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The effects of propaganda during WW 2
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The effects of propaganda during WW 2
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Social codes form the framework of society because they are the unwritten rules that dictate human interaction. Although they are not legally established, social codes are important because they exist as the fundamental ethics that define social behavior. Furthermore, the power of social codes is that they are ubiquitously acknowledged and therefore, enforced by human philosophy. It is considered unconditionally unjustifiable to violate social codes because it is a breach of ethical behavior. However, there are certain circumstances where breaking a social code is warranted because it is for the greater good. The greater good is the idea that something is beneficial to the population at large, which employs a belief in the common interest of …show more content…
This exception is prevalent in times of war because of how many lives are at stake. If a messenger is commanded to deliver a document that commands the execution of hundreds of innocent prisoners, it is justifiable to kill the messenger in order to save hundreds of lives because by killing him, one is actively preventing future harm. This theme of killing for the greater good is prevalent in many areas of the novel. After Lev and Abendroth play a game of chess for a crate of eggs or his comrades' lives, Lev draws his dagger and provokes a fight. In a moment of fury and fear, Lev shoves the blade of his knife deep into Abendroth’s chest, through the breast pocket of his coat, below a row of medals (Benioff 231). In this situation, it is necessary for Lev to kill Abendroth because he is directly threatening both his and his comrade’s lives, making Lev’s action one of self-defense. Yet, when Lev drives the blade in Abendroth’s chest, he is not only preserving his companion’s lives, but also the lives of many of others because Abendroth is responsible for the systematic execution of Jews and the slaughter of thousands of innocent people during Germany’s invasion of Europe. The cluster of medals pinned to the man’s jacket is representative of the innumerable atrocities he committed, …show more content…
For example, if a soldier entered an enemy encampment and lied about their identity in order to attain valuable information that would ensure the collapse of an unjust effort, their lie would be justified because it was in pursuit of a exemplary cause. The soldier wanted to improve society by obstructing the invasion of a regime and a putting an end to its inhumane practices; therefore, his lie is morally sound. This concept is an underlying theme is the novel. After Nazi forces take Lev and his comrades captive, the guards line them up with the other prisoners and question them about their reading abilities. Vika quickly observes what is transpiring and attempts to communicate to Lev that, “’You don’t read,’ she informed me. She kept watching me to make sure I understood” (Benioff 193). Here, Vika commands Lev to lie to the Nazi guards about his ability to read in order to prevent their imminent execution. The Nazi party viewed literacy among commoners as a fundamental threat to Germany’s stability because they commanded the blind loyalty of the peasants primarily by taking advantage of their lack of education and limited understanding of political affairs. Allowing people to read undermined Germany’s power and created the possibility of revolt, making the executing of literate individuals a priority. Vika understands the importance of this
The atrocities of war can take an “ordinary man” and turn him into a ruthless killer under the right circumstances. This is exactly what Browning argues happened to the “ordinary Germans” of Reserve Police Battalion 101 during the mass murders and deportations during the Final Solution in Poland. Browning argues that a superiority complex was instilled in the German soldiers because of the mass publications of Nazi propaganda and the ideological education provided to German soldiers, both of which were rooted in hatred, racism, and anti-Semitism. Browning provides proof of Nazi propaganda and first-hand witness accounts of commanders disobeying orders and excusing reservists from duties to convince the reader that many of the men contributing to the mass
... Now, because Editha remained naïve about the issues of war and the loss of her husband, she resumed to believe that sending George off was the right decision. “If Editha had changed her views, she would have had to admit to herself that she sent George off to die in a war and fought for the wrong reasons. Why live with the guilt when there is the ability to pretend that George died for very noble purposes” (Belasco and Johnson 113-24). Editha limits her fault by remaining unaware and therefore feels innocent of the harm she’s inflicted on the people she cares about. The significance of the stories is to appreciate life for what it’s worth. We are given a chance to create something extraordinary and trying to change those around us will affect us for the worst. The accepting of others for who they truly are is what defines the character of one person from the next.
A positive effect of these standards is having to pressure to do the “correct” moral action when presented in a situation. In the basic example of seeing someone drop a wallet with hundreds of dollars in it, the question of what to do with it stands. In the worst-case scenario, if no one is in sight, the person grabs the wallet and takes it without regards to the responsibility or consequences for the person that lost the money. Although, switching the scenario into a crowd around the person. The same person will look around and double check for their surroundings. Seeing that there are civilians judging at his next action, he will pick up the wallet and go after the person that accidently dropped it. Why? Well because in his mind he knows that if he does the wrong action in front of others, he will be arbitrated as a wrong character in the society he lives. In the long run, it is beneficial, although in this case scenario this fellow was just manipulated by the social order to go against his bad intentions in an example of how pressure from what other’s think influence your
Individuals are often only likely to adhere to code if penalties are enforced as violations of professional codes routinely go unnoticed, there exists a general unwillingness to report a peer or colleague for infractions or breached workplace standards, and are even less likely to be met with disciplinary actions (Williams and Arrigo, 2008). Therefore, without a deep appreciation for ethics, the value of the code with often be viewed as unimportant or insignificant. Codes of professional conduct can also demonstrate the idea of ethical minimalism which indicates that people may be inclined to adopt a “minimalistic” approach toward morality by doing only what is dictated in the rules and standards set forth in their place of work. Individuals of good moral character tend to go above and beyond the minimum standards set forth.
