When I sat back and looked at just what a totalitarian government “was” and consisted of, I realized that without concentration camps, totalitarian governments had no power. Hannah even mentioned that “these camps are the true central institution of totalitarian organizational power” (Arendt 89). So, without them, that style of leadership was rather insignificant to put it nicely.
On another note, one thing I did disagree with, and had a hard time understanding was Hannah’s difference between murder and the mass death that occurred in concentration camps. From what I understood, she was saying that when a murderer kills someone, they take away that person’s life, but they don’t destroy the fact that they existed; but then, she went on to explain how what the Nazis did was different? Personally, I think murder is murder, whether you kill 1 person, or thousands, but maybe that’s just me!! In any event, I was pretty confused through this entire reading, but some of it did make sense.
Hannah Arendt. “Total Domination.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006.pp 85-97.
4 comments:
I enjoyed reading your blog. I agree with your thoughts. Totalitarism is a crazy system. They took it to the extreme. Fear is great to have but to a certain extent. Great blog!
You really understood the given information. You bring up very valid points in discussing what she meant by her writing. Good read.
I couldnt agree more with the fact that totalitarian leadership should never be used, and to do so is cruel and unusual punishment.
Out of all the blog's I have read so far, yours is with out a doubt the most passionate and opinionated! Which is a good thing, it means you read, understood, and have great personal immput to the Arendt piece. I enjoyed reading what you had to say, and I agree with your opinions. I also think that it does not matter whether a person kilss 1 other human being of thousands...i just think to also suppot Arendt that all she was trying to say is that the only difference of killing thousands in concentration camps is that they are being tourtred and massed together as if they are a bunch of meaningless rats, therefore thier phyce dies before thier actual body. And that is all she meant by it being worse than murder. Great job on your blog though, Io found it very insightful!
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