Wellness Calendar: Wednesday 11 June

Thoughtlessness

Hannah Arendt, arguably one of the greatest philosophers of modern times, believed that thoughtlessness is the main route to evil and totalitarianism. In her writing she gave us some clues as to how, collectively, we can be vigilant against tyrannical rule.

Evil, she reasoned, is an absence or a deprivation of goodness and requires a deficiency of thought to flourish. How many systems (capitalism and communism, for example) and how many job roles exist today that are devoid of human thought, devoid of humanity? Unless we check in with ourselves, we can easily sleep-walk into dehumanisation – either as an active authoritarian or a passive bystander.

Having watched the trial of Otto Adolf Eichmann, who played his part in the atrocities of Nazi Germany, Arendt found his account of his role in the Holocaust as an obedient and law-abiding desk-killer utterly banal. He, like many others, carried out his role without intent, without moral outrage, without resistance and without thought. Instead of thinking for himself, he let other people do his thinking for him.

Hannah Arendt believed that authoritarian systems mixed with thoughtlessness leads to a social landscape where people believe opposition is futile, and nothing can be reversed, so there’s no point in fighting for a better life.

We can avoid this fate by revelling in our humanity, avoiding manipulation and indoctrination and having a healthy dose of rebelliousness. What do you think of what Arendt had to say?

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