The Psychopathology of Civilization

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In a previous post, I suggested that we human beings prefer not to
examine the possibility that profound pathology is "inherent within the ideology
of the nation-state, emanating from within the very fabric of civilization."

My colleague, Francina Valk, who has a way of crystallizing issues,
posed the following questions:

"Do you think evil is produced by this profound pathology? What do you
think of Hannah Arendt's idea of the banality of evil in which she writes that
evil is not a matter of profound pathology at all, rather that it was the
system that produced people committing atrocities."

"Arendt writes that absolute obedience indicates complete agreement with
the (Nazi) laws and institutions of the state. Do you mean to say that this
'absolute obedience' is pathological: too much love invested in the wrong
object?"

If we please can STOP RIGHT THERE. Yes, this is precisely what I am
saying: that OBEDIENCE IS THE PATHOLOGY that leads to war and genocide, and that
this pathology is the consequence of TOO MUCH LOVE INVESTED IN THE WRONG
OBJECT.

The object in which we invest so much love is a symbolic system that we
call the "nation." Excessive attachment to the idea of one's nation produces
obedience.

We have not understood this relationship because we do not wish to know
or say that massively destructive, bizarre forms of societal violence and our
highest ideals STEM FROM THE SAME SOURCE.

Hitler joined the German army to fight in World War I. Millions of
other soldiers in Germany, France, and Great Britain-as well as in other nations
throughout the world-- did so as well.

Our tendency is to admire and honor soldiers for their willingness to
fight and die for their nation. We use terms such as devotion to the community
and patriotism.

Hitler during the First World War was the EPITOME OR ABSOLUTE
EMBODIMENT of these soldierly virtues. He was fanatic in his devotion to Germany. He
fought in the trenches for four years during World War I. He often experienced
the urge toward personal survival or self-preservation, but felt this was a
weakness to be overcome. Hitler believed that willingness to sacrifice oneself
for the community was the highest virtue, to which all other considerations were
subordinate.

Here are typical passages from MEIN KAMPF in which Hitler expresses his
attitude toward war:

"The most precious blood (in World War I) sacrificed itself joyfully, in the
faith that it was preserving the independence and freedom of the fatherland."

"The Aryan willingly subordinates his own ego to the life of the community
and, if the hour demands, even sacrifices it."

"In giving one's life for the existence of the community lies the crown of
all sacrifice."

"To be 'national' means to act with a boundless and all-embracing love for
the people and, if necessary, even to die for it."

"When in the long war years Death snatched so many a desire comrade and
friend from our ranks, it would have seemed to me a sin to complain-after all, were
they not dying for Germany?"

Hitler was the "noblest Roman of them all." He embraced the religion of
nationalism as few before him or since ever have done. It was with utmost
sincerity and fanaticism that he devoted himself to Germany. He gave his heart,
body and soul to his nation.

Hitler saw his comrades blown up continually during the war--their body
parts shattered and splattered all over the place. Most of the comrades with
whom he fought did not survive. It is a miracle that he himself was not killed.

Yet never did he renounce his attachment to and faith in Germany. Never
(at least consciously) did he question the nobility of the cause. Two-million
Germans were killed; millions more were maimed and wounded--their lives
shattered forever. Millions more became seriously ill during the course of the war
(there are statistics on all of this--the institution of war is closely
connected with the hospital industry and nursing profession--although persons rarely
discuss this reality).

Yet having witnessed the extraordinary magnitude of suffering and
destruction, after having seen so many of his comrades killed and maimed, Hitler
nevertheless said it was a "sin to complain."

HERE IS THE PATHOLOGY: this absolute attachment to one's own nation,
which is equivalent to OBEDIENCE UNTO DEATH--the refusal to abandon the object
in spite of all the suffering that attachment to this object has wrought.

The pathology of civilization is not separate from its sacred values.
If you leave out the name "Hitler" in connection to the passages cited above,
how would one characterize the person who spoke such words? We would judge him
to be a man with a powerful sense of loyalty and devotion, a devout patriot.

