Rational calculations during the Nazi era carried hidden psychological costs

Evidence

With memories of the First World War so fresh, French commanders and politicians favoured an early surrender, avoiding futile loss of life — a rational view, although, like other seemingly rational calculations in the Nazi era, it came at a psychological cost. — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café, 455

Categorization

• QUESTION: The idea that ‘seemingly rational calculations’ in the Nazi era conceal psychological costs is intriguingly underdeveloped — worth chasing what specific costs Bakewell means.
• XREF: connects to: Nazi degradation of prisoners functioned to protect perpetrators from psychological distress — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 2097; Older Nazi officials retained moral qualms the genocidal machine overrode; Exploiting victim rationality was cheaper than controlling them through fear — Zygmunt Bauman, Modernity and the Holocaust, 581 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Nazi degradation of prisoners functioned to protect perpetrators from psychological distress #corroborates (0.85) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 2097
• Exploiting victim rationality was cheaper than controlling them through fear #expands (0.80) — Zygmunt Bauman, Modernity and the Holocaust, 581
• Older Nazi officials retained moral qualms the genocidal machine overrode #complicates (0.75)
• Nazi control worked by making rational self-interest equal cooperation. #corroborates (0.75) — Zygmunt Bauman, Modernity and the Holocaust, 382