Hannah Arendt on the Dangerous Argument of the Lesser Evil – A Moral Warning

„In their moral justification, the argument of the lesser evil has played a prominent role. If you are confronted with two evils, the argument runs, it is your duty to opt for the lesser one, whereas it is irresponsible to refuse to choose altogether. Its weakness has always been that those who choose the lesser evil forget quickly that they chose evil.[....] Acceptance of the lesser evil is deliberately used to accustom officials, as well as the population at large, to accept the evil itself.“

Hannah ArendtHannah Arendt warns against the lesser evil argument: It can lead to accepting moral evil as normal – an important insight.
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Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) was a German historian and philosopher who extensively studied totalitarianism, politics, and social theory.

This quote highlights the danger that the argument of the lesser evil can lead to accepting evil as normal, thereby blurring ethical boundaries.


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Literature on mass media
Hannah Arendt|authority, democracy, feudalism, mass media, nsdap, politics, press, state, technocracy, tyranny

Quote on the argument of the lesser evil by Hannah Arendt

Hannah Arendt was a prominent political theorist and philosopher of the 20th century, known for her studies on totalitarianism, power, authority, and the nature of evil. Born in Germany, she emigrated to the USA during the Nazi era, where she wrote her most influential works. Her analyses continue to shape the understanding of political systems and social structures.

Quote by Michael Rivero about propaganda and moral courageCopyright © yoice.net – Quote Artwork
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"Most people prefer to believe their leaders are just and fair even in the face of evidence to the contrary, because once a citizen acknowledges that the government under which they live is lying and corrupt, the citizen has to choose what he or she will do about it. To take action in the face of a corrupt government entails risks of harm to life and loved ones. To choose to do nothing is to surrender one's self-image of standing for principles. Most people do not have the courage to face that choice. Hence, most propaganda is not designed to fool the critical thinker but only to give moral cowards an excuse not to think at all." Michael Rivero
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