Soldiers in the First World War fought out of trenches. Attack usually
consisted of getting out of trench and running toward the other enemy's
trench, where there was a good probability that one would be blown up by artillery
shells or machine-gun fire. Such a form of attack went on for four years. It is
estimated that 9 million were killed and over 25 million wounded in the First
World War.

One could say that all of this was "banal" in the sense that soldiers
were simply "doing their duty" as they have always done in war. However, at the
same time one might say that the magnitude of death, mayhem and
destructiveness that occurred bespoke a severe form of pathology. For four years, nearly
every nation in the world was WILLING TO SEND YOUNG MEN TO A BRUTAL DEATH. For
nearly four years (with a few exceptions), these young men WENT TO THEIR DEATHS
WITHOUT PROTEST.

Obedience may be ordinary and normative, but it is not "banal." Getting
out of a trench to run into machine gun fire may be a manifestation of
"obedience to authority" but it also is a very RADICAL form of behavior. If my
Cross-Country Coach had asked members of our team to run across the New Jersey
Turnpike in the name of Columbia High School--to see if we could get to the other
side without being hit by a car--persons would have considered us psychotic
for having followed this order, and him both insane and a criminal for having
given such an order.

We can begin to understand societal destructive, the bizarre political
history of the Twentieth Century, when we are able to acknowledge that the
normal can be pathological--that profound sickness may be inherent within the
structures of civilization.

With regards,

Richard Koenigsberg

Richard A. Koenigsberg, Ph. D.
Library of Social Science

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<HTML>      In a previous post, I s=
uggested that we human beings prefer not to examine the possibility that pro=
found pathology is "inherent within the ideology of the nation-state, emanat=
ing from within the very fabric of civilization." 
 
     My colleague, Francina Valk, who has a way of cryst=
allizing issues, posed the following questions: 
 
    "Do you think evil is produced by this profound pathology=
? What do you think of Hannah Arendt's idea of the banality of evil in which=
she writes that evil is not a matter of profound pathology at all, rather t=
hat it was the system that produced people committing atrocities." 
 
    "Arendt writes that absolute obedience indicates complete=
agreement with the (Nazi) laws and institutions of the state. Do you mean t=
o say that this 'absolute obedience' is pathological: too much love invested=
in the wrong object?" 
 
      If we please can STOP RIGHT THERE. Yes, this=20=
is precisely what I am saying: that OBEDIENCE IS THE PATHOLOGY that leads to=
war and genocide, and that this pathology is the consequence of TOO MUCH LO=
VE INVESTED IN THE WRONG OBJECT. 
 
     The object in which we invest so much love is a sym=
bolic system that we call the "nation." Excessive attachment to the idea of=20=
one's nation produces obedience. 
 
     We have not understood this relationship because we=
do not wish to know or say that massively destructive, bizarre forms of soc=
ietal violence and our highest ideals STEM FROM THE SAME SOURCE. 
 
      Hitler joined the German army to fight in Wor=
ld War I. Millions of other soldiers in Germany, France, and Great Britain-a=
s well as in other nations throughout the world-- did so as well. 
 
      Our tendency is to admire and honor soldiers=20=
for their willingness to fight and die for their nation. We use terms such a=
s devotion to the community and patriotism. 
 
      Hitler during the First World War was the EPI=
TOME OR ABSOLUTE EMBODIMENT of these soldierly virtues. He was fanatic in hi=
s devotion to Germany. He fought in the trenches for four years during World=
War I. He often experienced the urge toward personal survival or self-prese=
rvation, but felt this was a weakness to be overcome. Hitler believed that w=
illingness to sacrifice oneself for the community was the highest virtue, to=
which all other considerations were subordinate. 
 
