Exterminate All the Brutes; was Todorov

[Hartwin Gebhardt]

"No one points out that during Hitler's childhood, a major element in 
the European view of mankind was the conviction that "inferior races" 
were by nature condemned to extinction: the true compassion of the 
superior races consisted in helping them on the way."
> Reaching down for the gauntlet, I caught this from the first chapter 
> and wonder what the "appropriate view" might be? To what extent can 
> any "group"  be spared from the life death cycle which seems 
> to apply to humans and their constructs? Furthermore, I wonder if my 
> fellow swede isn't engaging in some form of self-flagellation - the 
> urge to wipe out "impediments" appears to be a human, not a western 
> european, constant.

True, but in recent history the (technology-based) power balance has rested
with the West - so even if there can't be much doubt that, given the
opportunity, many conquered/black/Eastern/oppressed (take your pick)
societies (including Jewish) would have committed atrocities similar to
those the British (and others) comitted in the 'Third World', and the
Germans (and Soviets) in Europe. this simply did not happen on anywhere near
such a scale. 
To argue that the Holocaust did not exist in a historical context is simply
wrong - even the most perfunctory research will show this. Now if someone
were to say that the Holocaust was the logical culmination of the Western
(and maybe esp. AngloSaxon) attitude to non-Westerners (or those perceived
to be so) - and even the logical culmination of the Western worldview as
still practised today.... 
As a short, personal (yet well-researched) study of colonialism and the
West's attitude to 'others' - esp. blacks - this book takes some beating.

As to "self-flagellation" - I suppose all recognition of culpability is
that. Should Germans 'self-flagellate'? white South Africans? the British?
the Belgians? the Catholic church? men? a child-rapist? a shoplifetr?
anyone? 

hag