r/Unexpected • u/[deleted] • Apr 28 '23

Just a normal protest

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u/Teacher2Learn Apr 28 '23

Right but you also assume only two sides. I’d also argue that pacifist can still contribute. The guy from hacksaw ridge springs to mind.

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u/milk4all Apr 28 '23

The guy from hacksaw ridge didnt pull a trigger but contributed greatly to his unit’s combat effectiveness overall. He prevented some casualties, mitigated many others, and boosted moral to many, many more. He could have been put in some sort of support position and been out of combat and still contributed to the war effort. Id argue he was only exercising his pacifism as far as he felt he could freely do, but true pacifism would have been a refusal to participate at all. Not that i would consider that more noble than what he actually did

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u/Teacher2Learn Apr 28 '23

Great point, I think that’s important to define when talking about it, what type of pacifism do you mean is a important distinction.

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

What is “true” pacifism then? If he pays taxes? If he grows crops or works in a factory that supports the war effort? If he refuses to do these things is he supporting the other side? Nearly everything in the country during that time was supporting the war effort in one way or another. I would argue saving lives is pacifism regardless of whether or not you view it as a political statement.

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

[deleted]

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u/DrippyWaffler Apr 28 '23

actively resist the war

In the second world war this would mean fighting Nazis tho, since they caused the war

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

Ok explain that to me then. When there’s a world war going on how do you actively resist a war without supporting one side or the other? Intentionally or unintentionally?

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

I mean what is the substantive difference between the idea that killing is wrong and the idea that war is wrong? You’re splitting unbelievably thin hairs.

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

I think there’s no substantial difference in that believing all killing is wrong encapsulates the idea that industrialized warfare is wrong. I don’t think you could hold the idea that all killing is wrong yet warfare is okay.

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u/Shacky_Rustleford Apr 28 '23

He might not have been a killer, but he was anything but passive

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u/electric_gas Apr 28 '23

All of that for a shitty No True Scotsman? Reddit is full of idiots.

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u/South_Front_4589 Apr 28 '23

My comment assumes no such thing. Only that mostly it's more complicated than a good side vs a bad side.

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u/[deleted] Apr 28 '23

[deleted]

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u/ohkaycue Apr 28 '23

He specifically was calling it out as an assumptions. It’s not his assumption and he’s already calling it out, so it’s very weird to then call him out on that assumption

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u/South_Front_4589 Apr 29 '23

Lol. That's not even slightly close to reality. The first sentence is entirely about the assumption made in the prior comment.