsewhere, please move it.

The article linked below, found on Ace of Spades (www.ace.mu.nu - read it for the politics and the funny; I am not affiliated in any way) was written in 1941, by a NYC socialite / authoress trying to decide which of her social acquaintences would "go Nazi" if the circumstances dictated it during that period. What's interesting is how she decides who would or wouldn't, based on her own opinions.

It's an interesting read; draw your own conclusions and inferences - I'm not including mine. Even though it's nearly 70 years old, I can see people I know in the descriptions of the author's friends and acquaintances, and it's...interesting, to say the least.

I didn't identify with any of the characters described, but maybe you will. At any rate, give it a read. The more things change, the more they stay the same (but now with 99% less Nazi!) and all that.

Who goes Nazi??By Dorothy Thompson (Harper's Magazine)

If nothing else, at least one of our history buffs, i.e. 6.8 AR, will enjoy it.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That is a good article and is a good study,if anyone cares, to make in a crowd or party. Most people would

never consider this with their friends, but it is a valid

exercise and one should play it out in their head at a

get together.

Of course it depends heavily on how well you know

your "friends" and what you know about them. I submit

most don't know what friendship really is and they don't

have a clue about someone except the scrapings of

gossip, because people don't take time to know each

other nowadays.

That was a good article. Thanks

[Guest Lester Weevils]

It is interesting article though from a time and social strata I know so little about, dunno how accurate is the portrayal.

Many anti-freedom movements including Nazis have a few personalities good for recruiting--

1. Sociopaths. Of course the more intelligent sociopaths get ahead in any situation, capitalism, communism, fascism, theocracies. They just have to be smart enough to pass for ordinary people and smart enough to avoid getting caught or stealing too much at once. A certain percentage of successful capitalists, union leaders, commies, academics, theologians, etc, are simple sociopaths. I sometimes suspect that MOST politicians of any stripe are sociopaths.

2. Authoritarians. Authoritarians worship people above them, and despise/abuse people below them. They fit right in an authoritarian regime like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle, regardless of their location in the power hierarchy. There are a lot of authoritarians in every walk of life and every political persuasion, and there probably always will be. Some cultures are more authoritarian, and people raised in authoritarian cultures tend to be more authoritarian because they don't know any better. They think its the way things should be.

3. Conformists. Conformists want to be the same as everybody else, and want everybody else to be the same as themselves. Nuff said.

4. Rigid personalities. Some folks feel secure when everything is precisely predictable, but get very anxious if hit with too much change. They will support strict "law and order" in any form fascist, communist, theocratic. Anything that will keep their world very orderly and predictable.

The above are ripe for about any populist movement, religious cult, anti-freedom government, whatever.

[Guest Swamprunner]

Great read, thanks very much for posting this.

[Chucktshoes]

Great article. Thanks for posting.

[Guest earthworm]

Read the one in THIS month's 'Harpers':"Happiness is a Worn Gun'.

[G27]

Enjoyed the read, thanks for posting. It's an interesting layman's look at the psychology behind what makes seemingly good people embrace evil.

[Chucktshoes]

Read the one in THIS month's 'Harpers':"Happiness is a Worn Gun'.

This is a really good article. It took a bit to find online (I found it in .pdf to download), but I would say this article is worth buying the magazine for.

[StPatrick]

This is a really good article. It took a bit to find online (I found it in .pdf to download), but I would say this article is worth buying the magazine for.

Link?