How Evil Is Too Evil: Collectibles and Nazis

[karamazov80]

Waaaaay off topic, but "each according to his merit" is a fantasy even if there were no social protections, progressive taxes, or any of the other right-wing boogeymen. Within reason, yeah, and in certain contexts more than others, sure. But in many environments, it is all about who you know, who your parents are, what you look like, what your gender/race is (and I don't mean that white males have the advantage), and how smooth and conniving you are, not what you can do. There are so many people I see around here in positions of authority, being paid vast sums of money with no sense, intelligence, or vision.

Human nature damns any system from being ideal from the get-go. It's all a choice of lesser evils.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I agree than any system is flawed, but at least with capitalism and democracy people have the ability to get themselves above merely satisfying their "needs" without becoming a common criminal or oppressor of people.

There are no Dave Thomas' or Steve Jobs' or Ray Crock's in communism. There's aren't even middle management success stories in communism that don't involve being thugs or cronies for the elite.

 

[Voorhees27]

I like toys

 

[Skiman]

I like toys

 

[Voorhees27]

 

[thecapn]

Human nature damns any system from being ideal from the get-go. It's all a choice of lesser evils.

Best quote. Ever.

Guys, I really didn't mean to sound like Communism is perfect. Actually, I really think it's impossible to do based on our own imperfect nature as Karamazov said SO WELL. I just meant that the BASIC IDEA is actually a pretty sound one, if you think about a "perfect" world. And I don't think it's evil. We've just decided that it is based on all the failed implementations we've seen and all the *****s out there who try to profit off of it. Not to mention, ProgMatinee (why do I constantly want to say Manatee? ha), you're spot on. There's a LOT of technological innovation that could not have happened without free markets. Though I don't know if I could say Croc or Thomas actually did anything GOOD...they just expanded our waistlines. And, in BASIC Communism, there wouldn't be any success stories individually. It's more about the success of the nation and the people.

All of that said, here's something interesting to ponder...the microprocessor, necessary for all of our computers today and the key piece of the puzzle that made home computing possible, came about due to American innovation during the Space Race...which would not have happened if it weren't for two differing viewpoints fighting against one another.

Just saying, a lot of good things can come out of disagreements, especially those over Communism.

Please don't think I'm advocating for overthrowing the free market economy. I'm not. We wouldn't have our fabulous toys under Communism. Just having a conversation.

 

[Mesa]

Lots of well stated arguments here. I'm certainly no fan of communism or any form of socialism, because I do believe it doesn't motivate the individual to excel and can breed laziness and a society where "lazy" people are afforded the same privileges as a hard working person gets. I definitely believe hard work and innovation should result in higher rewards that shouldn't have to be shared with others who didn't contribute.

Add to that man's greed and how the wealth of the whole should be distributed, let alone the fraud and waste associated with that redistribution, and you have a society with a whole bunch of poor people and just a few elite. It's already been proven not to work, human nature won't allow it.


I like toys too. I would never own anything with hitlers image on it, but I do wish the red skull arm band had a swaztika on it rather than an iron cross. We can't hide from or ignore or pretend the atrocities of the past never happened. Those symbols should be reminders to the entire world the horrible Evil man is capable of.

 

[ProgMatinee]

Croc and Thomas are individual success stories through the service they offered employeed millions of people so that those people had money to feed and cloth themselves rather than depending on someone else to do it for them. Was the service they offered itself very beneficial to the world, probably not.

 

[Bubbles]

I'll take it you guys won't want to be seeing my collection anytime soon then.

 

[Something Sexy]

So the moral of this thread is, Hans Landa is better then everyone.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NASEDO]

Alot of Military collectors also collect Nazi figures to go with their WW2 figures. I'm sure some of the Military Collectors here have the 3R Hitler. Now only collecting Nazi Stuff is a different story.

 

[Bubbles]

Now only collecting Nazi Stuff is a different story.

Why exactly is it a different story? I'm only intrested in collecting 3rd Reich memorabilia as a lot of collectors are.

 

[Something Sexy]

Why exactly is it a different story? I'm only intrested in collecting 3rd Reich memorabilia as a lot of collectors are.

Yea I don't see it as a big deal really. It is just a collection and apart of history.

 

[ProgMatinee]

Why exactly is it a different story? I'm only intrested in collecting 3rd Reich memorabilia as a lot of collectors are.

it depends on motive for me personally. if a personal friend of mine collected SOLEY Nazi or 3rd Reich stuff I think I'd find out why before continuing a personal friendship. Thats not to say I'd go and destroy their collection if they told me they hated Jews, but I wouldn't associate with them anymore. I don't hang with bigots like that.

If they gave me a different reason such as "I think they look cool" I'd probably understand (they did have some sweet uniforms) but I'd still wonder why a military buff wouldn't also collect British or American soldiers too to complete the context of the historical event.

Lets put it in another context, what would you guys think of people in the South that maybe have a crap load of Confederate memorabilia without a single item reflecting the Union?

I think we'd all think they were probably redneck hicks holding on to a cause or something.

 

[The Ween]

I like toys

So do I!

 

[karamazov80]

To Zoidberg, why do you only collect 3rd Reich stuff? I think you can provide a perspective that many of us don't have, and so may better be able to help us understand why someone would do that.

 

[CelticPredator]

Alot of Military collectors also collect Nazi figures to go with their WW2 figures. I'm sure some of the Military Collectors here have the 3R Hitler. Now only collecting Nazi Stuff is a different story.

ZOMG, I want it! He'll be Barbie's new boyfriend! HEIL HITLAH!

 

[CelticPredator]

To Zoidberg, why do you only collect 3rd Reich stuff? I think you can provide a perspective that many of us don't have, and so may better be able to help us understand why someone would do that.

Dude, Nazi's LOOK awesome. They're the coolest looking villians of all time. You cant deny that.

Now...they're scum, and all deserved to die...but still. Kick ass cloths.

 

[karamazov80]

If he was just supposed to be a fictional villain in a videogame or horror movie, John Wayne Gacy in clown garb would look pretty appropriate. But who would want a toy of him on their shelf? If so, why? An appreciation of the look of Nazis would not be nearly enough to justify putting one on my shelf.

That's where Nazis differ from some others--they are historically important. But even then, I don't completely understand why someone would only collect 3rd Reich-related stuff. I'm curious to hear the perspective from someone who does collect that stuff specifically.

 

[uscmhicks]

I am one who always thought Nazi's looked cool. Well... not cool but always very smart looking. This plus the fact they were so evil and always seem to be whitty and even in the worst situations would stay very calm ( ironically with Hitler being the exception for the last one ) all adds up to make them interesting and unforgettable villians , real or not real. Like I said I would buy a fictional Nazi character but for me personally I couldn't buy an actual figure of a real Nazi who has killed and tortured real people. Just something about that that I think I would feel uncomfortable with.