doubt you can find any instance of a large group of people who generally acknowledge they were in the wrong and are responsible for significant unjustified harm to another large group.
Great example. The vast majority of Germans that I’ve met or read about do not classify themselves as responsible for the wrongs of their country. Acknowledging that the leaders and the country was in the wrong is not the same as acknowledging that the current group is the same entity and members are responsible for the wrongs.
Hard to generalize, but I’ll try. I’m sure some do, but most that I experience, like most Americans I talk with, don’t really do those things. They’ll invoke current examples, and assert general German (or American) attitudes and skills, but don’t seem to think that historical figures or events are things they can take credit/blame for
do not classify themselves as responsible for the wrongs of their country
Personally, no. But they identify with an entity (a tribe) which they agree is responsible.
Are we talking at the individual level or at the social-group level? At the individual level the phrase “any instance of a large group of people” makes little sense. And at the social-group level personal responsibility isn’t relevant, we are talking, I think, about I belong to group X and group X is responsible attitude.
Post-WW2 Germany.
Only because they ultimately lost.
Original thread here.
Great example. The vast majority of Germans that I’ve met or read about do not classify themselves as responsible for the wrongs of their country. Acknowledging that the leaders and the country was in the wrong is not the same as acknowledging that the current group is the same entity and members are responsible for the wrongs.
Are they proud of famous historical Germans who did good things? Do they invoke past Germans when the past Germans do things they approved of?
Hard to generalize, but I’ll try. I’m sure some do, but most that I experience, like most Americans I talk with, don’t really do those things. They’ll invoke current examples, and assert general German (or American) attitudes and skills, but don’t seem to think that historical figures or events are things they can take credit/blame for
Personally, no. But they identify with an entity (a tribe) which they agree is responsible.
Are we talking at the individual level or at the social-group level? At the individual level the phrase “any instance of a large group of people” makes little sense. And at the social-group level personal responsibility isn’t relevant, we are talking, I think, about I belong to group X and group X is responsible attitude.