The Man In The High Castle

[Scene: ​Neutral Zone, 1962, A hypothetical world in which the Axis powers won WWII]​

Part 1: How Could We Know What’s Right?

Juliana: Tell me why do you it?

Joe: Why does anyone do anything? To survive
Juliana: As an SS agent, you know better than anyone else what the Reich does, how can you
stand there and comply with their orders?
Joe: All my life, I’ve been raised to view both the accomplishments and long term goal of a
better society as necessary
Juliana: The ways in which they go about it as to attempt to achieve it is wrong
Joe: You say that with so much certainty but how do you know that it’s “wrong?” How could we
know what’s right?
Juliana: I don’t know, no one does because there’s no such list that exists separating
actions/things that are wrong or right. But, when you have men, women, and children living in
fear that they will never see another tommorow again, does that not make you question the ideals
which the Nazi flag stand for?
Joe: Following that logic wouldn’t the doings of the Resistance movement be considered wrong,
the attacks they carry out from the East to the West Coast affect not just men serving under the
Japanese Pacific States or the Reich, but their families and innocent civilians who you fail to
account for… Perhaps we aren’t as different as you might think
Juliana: By no means is the resistance perfect much like anything in life, but the difference
between us is that we don’t intentionally go out of our way to hurt bystanders
Joe: The reality is you are still spilling blood all over the streets that fact doesn’t change, how
can you an individual that wants to put an end to the injustices caused by the empires justify
what you are doing as right?
Juliana: There’s not one moment where I forget about the suffering I caused, but I remind myself
that this is for a future where we can be free
Joe: If the purpose behind one’s action is the determining factor in considering it right or wrong,
then consider this is it morally alright that the Reich force those with any form of disability to be
euthanized. As we see it as preventing that individual from suffering any more
Juliana: The key word in that sentence is “force,” if it was really viewed as the right choice then
there would be no need in making anyone do it as the person themselves would opt for it. Let’s
not kid ourselves, the Reich want to create an inferior race meaning that there is no room for
“defectives”
Joe: Correct me if I’m wrong but what I’m understanding from you is that choice equals freedom
and freedom is something everyone should’ve as it is right; Assuming that this what you are
trying to get at, was John’s Smith son, Thomas Smith free? His father an Oberst-Gruppenführer
willing to go against everything he’s enforced and do whatever it took to ensure the safety of his
son from the government. Yet, upon finding out about his Facioscapulohumeral muscular
dystrophy Thomas decided to turn himself in to be euthanized
Juliana: The truth is he didn’t have a choice he never had one to begin with. Thomas may have
been far more privileged than the rest, however, that doesn’t change the fact that he was forced
to memorize and brought up to hold these ideals to heart. He was made to feel imperfect in a
“perfect” world which was taught to him that people like him don’t deserve. Running his
potential of a bright future
Joe: Before sacrificing himself, he openly admired his father for his services and even aspire to
be like him, wouldn’t that make him a “bad” person as it’s well known that he is responsible for
the tortue and death of many?
Juliana: You are making it seem as though only “bad” people do wrong things and vice versa;
When in actuality that isn’t the case, “good” people are just as likely in doing a wrong thing as
much as the “bad” person. It’s not as black and white as one might like to think
Joe: Then is it possible to know what is right if even those who are “good” can do wrong?
Juliana: We will perhaps never know for sure, but we can question even the things taught to us
which is why I ask why haven’t you?
Joe: There’s no doubt, I have, but who am I to say what a whole government is wrong? I don’t
have authority for a reason does that do surely have it for a reason
Juliana: You think those in power have the authority over our lives?
Joe:The Reich control the news, women are to be housewives, and children are to enter the Hitler
Youth program. What does that option does that leave any of us… none
Juliana: They don’t have authority over your life unless you give it to them, you can resist them
or believe what they are doing is right. As an individual, you still have the power to decide what
is right or wrong
Joe: How can I decide that if I don’t know anything besides what I was taught?
Juliana: One’s concept of right and wrong is based off of what fits/convinents me. No one ever
wants to perceive themselves in a negative light rather we try to present the best version of
ourselves. Explaining why before, discovering her son’s illness Helen Smith viewed it as a
necessary evil to have the disabled euthanized, yet when it came to her son, she was rather quick
to lash out on the Reich’s policy
Joe: If I were to say that I agree and say that the government’s handling of traitors was justified
therefore right, what would you say to that?
Juliana: I can’t definitively say that it’s wrong just because it doesn’t follow my logic, but, the
same applies to you; You cannot definitively prove to me that it isn’t wrong. It all boils down to
one set of principles only based off of that can you determine it