Did 2 seem silly? I thought it was kind of funny to tease FL about his students because he seems to take these things quite seriously. It was also a bit of a serious question, though I now see that they might be difficult to extricate the problems from each other.
I think the humor (such as it is) hangs on the word mistake. "I'm just sure we had six million Jews around here somewhere, but now I can't seem to find them. We did what to them? Was it on purpose?"
Hey, at least the student a) is conscious of Huge Moral Badness and b) isn't arguing that the Holocaust was a hoax. In this era, that's progressive thinking.
I'm becoming increasingly thankful for even the smallest sign that all has not been lost to the equal-time-for-opposing-viewpoints-even-
when-they-are-simplistic-and-historically-indefensible school of thought. My Offspring had a history substitute in HS who brought up the "alternate" view of the reality of the Holocaust; lord knows how many kids found it more comforting to decide it hadn't happened. Along with the moon landing and evolution, of course.
Whoops, hey sorry about all the smoke...
Posted by Hank | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 12:45 PM
are you more distraught by the author's relativism or temporal fallacy?
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:26 PM
I'm distraught by your mom, Michael.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:29 PM
she thought you were adorable. (if a little short)
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:30 PM
Did 2 seem silly? I thought it was kind of funny to tease FL about his students because he seems to take these things quite seriously. It was also a bit of a serious question, though I now see that they might be difficult to extricate the problems from each other.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:36 PM
I vote also for "ridiculous understatement."
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:41 PM
hey, the author said "huge", which is like "gigantic", which is like "a big big much". I don't know how much bigger you can get than a big, big much.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:46 PM
"The Holocaust is now seen as a huge moral mistake."
Well, yeah, but hindsight is 20/20.
Posted by Tripp | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:50 PM
7: It at least rates "megasucky."
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:54 PM
I think the humor (such as it is) hangs on the word mistake. "I'm just sure we had six million Jews around here somewhere, but now I can't seem to find them. We did what to them? Was it on purpose?"
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:56 PM
I laughed at 10. Now I go to hell.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 1:58 PM
Hey, at least the student a) is conscious of Huge Moral Badness and b) isn't arguing that the Holocaust was a hoax. In this era, that's progressive thinking.
I'm becoming increasingly thankful for even the smallest sign that all has not been lost to the equal-time-for-opposing-viewpoints-even-
when-they-are-simplistic-and-historically-indefensible school of thought. My Offspring had a history substitute in HS who brought up the "alternate" view of the reality of the Holocaust; lord knows how many kids found it more comforting to decide it hadn't happened. Along with the moon landing and evolution, of course.
Posted by DominEditrix | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 3:01 PM
The kid has a future with the NYT. Just the right tone of above-the-fray judiciousness.
Posted by DaveL | Link to this comment | 05-13-05 7:41 PM