Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Finrafirlame t1_j8n24xw wrote

Reply to comment by Varias279 in Study on former citizens of East Germany sheds light on why people may choose deliberate ignorance by chrisdh79

Your comparision is absolutely incorrect.

It's not about HOW Stasi worked, HOW you were observed and reported.

It's about WHO snitched on you.

Opposite to most racism and abuse, there is no one denying the crimes and its victims.

In a lot of cases, the victims already narrowed down who might have known. Looking into the folders means finally finding out, if it was the neighbours, the mailman, the plumber, the parents (quite unusual), or one of the 5 family friends. In those 30 years after the "Wende", the victim moved away (no contact to neighbours, mailman or plumber), father has died, mother is in a senior home, and 3 of the 5 friends are also out of the picture. The consequence, typically a hold or downgrade in career is also 38 years ago.

So this the standard case:

- no need for proof, people believe you when you just tell them

- a thought of "it doesn't matter almost 40 years later, it won't improve my life"

- and a thought of "either it was omeone I will never see again, or it was someone that I would forgive anyway, but before it would hurt a lot.

And here we are...

1

Varias279 t1_j8n6heb wrote

I am not comparing what happened, but instead why they chose not wanting to know. The reasoning for that choice is the same.

So not how but why people don't want to know the possible bad things done by neighbors, friends and family or country. This was and always is a possibility thus fear will influence that choice. Even if you already have suspicions or know you can choose to believe otherwise by ignoring real evidence.

That same influence happens with abuse and racism. This is something people sometimes choose not to believe or ignore because it could be somebody you trust, a best friend or family member you love.

What people find more important also influences that choice. You can choose somebody you know or yourself over what somebody did.

So my comparison is indeed about the influence of who on a choice. For bystanders and victims.

2

TheNextBattalion t1_j8nfnza wrote

Yea people don't wanna find out that grandpa held the rope at the lynch mob, etc.

2