In Chapter 9, “Enter My Blue Fairy Godmother . . .,” Campbell reports that since he can’t control the things going on in Germany, “Hitler and the Jews and all that,” (34) as his questioner puts it, he doesn’t think about it. Some might condemn Campbell’s willful ignorance; others might accept it as sensible and healthy, even.
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| Niemöller on the cover of TIME, December 23, 1940 |
One person who might have condemned Campbell was German pastor
Martin Niemöller, who was in Germany in the years leading up to the War. Niemöller berated German intellectuals (why them especially, do you think?) for not doing enough to stop the Nazi rise to power. As Niemöller famously described his own failings in the years leading up to the war,
“First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
In light of Vonnegut’s claims about of public action and private belief (“We are who we pretend to be”), Campbell’s inaction (his decision not to think about, much less condemn, the Nazis) is more significant than any private moral judgment about the Nazis that he chose not to make public. If silence is consent, Campbell is not merely an idle bystander; he is complicit in the crimes committed by those he refused to call out.
On the other hand, not worrying about things you can’t control seems like a sensible prescription for mental and emotional health and happiness. So how can we draw the line between the anxiety disorder and moral responsibility? What definition of happiness (and mental health) should govern our analysis of this question?
Everyone should have their own definition of happiness. Some people like to discuss things out loud or are okay with arguing about situations like those mentioned above. Others, on the other hand, may become completely anxious and overwhelmed when they think about things that happen that they can't control. In that case I would have to say that ignorance really is bliss. To me it's better than constant anxiety. It just depends on how a person perceives the world.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kaitlyn that happiness is truly subjective. Everyone pursues their own path to their particular happiness, and nobody else whould be happier as another person despite their initial thoughts. I think that depending on how you were taught to deal with things when you were younger and what your personal strengths/weaknesses are decides what makes you react to situations in the way that you do. I'm sure that if Campbell was brought up as more of a confrontational person that looked out for 'the greater good' he may not have even pretended to be a Nazi. On the other hand, could it be that he was looking out for people in the long run by just PRETENDING to be a Nazi?
ReplyDeleteIn conclusion, I believe that the definition of happiness needed to evaluate this question is the one that directly involves morality. (Like in Vitrano's Happiness vs. morality.)
I have to agree with both Kaitlyn and Laura that not one definition of happiness exists but many. As for finding the middle ground between moral responsibility and an anxiety disorder, that too is relative to the individual. People handle certain situations and stress in a variety of ways. To find the line between moral responsibility and an anxiety disorder, the individual must weigh the consequences of both. Worrying about things we cannot control is detrimental to our health. However, feeling guilty because of not doing anything can also be detrimental to our health. Which will make you happier? Pretending a problem does not exist, or doing something and risk losing everything? Everyone has to decide this for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI was raised to often ask the question "Is this hill worth dying for?" There are so many things that people get upset over that simply aren't worth it. Most of the time it is far wiser to keep your mouth shut and simply tolerate some little thing that annoys you. However, occasionally a "hill" comes along that is worth dying for, and there are not many people available to fight for it. That is when you step up and do all that you can, because you know in your heart that it is the right thing to do. After doing what you can, you can go along wiht life and be happy, knowing that you at least tried.
ReplyDelete"Is this hill worth dying for?" I love that phrase. Thanks, Jessica.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Laura. It definitely depends on how were taught to deal with things as children. I think that pretending to be a Nazi was in his best interest. Happiness is subjective. It’s one’s own definition—possibly more than one for some people. I’m not sure if there’s a distinguishable connection between moral responsibility and happiness. Campbell may have been pretending to be a Nazi for the greater good, but I don’t believe that makes him truly happy inside. Sometimes things just feel right, and you have to do it.
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