      Here are typical passages from MEIN KAMPF in=20=
which Hitler expresses his attitude toward war: 
 
"The most precious blood (in World War I) sacrificed itself joyfully, in the=
faith that it was preserving the independence and freedom of the fatherland=
." 
 
"The Aryan willingly subordinates his own ego to the life of the community a=
nd, if the hour demands, even sacrifices it." 
 
"In giving one's life for the existence of the community lies the crown of a=
ll sacrifice." 
 
"To be 'national' means to act with a boundless and all-embracing love for t=
he people and, if necessary, even to die for it." 
 
"When in the long war years Death snatched so many a desire comrade and frie=
nd from our ranks, it would have seemed to me a sin to complain-after all, w=
ere they not dying for Germany?" 
 
      Hitler was the "noblest Roman of them all." H=
e embraced the religion of nationalism as few before him or since ever have=20=
done. It was with utmost sincerity and fanaticism that he devoted himself to=
Germany. He gave his heart, body and soul to his nation. 
 
     Hitler saw his comrades blown up continually during=
the war--their body parts shattered and splattered all over the place. Most=
of the comrades with whom he fought did not survive. It is a miracle that h=
e himself was not killed. 
 
      Yet never did he renounce his attachment to a=
nd faith in Germany. Never (at least consciously) did he question the nobili=
ty of the cause. Two-million Germans were killed; millions more were maimed=20=
and wounded--their lives shattered forever. Millions more became seriously i=
ll during the course of the war (there are statistics on all of this--the in=
stitution of war is closely connected with the hospital industry and nursing=
profession--although persons rarely discuss this reality). 
 
     Yet having witnessed the extraordinary magnitude of=
suffering and destruction, after having seen so many of his comrades killed=
and maimed, Hitler nevertheless said it was a "sin to complain." 
 
      HERE IS THE PATHOLOGY: this absolute attachme=
nt to one's own nation, which is equivalent to OBEDIENCE UNTO DEATH--the ref=
usal to abandon the object in spite of all the suffering that attachment to=20=
this object has wrought. 
 
      The pathology of civilization is not separate=
from its sacred values. If you leave out the name "Hitler" in connection to=
the passages cited above, how would one characterize the person who spoke s=
uch words? We would judge him to be a man with a powerful sense of loyalty a=
nd devotion, a devout patriot. 
 
      Soldiers in the First World War fought out of=
trenches. Attack usually consisted of getting out of trench and running tow=
ard the other enemy's trench, where there was a good probability that one wo=
uld be blown up by artillery shells or machine-gun fire. Such a form of atta=
ck went on for four years. It is estimated that 9 million were killed and ov=
er 25 million wounded in the First World War. 
 
      One could say that all of this was "banal" in=
the sense that soldiers were simply "doing their duty" as they have always=20=
done in war. However, at the same time one might say that the magnitude of d=
eath, mayhem and destructiveness that occurred bespoke a severe form of path=
ology. For four years, nearly every nation in the world was WILLING TO SEND=20=
YOUNG MEN TO A BRUTAL DEATH. For nearly four years (with a few exceptions),=20=
these young men WENT TO THEIR DEATHS WITHOUT PROTEST. 
 
      Obedience may be ordinary and normative, but=20=
it is not "banal." Getting out of a trench to run into machine gun fire may=20=
be a manifestation of "obedience to authority" but it also is a very RADICAL=
form of behavior. If my Cross-Country Coach had asked members of our team t=
o run across the New Jersey Turnpike in the name of Columbia High School--to=
see if we could get to the other side without being hit by a car--persons w=
ould have considered us psychotic for having followed this order, and him bo=
th insane and a criminal for having given such an order. 
 
      We can begin to understand societal destructi=
ve, the bizarre political history of the Twentieth Century, when we are able=
to acknowledge that the normal can be pathological--that profound sickness=20=
may be inherent within the structures of civilization. 
 
With regards, 
 
Richard Koenigsberg 
 
 
Richard A. Koenigsberg, Ph. D. 
Library of Social Science</HTML>

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