We are not that different after all
As far advanced as America has come, it was interesting to see how easily our country can be influenced by certain "movements". True discernment is hard to come by.
Fascinating, Terrifying and Exhausting to Read
It's hard to review a book like this: as the author states, each chapter could be a book itself; the volume of information is astounding. The basic thesis is simple: Black brings home the idea that America was a pioneer in the eugenics movement, influencing politics and society worldwide by the early 20th century. Although the most obvious disciple of America's eugenics program is Germany under the Nazis, Black documents how other countries, such as Sweden, Norway and England also took their cues from US policies to regulate marriage and birth of those considered desirable and undesirable.
There's simply too much information to fully review, but some of the major items include the fallacy of IQ testing; the campaign to prevent interracial marriage (some laws in the American South lasted into the 21st century); sterilization of those deemed 'feeble-minded' (a very subjective decision made by racists and others with an eugenical agenda); and a general re-ordering of society to create a 'master race'(most evident in Nazi Germany). The final chapter deals with 'Newgenics', and was perhaps the most potentially frightening, as it clarifies the challenges of dealing with genetic issues such as cloning, medical and life insurance based on an individual's genetic 'predisposition' to certain diseases based on family history, and the possible emergence of the designer children by the 'GenRich', those who can afford to create their own mini-master race kids.
As a side-note, I found it interesting that although Black devotes several chapters to Germany, there's no mention of the Paraguayan 'Nueva Germania' colony set up by Elizabeth Nietzsche in the 1880s. Like many of the characters Black mentions, Nietzsche and her group wanted to preserve the 'pure' Aryan race they felt was already corrupted in Germany by too many 'outsiders'. Their attempt to create their utopia in South America failed, just as Black's Davenport, Laughlin and others failed in the US. 'The War Against the Weak' is a great addition to modern social science; I learned a lot, and Black's book makes me want to learn more about this topic.
Horrific and fascinating
This is one of the most thorough volumes on the topic of eugenics that have surfaced in years. "War Against the Weak," gives a no-holds-barred look at this revolting practice and how it started in America. It chronicles the rise and fall of the eugenic movement, how Darwinism was embraced due to its notion of natural "superiority" and current practices that hint at other forms of eugenics in the world.
This is a great starter book for those new to the topic as well as a full reference for those familiar with it.
Bad Blood
As a child in grade school in the mid-40s I wondered why our principal (and his preacher friend) were always ranting about 'bad blood' and 'sins of the father' - Edwin Black's book, War Against The Weak, sheds great light on their attitudes and demonstrates how famous, well-intentioned people get sucked into evil notions such as Eugenics and other 'absolutes'. Ideas, no matter how bright and glittery, can lead down
ugly paths and take that evil fork in the road which leads to holocast.
This book should be required reading for every freshman college class.
Chilling, absolutely chilling
This book lays out a case, in plain language, that diseased ideas can propogate like wildfire, particularly when powerful people get behind them. Adolf Hitler did not just wake up one day and decide that Jews, homosexuals and the mentally disabled should be killed. That idea had been alive, spreading and in fact exported to Europe by US. This may explain why ships of Jewish refugees were turned back from entrance to this country during the war, eventhough everyone knew they would likely face death. This explains why so many Nazi scientists were welcomed into this country to continue biological research after the war.
But mostly what this well-researched work shows is the importance for standing up for all people and not assuming that any one of us has the right to determine who is fit or unfit to exist.
(22 reviews)
