It seems to me that one of the ongoing debates these days is whether it's more hateful to commit violence with one's own hands, in a handcrafted manner, demonstrating true hatred to overcome the natural inhibitions against violence that most people have, or whether it's more hateful to use violence through a highly specialized technological stack (communication, legal, rhetorical) carefully cultivated over decades and billions of dollars, resulting in approximately ten times the deaths and injuries of the first method.
For me, it's undeniable that committing atrocities with one's own hands is more emotionally challenging and thus morally more repugnant. Similarly, I have no doubt that the destruction of civilian buildings through a button pressed in a drone command center is no less serious, although for different reasons. It may evoke less disgust, but it causes more pain, if only because it involves ten times as many people. Manual violence is additive, while technological violence is multiplicative. The worst event in recorded history occurred in the last century by those who had carefully studied the process of technologizing violence, even in its mechanisms of disresponsibilization. Technology enables this as well, democratizing genocides and expanding the base of those who can carry out such horrible acts.
These may sound like theoretical discussions, but it's the horrific reality of these terrible times.
We should never condone the first, but surely we shouldn't condone the latter.
For me, it's undeniable that committing atrocities with one's own hands is more emotionally challenging and thus morally more repugnant. Similarly, I have no doubt that the destruction of civilian buildings through a button pressed in a drone command center is no less serious, although for different reasons. It may evoke less disgust, but it causes more pain, if only because it involves ten times as many people. Manual violence is additive, while technological violence is multiplicative. The worst event in recorded history occurred in the last century by those who had carefully studied the process of technologizing violence, even in its mechanisms of disresponsibilization. Technology enables this as well, democratizing genocides and expanding the base of those who can carry out such horrible acts.
These may sound like theoretical discussions, but it's the horrific reality of these terrible times.
We should never condone the first, but surely we shouldn't condone the latter.