Download Dehumanization

Dehumanization
 To
deprive of human qualities such as
individuality, compassion, or civility
Dehumanization
 Exposure
to inhuman cruelty can deprive
even victims of their sense of morality and
humanity.
 By treating the Jews as less than human,
the Nazis cause the Jews to act as if they
were less than human—cruelty breeds
cruelty
 How do we see the Jews start to act less
than human?
Dehumanization
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In the ghetto, Jews maintained their social
cohesion, their sense of common purpose
and common morality.
But once robbed of their homes and treated
like animals, they begin to act like animals.
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lose their modesty and sense of sexual restraint
beat Madame Schachter to quiet her, and
others vocally support those who are doing the
beating
Dehumanization
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Wiesel suggests that one of the great
psychological and moral tragedies of the
Holocaust is not just the death of faith in God
but also the death of faith in humankind.
Not only does God fail to act justly and save
the Jews from the cruel Nazis; the Nazis drive
the Jews into cruelty, so that the Jews
themselves fail to act justly.
Dehumanization
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This is not to suggest that all Jews acted
unjustly or all Nazis acted unjustly—there are
ALWAYS exceptions.
Fact: survival instincts kick in and humans do
things they might not normally do when
faced with their own desperation.
What are some examples of when that
desperation might kick in?
Struggle between helping yourself and
helping others