The evilest of evils

Hitler and other leaders of the 20th century are considered some of the most cruel and evil leaders to have lived. Their decisions led to the deaths of millions. We are however missing a much more evil act starting in perhaps 1000-1500 BCE.

There weren't deaths and murders. There wasn't volumes of blood shed. But there was cruelty that impacted the lives of billions for millenniums. It restricted choice, freedom, action, nutrition, meaning and to this very day the impact is still felt. There are so many instances I hear of pushback, broken relations because they married someone from the other team.

You can find mention of it in 1st Century Roman authors, Kama Sutra, Nietzsche and several other places. If you were to read about historical India through the lens of these foreigners abroad, they all notice this one point very clearly.

Does anyone treat it for the cruelty it is? Does anyone treat it as the evil it is? Or is it simply bad? You can tolerate the bad, but not evil. I've not always heard it as evil. I see it more of an embarrassment to a few and not rather talked about. There is very little shame or guilt or remorse if you compare it to the Germans. What's even interesting is there are people who still believe in it, who want it. Who consider it holy. Who will still kill. Who will consider it a dishonour. Who will enforce it.

The 19th and 20th century for all its bloodshed was short. But our system of evil still continues. Religion has a few silver linings for all the divisions it creates but what does this system of segregation do apart from rewarding the top? A social order? An ideal society? Getting labour for the dirty work? It led to multiple other alternative systems and most of all division. And now they yell for unity.

To me it's the evilest of evils because it lasted so long (and still does), it diminishes the quality of life for the individual and is a form of suffering and torture going on for generations. "A systematic denial of choice and dignity". But most importantly, an overlooked evil, because it lurks in the shadows since Buddha to Trump, since most of modern humanity.

The left's tendency to elevate at all costs through granting outcomes has its own problems. I'd rather focus on dismantling the ideas, the system and giving more opportunity. Perhaps there was some silver lining to the invasions of the past. And perhaps with AI, the internet, San Francisco, we will see something better? Will we then come up with newer forms of discrimination?