It’s often been said that notorious or great leaders are interested in the arts and this includes writing, painting, and also drama. It’s something that a lot of people get on with and it may be that we’re surprised that an important leader does things that may just be a hobby to the rest of us.
It’s a private pursuit, for both leader and follower, but it has its uses. Unfortunately for Hitler it was said to have focused his mind. He was able to make more sense of life. This is because he felt passionate about lots of things. It usually centred on people. He’s reputed to have said it made his mind “purer” so that he could think clearly.
It’s also believed that Hitler wanted to call his memoir “My War With You” instead of “My Struggle”. Apparently a German psychologist had told him that it sounded too combative and that he needed to be more sympathetic. It’s just an insight into the subversive nature of hate when it becomes official – and it’s handled by other people.
This teaches us that people sometimes have a horrible vision for our future, but it’s not always simply their own ideas. It can be a collective of misunderstanding, bad practice, and ignorance that comes together to put a face onto something that we don’t like. It’s always misguided to think the way he did, and we always need reminders.