Japanese Unit 731 a harrowing read.

[macabethiel]

I'm currently reading a book on Psychology by Jordan Peterson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Rules_for_Life

In the book there is a brief mention of Unit 731 that Peterson does not enlarge on except to say it is an example aside from the Holocaust as to Man's inhumanity to his fellow human - I made the mistake doing an internet search - not for those who are easily disturbed.

I have deliberately not posted the various links including Wiki as they are too awful for the casual surfer to view. You have been warned......

[solarman216]

Yes it is a truly shocking read, but nothing new, when I was a youngster soon after the war there was a proliferation of books written by survivors of the Nazi camps, I was an avid reader at the time so read many of them as well as Si Fi by the likes of Isaac Asimov & others, the camps at Auschwitz, Belsen, Dachau, and Sobibor and many others were no better, and what makes you think "mankind" that is a joke in itself, is any better now, no it still goes on today, Rick

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

To be fair the concentration camps in the far East were not that different to the nazi operated ones.

Add in the whole kamikaze mindset the Japanese had then and honour only in death there followed an almost contempt for the survivors.

One of my mum's uncles came back fro the far East pow and was mentally scarred by it. Starved close to death would not leave a crumb on his plate.

Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk

[solarman216]

Problem of today, youngsters have absolutely no idea, the likes of Gretta whatshername is an example talking out of her backside, but she has a media following so gains brownie points, but what she preaches is rubbish and condones it by screwing up the land that she preaches on, Rick

[solarman216]

Maybe this is getting too political, if so Mods cull it, Rick

[solarman216]

One of the reasons I like this place is because we seem to be able to discus many other issues apart from 4 x 4 without coming to heads about it, long may it last, Rick

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by solarman216

Yes it is a truly shocking read, but nothing new, when I was a youngster soon after the war there was a proliferation of books written by survivors of the Nazi camps, I was an avid reader at the time so read many of them as well as Si Fi by the likes of Isaac Asimov & others, the camps at Auschwitz, Belsen, Dachau, and Sobibor and many others were no better, and what makes you think "mankind" that is a joke in itself, is any better now, no it still goes on today, Rick

I think the point being made in the book was that although we are a violent species we are actually becoming less violent.

It draws comparisons with Chimpanzees who also kill their own species when in a mob frenzy. Basically saying we as intelligent beings try to keep it more under control as we evolve.

There is another interesting section about the unequal distribution of wealth and power throughout not just modern democracies but also during historical times. It's a thought provoking book and I'm only on rule 5 out of the 12 !

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by solarman216

Maybe this is getting too political, if so Mods cull it, Rick

Thank goodness we have free speech (within legal limits) & freedom of thought here in the UK and on this forum.

Sorry to wander off the root 4x4 ground but as a virtual pub this is the type of stuff we pontificate over in my local when amongst friends as I am here.

I mentioned the Unit 731 as somehow it had escaped my knowledge unlike stuff like the Eichmann Trial .

I was a paper boy during that trial - our local Evening Paper carried the latest evidence being given at the trial in the Stop Press section. As a reasonably well read bloke aged 71 yrs I just found it incredible that I somehow new nothing about Unit 731 until yesterday.

I feel that the unknown victims have never had any real sort of justice and that disturbs me.

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by macabethiel

I think the point being made in the book was that although we are a violent species we are actually becoming less violent.

Do not believe that for one second, Rick

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by macabethiel

I feel that the unknown victims have never had any real sort of justice and that disturbs me.

And they never will, Rick

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by solarman216

Do not believe that for one second, Rick

The statistics that support us moving to a less violent society are based among other factors on the size of armies, comparing battles over the centuries and the clincher for me the actual percentage of deaths as a percentage of the total population rather than just a total number.

Like Police Crime figures there is also fear of crime rather than actual crime rates, like most things there are peaks and troughs but you need to look at Centuries rather than than a decade. At present it's knife crime particularly in the London areas that hits the headlines - the media is another reason for distortion in public perception.

The figures for 3 causes of death in the UK make interesting reading. Deaths in Road Traffic Collisions, Death by Murder, Death by Suicide. Latest statistics for 2018 from Office of National Stats by Government for England & Wales. Figures are usually around 18 months behind.

2018 Road Deaths 1,784

(this used to be around the 6,500 mark in 1971 - compulsory seat belts were cause of biggest drop & or more recently better health care).

2018 Murder Deaths 728

2018 Suicide Deaths 6,507

As an aside other causes of deaths such as Industrial & Deaths in the Home make interesting reading.

Death by Dishwasher use in the home has averaged 1.5 Deaths a year! I think its falling onto upturned knives thats the culprit as well as the odd electrocution.
Alcohol & Drug related deaths are over the 7,500 mark for that period

[solarman216]

Well anything can be proved with numbers, to the extent that the world is flat, I go by my own experience, currently here in Bexhill there is no enforcement of parking or driving regulations whatsoever, so just to put this in perspective, this is predominately a retirement town where most of the population are over 65, so will know the rules but what do we see, every jack arse and his dog park where they like with no regard for anyone else at all, even on crossings, zig zags are regarded as "my personal parking place" this is human nature, if no threat of chastisement is forthcoming then I will do what I please and Fucx everyone else, this is human nature and it does not change, Rick

[terranosaurusdoug]

Originally Posted by macabethiel

The statistics that support us moving to a less violent society are based among other factors on the size of armies, comparing battles over the centuries and the clincher for me the actual percentage of deaths as a percentage of the total population rather than just a total number.

Like Police Crime figures there is also fear of crime rather than actual crime rates, like most things there are peaks and troughs but you need to look at Centuries rather than than a decade. At present it's knife crime particularly in the London areas that hits the headlines - the media is another reason for distortion in public perception.

The figures for 3 causes of death in the UK make interesting reading. Deaths in Road Traffic Collisions, Death by Murder, Death by Suicide. Latest statistics for 2018 from Office of National Stats by Government for England & Wales. Figures are usually around 18 months behind.

2018 Road Deaths 1,784

(this used to be around the 6,500 mark in 1971 - compulsory seat belts were cause of biggest drop & or more recently better health care).

2018 Murder Deaths 728

2018 Suicide Deaths 6,507

As an aside other causes of deaths such as Industrial & Deaths in the Home make interesting reading.

Death by Dishwasher use in the home has averaged 1.5 Deaths a year! I think its falling onto upturned knives thats the culprit as well as the odd electrocution.
Alcohol & Drug related deaths are over the 7,500 mark for that period

I think I need to visit their website, the first two figures where lower than I would have thought and the third much higher, which is very sad

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by terranosaurusdoug

I think I need to visit their website, the first two figures where lower than I would have thought and the third much higher, which is very sad

It has always amazed me how much money & resources we put into preventing road deaths & detecting murder compared with preventing suicides by better investing in mental health.

Statistically in the Uk the greatest at risk of suicide are males in the 45-49 age group. During my early years of service the suicides I attended were all teenage males - I remember every one I attended to this day.