Musings on Good, Evil and WWII

World War 2 still matters as a cautionary tale. It shows us what untrammeled aggression can do if unmet by determined, comprehensive resistance. It also reminds us of the power that comes from aligning the elements of a society upon shared values — whether for good, as in the case of the Allies, or for evil, as in the case of the Axis.

It further affords us a practical measuring rod for good versus evil. Good can thus be defined, in part, as a matter of accepting the common humanity in all of us, even when we violently disagree. Evil, then, relegates the “other” to the status of subhuman or inhuman.

Also, when reflecting upon the lessons of WWII for our own times, we must remember that whilst emergent and heady with power, evil will believe itself with full self-righteousness to be the agent of good, and its opposition to be immoral and wicked.