History Got It Wrong — Dictators Like Hitler Should Be Remembered as Weak, Not Just Fearsome

Fear and myth have given dictators the legacy they wanted — it’s time to expose them for what they really were.

Image AI-generated by the author.

Individuals such as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao recall power-hungry, fearsome leaders and accordingly made an impact on their considered legacy by such a view, depriving us of true insight into the essence of their rise and rule.

So through this outlook, by virtue of an unearthing of their weaknesses and flaws, we may see how such figures come to power, leading to many a horrid event.

This time we will modify the memories of these dictators in that they should no longer be seen as strongmen but as flawed individuals put in the position of power.

So, You Think Dictators Were Tough Guys?

Often we fall into the Nietzschean “strong man fallacy” by viewing dictators, particularly as they wished themselves to be seen. Such an overestimation blinds us to their personal failings, as well as to circumstances which brought about their rise.

For example, Hitler was a failed artist — a real hothead and drug addict; Stalin was a “gutter thug”; he moved up through the…