June 15, 2012
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The Beauty of Nazism
I was chatting in the coffeehouse with a coworker and the fellow behind the counter about the Greek Neo-Nazi party known as the Golden Dawn. They became internationally known after one of their members attacked a female politician on a talk show.
It's so simple to look back to Germany of the 1930's and to think that Nazism was an intellectual fraud. How could Germany, home of so many intellectuals, fall for such nonsensical ideology? But what we forget is that the Nazi party expertly enlisted architects, directors, and artists to create beautiful spectacles.See, for example, Albert Speer's Cathedral of Light, that was the backdrop to the annual Nazi convention:
Or, the propaganda film made by Leni Riefenstahl, The Triumph of the Will, recognized as one of the greatest films of all time for her "moving cameras, the use of long focus lenses to create a distorted perspective, aerial photography, and revolutionary approach to the use of music and cinematography" (via Lazypedia, err, Wikipedia).
Nazism was so attractive because it was so beautiful. It appealed to the dreams of a nation. It excited the imagination of the creative class. The ends seemed so exhilarating that the means of Auschwitz and Nuremberg faded from view. We forget now, in our historical judgment, how beauty can be used as a weapon to make the unspeakable palatable. Look at how photoshopped photos of models lead to eating disorders, for one quick example. In this visual, multimedia-driven generation, it's not a question of if we will be deceived by beauty. It is a question of when.
Comments (22)
Yay Gloom-and-Doom Friday! But it really hit me today, in the coffeehouse, how much Hitler used artists and beauty to advance his cause. It's a chilling lesson.
Good thoughts to ponder.
OBAMA IS HITLER
Nostalgia.
I don't know if you recall but several years ago I said I saw the rise of Nazi spirit coming, the antisemitic guttural spew soon followed. It is growing quite quickly bc hurting ppl want someone to blame.
So interesting. RH and I were talking about this last night, actually — how the ideals of the Reich were used to recruit ever more supporters. It is mind-blowing how influential beauty and art can be when recruiting for a cause that might otherwise be recognized for what it truly is: evil and ugly.
Good to see you're still pooping out demagogic trash.
Anyway, aesthetic appeal is always very important when trying to enchant masses of people. Obama had a much prettier aesthetic than McCain in 2008, for a more realistic example.
Not to say Obama is Hitler or Nazi, of course.
And I'm surprised the old guy only tried to calm the freak down, rather than take him down.
@tjordanm - @TheMushyPear - Guys, everything I write is secretly about putting down Obama! I'm on the Republican payroll! Whoooooa conspiracies!!!!!
I think it says something about our inability to accept difficult truths. We are very insecure...
@GreekPhysique - Are people calling you a conservative, or something?
The same big government policies that led to the collapse of Germany in the 1920s are causing the European collapse today. And just as totalitarian fascism rose up during the 1930s it is rising up today.
But why look only at Europe.
The same big government policies have killed the US economy and are endangering our future, too.
"If something seems too good to be true, it's best to shoot it, just in case." ~fiona glen anne
in discussing how Nazi's came to and maintained power you cannot ignore once fact about the German people at the time: They Thought They Were Free
That said, you do have a point that leaders often put a "pretty face" on really evil things. But they only succeed with that because the people they are leading never bother to even care acknowledge that anything but the facade exists. the willful ignorance of the people is truly what enables evil to thrive.
Have you ever seen Hitler's artwork? Not so good.
Sadly, true.
interesting! great, now you made me think at almost 1am!
haha my brother had to give a talk when he was in HS about how Hitler and Nazism was a good thing. It was one of those...you show up in class, they give you the topic and a few facts and 2minutes to prepare things....
Germans were are are smart people. But that proves that collectivism is very dangerous. I am a fan of individualism.
How ironic that the Germans are bailing out the Greeks. I fear Greece may default on that loan and abandon the Euro.
for the record the b*$#ch was out of text
Men alone fall victims to a pretty face. Look at all the hot chicks who always have a man and they are horrid girls. But the Nazis took hold of Germany for a far more complex reason than simply beauty. But you make a good point, their use of beauty helped them.
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