The Witch Trials Were Justified - It never happened, but they deserved it

[SneedEyeMitch]

Would you, though?

Maybe you would, I don't know. However, there were many people who disagreed with witch burnings, even in 1640. One of the reasons witch trials didn't last long, and are currently remembered as "crazes" instead of "what was normal for a thousand years", was the fact that the majority of people - secular figures as well as church authorities - disputed the need for, efficacy of, and humanity in, massacring suspected witches.

My own theory is that human beings do not fundamentally change, generation to generation. This isn't really a controversial idea, and it looks as though you'd concur with me. Some people, by virtue of genetics or personality or circumstance, are predisposed towards certain modes of thinking and patterns of behavior that manifest themselves, time and time again, throughout the historical record. The same people who would have been burning witches and heretics at the stake had they been born four centuries ago, are now cancelling witches and heretics on their social media apps. Mob mentality was not unique to 1640, and it's safe to say that many moderns, were they living at that time, in that society, would have acted in precisely the same manner. That's true. I agree with that observation.

But, here's the important distinction: not everyone did. Not everyone does! For every modern who would have burned a witch, there are considerably more who would not have. Many people, then as now, would be skeptical. Some would go along to get along, some would keep their mouths shut, some would be far enough away from the mob that they'd have the luxury of shaking their heads at the ignorance of foreign people, and some would even speak out against the mob, possibly dying for the trouble. All of these things did happen, and would also happen; the question being, which side would you be on?

Furthermore, we have to remember that there is a third alternative: turning to witchcraft. Edgelords are nothing new. Some people, if told that witchcraft was a potent force, and gave the practitioner the ability to exercise power over their friends and enemies, would throw their lot in with the witches. It's no accident that, despite suppression by the church, the Medieval and Early Modern Ages gave us some of the most popular and sophisticated systems of magick the world has ever known.


So, it's impossible to say "YOU WOULD DO THIS" with any great degree of certainty, as history was never a unanimous thing, and communities always have people who disagree on fundamental issues. Furthermore, I think it's rather ridiculous to tell Kiwifarmers, of all people, that they would be the ones burning witches to death.

I think what is more likely is that most Kiwifarmers would fall into one of three categories:

• autists who reject the idea of witches outright.
• rougish opportunists who would probably stay at home, but might be compelled to join the burning if the witch in question was fat, a thot, a tranny, or otherwise such that her death would be funny.
• actual witches.

The only Kiwifarmer who'd be likely to burn witches unironically are BP regulars.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again, there is nothing new under the sun.

 

[Ishtar]

My own theory is that human beings do not fundamentally change, generation to generation. This isn't really a controversial idea, and it looks as though you'd concur with me. Some people, by virtue of genetics or personality or circumstance, are predisposed towards certain modes of thinking and patterns of behavior that manifest themselves, time and time again, throughout the historical record. The same people who would have been burning witches and heretics at the stake had they been born four centuries ago, are now cancelling witches and heretics on their social media apps. Mob mentality was not unique to 1640, and it's safe to say that many moderns, were they living at that time, in that society, would have acted in precisely the same manner. That's true. I agree with that observation.

I don't disagree with your point, but I think you misunderstood mine. If you really believe old ladies in league with Satan are actively ruining your life, and murdering your kids, as those people did your going to burn witches.

These people genuinely believed themselves victims of supernatural forces, not just victims in the sense of mockery or being uncomfortable, but their very survival being put in question.

Basically, you have to put yourself in that mindset, and see the world as the witch burner did-supernatural forces are active in the world, they can be malevolent, and are causing me real harm(as in starvation, destitution, and possibly going to Hell).

If you don't believe that, then you can condemn them for being stupid or crazed or whatever. But put yourself in their shoes, see the world as they did, their reasoning is sound. As alien as it is to us moderns.

 

[Solid Snek]

If you really believe old ladies in league with Satan are actively ruining your life, and murdering your kids, as those people did your going to burn witches.

Yes, but I'm saying that not everyone in 1640 believed this. In fact, most people did NOT believe this (the notion that belief in witches was widespread is largely a modern myth). Even at the height of the witch craze - which was never more than a temporary, localized phenomenon - belief in old ladies in league with Satan actively ruining your life was a minority view.

Some people here would have believed this, yes. Again, I suspect BP regulars would, as they tend to be women or troons; cruel, irrational creatures.

But most people - and certainly most Kiwifarmers - would not believe in the literal existence of witches ("nobody here's a Nazi, don't be silly"). Or, if they did believe in witches, they would either not believe there were any real witches in their own communities ("sure, there are Nazis IRL, but it's like three teenagers LARPing in Montana, and they only hang out on Reddit"), or else would find some excuse to give the witch the benefit of the doubt.

IF IT'S TRUE that there are witches, and the witches want to kill my children, then I would absolutely kill them. Yes. You'd be mad not to. But that is a far cry from saying "had you been alive back then, you would believe X, and then you'd do Y".