What would you do if....(a philosophical question on war)

I have recently finished reading the Manga serial called Naruto. It is classified demographically as Shonen, which makes it for boys 8-18, yet the Manga deals with many mature issues; it discusses war and deep philosophical nihilistic philosophies in contrast to pragmatic positivism in a world of continuous war. As I was reading, I noticed countless parallels to real world events such as; hate and fearmongering over nationality and creed, genocide, child slavery, spying and counterintelligence, weapons of mass destruction, restriction of borders and so much more.

When Trump started to call for the closing of borders and the watching of certain groups of people, it caused me to reflect on a certain event from Naruto. But, before I get into that let me ask my question:

If your government told you that they knew members of your family were treasonist terrorist, would you help bring them to justice even if it meant killing them?

Let's go a little further with this hypothetical, what if your government wanted you to take the blame for your family's deaths and then exile you as a monstrous killer?

I use to think the US government would never think of doing something like this, but now with the chance of a Trump president, I am no longer sure. In Naruto, the character Itachi chooses to kill his own family to stop them from starting a civil war/social uprising. The government labeled him a monstrous killer and put a reward on his head, but in reality, he used his position to gain access to anti-government terrorist groups and act as a double agent. You might ask, why? So that the government would protect his little brother, the only surviving member of his family.

How many US intelligence agents have a similar background? Hopefully not many...

Many of the situations in the comic present though moral questions, and many of the characters seem to be suffering from some form of PTSD. Yet, the Itachi situation seems to resound with the possibility of President Trump. What if President Trump asked you to turn your brother, mother, or other family members over to a secret police for interrogation, while you knew that would lead to their deaths? When is it ok to put the state before the family? Is that ever ok?

I would like to think I could find some way out of this dilemma, but I really do not see how. If I save my family, then I am a traitor to the state. If I help the state, then my family dies. If I run away, then my family might still die. Is Itachi's solution really the best, to bear the responsibility like that? Do you think Jesus or Buddha would approve of Itachi's behavior? What do the other religions have to say on this as well?

a reply to: hubrisinxs

Nah dud Itachi was like Madara in the sense that he didn't have enough faith in people.

Would the Uchiha have started a revolution of some sort at some point had they not all been murdered by Itachi...probably..but at some point someone would come along to unite them. Itachi believed his fatal error was not believing in his people, more importantly his brother, and their ability to find a way to make it work.

Even Madara admits as he's dying that he was short sighted and should've worked with Hashirama to make their desire for a peaceful world a reality.

Honestly what you need to do is find out who the Danzo is IRL and stop him before he gets going because he was honestly the reason for all the troubles.

Trump could not corrupt the US government. That ship sailed long before he was born.

The real life version of this would have been Anne Frank in Amsterdam during World War 2.

I would highly recommend you separate fiction from reality.

a reply to: hubrisinxs
Lucius Junius Brutus, as Consul, had to order the execution of his own sons as conspirators in treason.
The question is about how far the interests of the individual have to give way to the interests of society.

a reply to: Bennyzilla

Madara had no faith in people, and he has a Hobbesian view of the world and society. Itachi has faith in the Village system, much like people who want to follow Trump have faith in the old-American system. Itachi put a lot of trust in Danzo and the 3rd to keep Sasuke safe.

As for the IRL Danzo, at one point that could have been President Bush Sr. but now, not really sure. Good question.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: hubrisinxs
Lucius Junius Brutus, as Consul, had to order the execution of his own sons as conspirators in treason.
The question is about how far the interests of the individual have to give way to the interests of society.

That is an excellent historical comparison for the hypothetical situation I was drawing attention to. Brutus put the idea of a state over his own personal interest. But would you do that as well? or would you forgive your sons?