• fine_sandy_bottom
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    10 months ago

    They may be innocent, but have lost their innocence.

    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/innocence

    The institutionalised torture on the part of the Russians is designed to change the cognitive behaviour of their troops. Devaluing human life, trivialising violence, and establishing corporal punishment as an appropriate response to ideological differences.

    In summary, Russian troops may have had some kind of childish innocence when they left home, but as a result of being forced to participate in depraved acts of violence, are probably no longer good boys.

    • Neuromancer@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      I will never paint any group with a large brush. It’s dehumanizing to people. It’s how we justify killing others.

      • fine_sandy_bottom
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        10 months ago

        Mate, this conversation started by you saying “they’re mostly good kids”, which sounds fairly “large brush” to me.

        The attrocities of war run much deeper than people dying. There are people that will carry psychological wounds for the rest of their lives. I think it’s very important to acknowledge that, lest we forget.