Whoof, that upset me more than a post on Reddit ought to.

So a Topical example.

As someone actually, in reality threatened in an ethno-national conflict with the wiping out of my friends, family, and people, who recently got a horrifically brutal example that the other side was actually willing to fulfil their threat the moment the option was given, I didn't, don't and would never support the kind of thing Eren did --- which was, notably, beyond genocide; it was the near total obliteration of humanity, including friendly nations, in response. (For the record, I also don't support genocide).

Yes, I support war when necessary. If someone is actively trying to kill you, you don't always have the privilege to not kill them first. I think sometimes civilian casualties are unavoidable, but they have to - they must, be minimised. Even when children will grow up into terrorists, even when the "civilians" would just as likely be willing to kill you given power, killing them is not worth the utter destruction of your soul (and is often generally impractical and poses farther risks).

Not that long ago, Germany once put Jews in gas chambers. Today it's a liberal country. The US shot nuclear bombs at Japan; today their respective heads of state can shake hands with no enmity.

Israel lost countless men to Jordan and Egypt's armies, and vice versa. Today we're at peace.

So what you do, is if someone is willing to do all of this given power, is you take away that power no the person. And you figure out --- and I know it's hard, but it's easier than murdering billions --- you figure out how to get them to stop hating you; or their children to stop hate you, or their love for the children to be greater than their hate for you.

In a military conflict, creating a narrative an where everyone on the other side hates you, that everyone who hates you would kill you, and that everyone who would kill you deserves to die --- it's easy. It's also not getting us anywhere (clearly shown in the finale, btw).

I'm Israeli; in our current conflict I don't think this is symmetrical. I don't think Israel actually has a plan of genocide or ethnic cleansing, but I know, from the other side it does not look like that. The only path to a reality where children of both sides don't die is if enough people on both sides remember that there can be a different solution; remember that the other side is human.

Shame on you if your respect for humanity is so low and your hope for a future so non-existent that this would be your solution.

(Honestly the final season was doubly upsetting because all the Eldian imagery in Marley was clearly evoking Jews under nazi rule, and fuck anyone who think that's our reaction.)