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Worst atrocity ever?

Just_me_Mike

Just_me_Mike

Well-Known Member
It could be man-made or natural disaster.

What would you say is the worst, and why do you feel that way?

I think I would say the holocaust, because it seems to be the worst I can think of.
 
Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I think some of Stalin's pogroms killed millions more than were killed in the holocaust. And perhaps Mao killed even more than were killed by Stalin. Each death is an atrocity.
 
Madhuri

Madhuri

RF Goddess
Staff member
Premium Member
I think the worst atrocity must be man-made because it sparks from intention.
I really cnnot say what I think is the worst but one of the most callous I have leanred of is the fur farms in China that skins animals alive and throw their bodies into a heap. Video footage shows that the animals, without skin, are still alive for a little while. Just suffering in the worst imaginable way. Can you even imagine the pain? And the fact that it happens to millions of sentient creatures so that humans can be fashionable. That's quite atrocious!
 
Caladan

Caladan

Agnostic Pantheist
bustedtees1ceedd8e2810953158cb486fe.jpg
 
McBell

McBell

Unbound
I did not include natural disasters when I looked simply because of the definition of atrocity:
1. behaviour that is wicked or cruel
2. pl -ties an act of extreme cruelty
Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006
​


However, as far as natural disasters go, I have to nominate Cyclone Nargis as the worst.
Though, there is some dispute over the numbers... So I will mention Typhoon Nina as well.
 
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Just_me_Mike

Just_me_Mike

Well-Known Member
Mestemia said:
A link with some numbers:
Twentieth Century Atlas - Top Ranked Atrocities

I cannot help but wonder why they do not list the holocaust separately...
I can come up with many different reasons not to.
I just wonder what their reasoning is.
Click to expand...
You know what saddens me about the list you provided is the Korean and 2nd world war are in the top ten.
I am now taking care of my grandfather who served for 24 years, including both wars. He is 90 now, and has lost most of his memory. However, the one thing he remembers clear as a bell is the battles, and he cries a lot, and has a hard time being in the dark and sleeping.

Just sucks...
 
N

Nepenthe

Tu Stultus Es
itwillend said:
It could be man-made or natural disaster.

What would you say is the worst, and why do you feel that way?

I think I would say the holocaust, because it seems to be the worst I can think of.
Click to expand...
For natural disaster I'd go with the extinction that wiped out an estimated 90% of life on Earth 250 mya. I'd choose that simply due to the huge loss of life.

Man-made? If you combine the total impact of Europeans in the Americas from 1492 to now, from disease to genocide, to starvation, etc., the death toll runs an estimated 100 million-plus. If it's a smaller time-frame and/or a specific war then I think Stalin's pogroms would be one of the worst based on sheer numbers.

It's not easy trying to narrow atrocities, genocides or mass death to a "best of". It feels kind of dirty to choose the worst of the worst when the only criteria I have is mortality rate.
 
Just_me_Mike

Just_me_Mike

Well-Known Member
Nepenthe said:
It's not easy trying to narrow atrocities, genocides or mass death to a "best of". It feels kind of dirty to choose the worst of the worst when the only criteria I have is mortality rate.
Click to expand...
This is true, and my thread was not meant to make fun of such things.

I think there are many living today that have been through some of these events, and probably to them those events mean the most, but I am sure in their heart atrocity is atrocity wherever it is.
 
Panda

Panda

42?
Premium Member
Seriously this time Colonisation is probably up there. I think it done the most damage in Africa by destroying their power base and when we left the power vacuum helped fuel civil wars and internal strife.
 
R

richardlowellt

Well-Known Member
itwillend said:
It could be man-made or natural disaster.

What would you say is the worst, and why do you feel that way?

I think I would say the holocaust, because it seems to be the worst I can think of.
Click to expand...

A world wide flood that killed all living things would rank right up there, especially when it was precipitated by an angry God thing. It did however wave a magic wand and save a handful of animals and humans, so I guess it really wasn't all that angry.
 
Just_me_Mike

Just_me_Mike

Well-Known Member
richardlowellt said:
So you think a abortion is more of an atrocity that the torture and murder of millions of innocent humans at the hands of the Nazi's?
Click to expand...
She is a woman and you are not. Who is more qualified to answer that one?

To her it could be the same. Just different in numbers.
 
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