I think this editorial gets at what I was trying to say yesterday a little better (or at least another facet of it):
Should we call ISIS evil
The problem with that editiorial, with the point of view expressed therein, is that it's saying things like this (my boldface):
National Review's Jonah Goldberg tried to shame those who are trying to think seriously about ISIS. In a recent tweet, he mocked the attempt to understand ISIS in its social and political context, suggesting that we should focus instead on one fact: "They're evil. They do obviously evil things for evil ends."
The fact is, there are few things more dangerous now than allowing ourselves to think that way.
And this:
Nonetheless, trying to understand evil is an offense. It is an offense to everything we hold dear, because understanding -- that is, true and effective understanding -- must bring us close to the other, must help us see the world through their eyes.
That is a painful, offensive process, and that is exactly what we must do.
Why is it a "fact" that thinking in such a way is so dangerous? Why is the process "exactly what we must do"?
The author assumes there is a beneficial result to be had as a matter of course. And in that regard, he seems to simply be setting aside time frames and what is required re implementation of whatever solution is realized via the "process."
In the meantime, what happens? Who suffers and how much do they suffer? Who gets to make the call with regard to all of this? Returning to the godwinning, should the world have waited longer before engaging the Nazis, so as to better understand the reasons behind their rise, behind their goals?
Sure, ISIS is not running a formidable nation-state with an extensive military-industrial complex and is not rounding up and killing millions of people. Of course, one could argue that the evidence was ignored in the case of the Nazis, in favor of a potential peace produced by understanding their point of view in the moment. And thus, the great bulk of their atrocities were essentially allowed to occur...
Intellectualizing the issue is a fine thing, a valuable thing, to an extent. But supposing such is a necessary process prior to other actions is a very dangerous game, imo.