posted by dennisn on September 2nd, 2012 at 7:02PM
I do not think that humans have a natural/instinctive predisposition to violence/aggresion against authority figures. (Unless, of course, those authority figures are evil and their power over us is illegitimate, but in that case a better word for them would be "oppressors" or "slave-masters", and in that case, yes, we have a natural aversion to that :p. But to legitimate authority (that is voluntarily respected), we have no such aversion.) And I don't think that was his explanation, for why rural areas allegedly generated more sadistic people. He mentioned a few cultural traditions throughout rural Germany at the time, which were very sadistic and violent. So it was actually "civilization" (i.e. the rural cultural traditions) that played a key role in the "barbarization" of rural people's, he claims. (Similarly, in modern times, I would similarly argue that it is "civilization" (i.e. the modern irrational beliefs/traditions surrounding statism, that we are constantly propagandized with) that constantly teaches us to be violent -- albeit in more sophisticated ways.)
I also think that although the Internet isn't an immediate 100%-guaranteed fix, it is by far the most incredible solution we have to such problems as Auschwitz. I'm pretty sure if Adorno was around today, he would have said that the Internet is exactly what is needed. The Bosnians and Rwandans that you mentioned for the most part did not have the internet. The Balkan war occurred in the early 90s, when the Internet barely existed. I doubt there were more than a few dozen Internet users there. And, I would bet that those that did have the net were not barbaric, saw the futility and brutality of violence, and probably got the fuck out of there fast.
I don't think he actually proposed anything though, except for extremely vague ideas about actively going into the least educated areas, somehow voluntarily, and somehow making them aware of things. He doesn't really give any more details than that :P. Well, besides teaching them that perhaps their traditions are dangerous and worth exploring. But I think he's missing out on a tonne of other factors -- most importantly, all the other aspects in which violence is present in their lives, especially their childhoods. He doesn't really focus on childhood a lot, which is probably where the root of all these problems really lies. He doesn't mention religion or statism. The essay leaves us much work to do :p.
I also think that although the Internet isn't an immediate 100%-guaranteed fix, it is by far the most incredible solution we have to such problems as Auschwitz. I'm pretty sure if Adorno was around today, he would have said that the Internet is exactly what is needed. The Bosnians and Rwandans that you mentioned for the most part did not have the internet. The Balkan war occurred in the early 90s, when the Internet barely existed. I doubt there were more than a few dozen Internet users there. And, I would bet that those that did have the net were not barbaric, saw the futility and brutality of violence, and probably got the fuck out of there fast.
I don't think he actually proposed anything though, except for extremely vague ideas about actively going into the least educated areas, somehow voluntarily, and somehow making them aware of things. He doesn't really give any more details than that :P. Well, besides teaching them that perhaps their traditions are dangerous and worth exploring. But I think he's missing out on a tonne of other factors -- most importantly, all the other aspects in which violence is present in their lives, especially their childhoods. He doesn't really focus on childhood a lot, which is probably where the root of all these problems really lies. He doesn't mention religion or statism. The essay leaves us much work to do :p.