...rocedure for the Nazi regime’s extermination camps and “Final Solution.” In order for the assailants to perform their duties they had to reduce their victims to nothing, so in the end they would be “less burdened by guilt.” (DS, 126) Levi provides readers with the Nazi’s process of destruction and explains how their totalitarian system was accountable for the propagation of this level of brutality. It is mentioned that “all of them, teachers and pupils, became progressively removed from reality as little by little their morality came unglued.” (DS, 107) Here we see why it was so important to perform such useless acts of violence, because we are not conditioned to such mass killings. Both Levi’s writings, Survival in Auschwitz and The Drowned and the Saved provide an insight into life in the Lager, and the dehumanization that ultimately destroyed millions of people.
...improvements that help or benefit the whole of our society. General in this function means “the whole rather than to particular parts or special interests.” Congress has the ability to levy taxes to pay the debt of the United States, this is one example of promoting the general welfare.
A Good Man is Hard to Find is a short story about each person’s differing moral codes-good and bad- and the effect that they have on a person’s daily actions and decisions. This is a classic story of good versus evil. The main theme of the story is the true definition of a “good man”. Each person has his or her own definition, but which one is correct? Another theme in the story is grace. The grandmother shows the Misfit grace, regardless of his moral code. Almost everything in this story is a symbol. All of these symbols come together to create a very ominous tone. There is a very clear imagery of death throughout the story. There is also very obvious foreshadowing throughout the story that points towards death in the conclusion. The grandmother
A social issue that is most times overlooked is the social issue of problems with social norms, which are defined as “the rules of behavior that are considered acceptable in a group or society. People who do not follow these norms may be shunned or suffer some kind of consequence.” (YourDictionary). Most social norms are in place so that society flows well and there is less deviant behavior, these being the ones that teach people what to say and how to act in a way that is acceptable. From birth, people are socialized to be able to be fully capable functioning human beings. However, there are some social norms such as violence in the media, turning a blind eye to cruelty, and socialization that negatively affect people and influence society
Social norms are the implicit or explicit rules a group has for the acceptable behaviors, values, and beliefs of its members. Implicit social norms are introduced to us at a very early age, and exert a powerful influence on our behavior into adulthood. Our culture is ruled by social norms. In many situations, people 's perception of these norms have a big influence on their behavior. Implicit social norms are not openly stated, but found out when disobeyed. Implicit rules are rules we conform to as a society, and generally these rules make living together more comfortable. Social norms are important because they define the nature of a group, clarify relationships among members, and express values. They are also important because they create cohesion within the society, and members of that society are very aware when such norms are violated. Social norms are often strictly enforced and offenders are often disliked for their conduct. Also, some norms are more strictly held to in certain situations than in
The loud sounds of heavy, sharp metal chains clinking against each other. Gloomy, dark skies as you walk in single file lines. A lightning quick strike following cracking sounds ruffles the air. “March Faster” an s.s guard umbers. Human rights are automatic individual rights we are all granted at birth, according to the UDHR which is the official document of human rights. In 1940 of Germany most of these rights were violated. With the many years that the world has fought so hard for equality, people shouldn’t be able to take it away like candy from a baby, which is why the rights of freedom from discrimination, torture, and slavery were violated in the book Night.
Social norms refer to the way that members of a society are expected to act and behave. These norms provide structure and conformity for individuals within a society. They also provide a sense of “normalcy” amongst individuals within a society. In a society, “we tend to follow our own cultural norms without questioning them, because we regard them as the ‘norm’.” (Henslin,2012). To intentionally break a cultural norm, takes some thought and effort to consciously go against our inbred “culture within us.” When pondering about social norms that I could break and the reactions of others, I began brainstorming various social norms. One in particular norm came to mind. In American society there is a social norm that if you use the drive thru window
Social norms are really important to our society’s functioning. If certain norms were not followed it is almost certain chaos would ensue. Not only do we follow social norms in order to prevent chaos, we also follow them to avoid the consequences of not following them, especially if the functional perspective is accurate. On occasion though, breaking subtle norms that we may not think about often can prove to have interesting results.
My personal code of ethics outlines the values and principles, which I believe in and rely on in life; the code determines the decisions I make concerning my daily activities and my association with family, colleagues, and the society. The values and principles also act as my main point of reference when I am faced with a dilemma and need to make a sound dec...
First, arranging moral precepts into ethical systems facilitates understanding of well-defined values, norms, and beliefs adopted by a group. In turn, groups express these beliefs by codifying them through rules, laws, and codes of conduct intended to influence decision-making, especially when a poor decision would lead to corruption, and loss of professional trust. More importantly, ethical systems provide moral justification for activities that appear to defy innate human instincts. Lastly, ethics provide insight into the cause and effect of a potential action or decision, allowing the group to determine what is right (ethical, effective, and efficient) within an established framework. All of these ethical characteristics are important to understand because they can compel an individual or group to act contrary to a universal human
“Different cultures have different moral codes”, James Rachels discusses in his article Why Morality Is Not Relative? (Rachels, p. 160). A moral code is a set of rules that is considered to be the right behavior that may be accepted by a group of individuals within a society. Each culture tends to have their own individual standards and moral codes. Moral codes are guidelines laid out by a cultures ancestors. Standards are guidelines set forth by the individual themselves. Standards and morals don’t always have to be the same, but there are instances where they are. The moral codes claim what is “right” and what is “wrong”. Moral codes outline what behaviors individuals are supposed to make. These codes are basically laws, but specifically