The article reflects on the disparity between who people think they would be during historical atrocities, like the Holocaust, compared to their current actions as they face modern injustices such as rising fascism, the genocide in Palestine, and climate crisis. It emphasizes the importance of living one's values in the present. The author draws parallels between our imagined selves and the uncomfortable truth that many people do not take action against today's injustices, demonstrating how fantasies can mask inaction when confronted with real-world issues.
You don't have to ask what you would've done during the Holocaust or any other historical atrocity. You're doing it right now.
Fantasies about who we would have been in moments of profound injustice allow us to imagine braver, more purposeful versions of ourselves.
When confronted with real injustice, we're forced to measure our fantasies against reality, and the results can be profoundly depressing.
Many realize they have more in common with those who witnessed atrocity and simply went about their lives.
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