@L
jewishpangolin

jewishpangolin:

kahuna-burger:

bakedbakermom:

image

fuck terry pulling no punches in this one

Of course in Night Watch, Vimes didn’t flat out refuse his bad orders but Worked To Rule to avoid fully going through with them, and thus mitigated the harm done until the current Patrician was removed.

Even Sam Vimes’ life isn’t always as simple as his principles.

rebecca-liz: It's COMPLICATED. Because the alternative to good people obeying bad orders cautiously and reluctantly in order to soften the blow is often bad people obeying those same orders enthusiastically. In Berlin, there were more than 20,000 Jews living in the city in 1943. Nineteen forty-three. Why? Because the head of the local police fucking hated the Gestapo and sent polite notifications of upcoming raids to the relevant address. A good(ish) person obeying bad orders reluctantly kept twenty thousand people alive for three years. Some of those people are still alive today. kahuna-burger: Thank you. As much respect as I have for Sir Terry, history is ALSO full of people who kept their positions so they could successfully soften the blow until the situation changed. Sometimes refusing an order and standing on principle is absolutely needed. Other times it helps no one and removes you from a position where you can do less dramatic good.ALT
#Discworld #tasty tasty nuance