In Total Domination, Hannah Arendt an important political philosopher wrote about the totalitarian institution of the concentration camp in which human dignity is destroyed. I chose to focus on the question “What happens to human beings in concentration camps?” I chose this question because in the past years I have taken a grave interest in the Holocaust and the Nazi Conscience. I have learned a lot about it in these past school years, whether I took the time to research for myself or was taught in class. To me it is one of the most horrible events in history, for the outside world to be so blind-sited while people were being gruesomely executed by the German people, those known as the Nazi party.
The human beings in the concentration camps were treated worse than animals. Human beings were used in laboratory experiments of every kind to exterminate and degrade them. Some experiments were to transform human beings into mere creatures (88). The Nazis transformed men were transformed into “uncomplaining animals”. Human beings were isolated from the world outside (89). These innocent human beings became nothing, as if they never existed in this world. No names just numbers tattooed on their forearm.
The Nazis used a system called the “Final Solution”, the final solution was the Nazi’s plan to eliminate Jews, Russians, Polish, and Ukrainians .The final solution consist of three independent systems; the first system sentenced human beings for limited periods. The second system consisted of concentration camps “which human material is ruthlessly exploited and mortality rate is extremely high, but was essentially organized for labor purposes (Arendt 94)”. The third system consisted of the annihilation camps in which the inmates are systematically wiped out through starvation and neglect (94).
Survivors of the torture endured in concentration camps had it worse off then those who died. Instead of being at peace they were cut off from the world because the dismay caused oblivion. Arendt said that life and death are obstructed equally effectively in concentration camps (94). She also states “There are no parallels to the life in the concentration camps. Its horror can never be fully embraced by the imagination for the very reason that stands outside of life and death (Arendt 94).” She is simply saying the events that occurred in the concentration camps are of nothing like any that has occurred in history since. Those who haven’t experienced it first hand could never imagine or endure anything like this.
Arendt, Hannah. “Total Domination.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2006. pp88-94.
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6 comments:
I like what you wrote about what Arendt meant in describing the concentration camps and what they were used for. It is horrible and sick just to thinking about it. When I read about the Nazis and the horrible things they did to the people in the concentration camps it brings tears to my eyes. And your right we probably can't even begin to imagine what those people suffered. I think that you put alot of thought and feelings into your blog and it helped clarify alot of questions I had about the reading.
You show a lot of interest in this reading through the paragraph. You did a good job in explaining how Arendt felt about concentration camps.I agree they are atrocious and degrading to human beings.
You did a great job describing the Nazis and what they were doing at that time.Also you talked about their plans to conquer other countries, but you did not focus on answering the main question which was what happens to human beings in concentration camps?
What happen to the people in the concentration camps are horrflying. On how you said how you learned some much in school about this event. Same here. It makes you wish you could have done something to help those poor people.
I too have come to take an interest in the horrible events that took place during the Holocaust. Again, these individuals were subjected to some of the worst possible human torture and made to believe that they were not worthy of living. I like that you took the time to explain the extent to which these people were made to suffer for just being themselves.
This post explains the reason for these concentration camps very clearly. You also had great comments on what Arendit himself felt about the camps. I thought the camps were a horrifying scene and agreed with you feeling that human were being dishonored.
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