What difference does it make to the dead?

[kentuck]

“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy.” -

Gandhi

[spanone]

1. K&R...

[Journeyman]

2. It would depend on which survivors you ask . . .

those from the German 6th Army at Stalingrad would have a decidedly different opinion from those of the 1st Minnesota at Plum Run.

[bvar22]

3. The OP was about the Dead.

Have you asked them anything lately?

[kentuck]

4. Thanks bvar22.

It was obvious, I thought?

[Journeyman]

7. Gandhi specifically addresses ". . . the orphans and the homeless . . ."

and encompasses as well all of the "the mad destruction," the dead as well as the destroyed, while I specifically stated "the survivors." I'll add as well now, the beneficiaries, for those who received through other's sacrifice may have a word or two to add. Or would you see that what was gained at Plum Run was a detriment in some manner or of no value?

You chose to focus on a limited aspect of Gandhi's thought. I addressed its entirety.

[hfojvt]

5. should we pretend that the body count

is the same between totalitarianism and democracy? Between war and peace?

[kentuck]

6. If you're dead...

it doesn't matter.

[edhopper]

8. so the number

of dead is unimportant.

And why they died is unimportant as well.

Was stopping Nazi Germany worth the cost?

Don't you think at least some those who died knew they might be giving their lives.

[kentuck]

9. I think that is delving beyond the point...

...that if you are dead fighting with the Nazis or fighting against the Nazis, you are still dead. Whether or not the dead have different values is another issue, in my opinion.

[edhopper]

12. Nothing matters to the dead

they are dead. But I doubt Gandhi was saying that at all, since was not an atheist.
It's about justifying wanton killing.
see: G W Bush.

[hfojvt]

10. actually it does

in any reasonable view it does.

100,000 dead is much much worse than 10 dead.

Unless your point is "don't bother saving 999,990 lives because it won't matter to the dead".

Er, okay.

There is a scene in this movie where an eleven year old boy is shot, and Moreland says "When I knelt next to Charlie, I tried to find some justification, but honor, honor doesn't count for shit when you are looking at a dead little boy. You don't think about names in the book of remembrance or any of that. All you can think of is what a neat little kid he was and how much you are gonna miss him."

Still people will give their lives trying to save others, even one life, even a dog's life. And THAT certainly mattered to them when they were alive.

[kentuck]

11. I don't think that is the point?

It may matter to the living but I'm not sure it matters to the dead?