Now here is an interesting thought, agency suggest that how we view something as a live is dependent on something that is viewed with purposeful movement. However, as long as something act as if it has agency, we will likely treat it as if it does and this extends to empathy. In the movie Schindler's List, you are exposed to multiple scenes that procedurally dehumanize the Jews from the Germans. First by making it a mandatory requirement for the Jews to display the star on their clothing and failure to comply will result in being shot on sight. This first act creates an in-group and out-group, an us against them mentality between the superior species (Germans) against the inferior species (Jews). Later on, the concentration camps, the special articles of clothing, numbers given to each individual. All these serves the purpose to dehumanize the Jews when viewed by the Germans.
That instead of viewing the Jews as their fellow man, they view them as nothing more than a subclass of humans that do not deserve to live. Hence how freely we can see our Nazi Party Amon Goeth, freely kill Jews without remorse. But this is not necessarily so, when Oskar suggested that difference between power and justice is that justice is acting in accordance to what is just, however power is ability to go above and beyond that and to pardon or forgive. We did see Amon Goeth pardon quite a few people that he would have normally shot without hesitation, but this short window of empathy, ended with another body on the floor.
War can bring out the worst and best of some people, so for me, this thought popped in my head during that short scene. Could it have been possible that after dehumanizing the Jews for such a long time, and also to the point that he could kill them similarly to game animals. That during that short time of him being empathetic and understanding toward Jews, that he slowly began to realize the consequences of his mentality towards them. Hence instead of facing the reality of killing an innocent or morally ambiguous person, he chose to continue this mentality and slaughter the Jews as he deems fit.
Funny enough, we could actually see the complete opposite with Oskar Schindler instead. As a business man, he would naturally see his work force as nothing more than his work force. Turning a profit and making as much money while cutting cost. But as the movie progresses, Oskar begins to grow empathetic towards them thanks to Ithzhak Stern that showed Oskar how his factory has the influence and capabilities to save lives. In a sense, you could say agency has grown beyond just viewing them as another laborer. On the contrary, it has grown to the point that Oskar felt responsible for them.
.Empathy.
.Empathy.
The amount of empathy and responsibility that Oskar felt truly could be seen during the scene of how Oskar is mortified at how he could have save more lives. The "what if"s, "what could have been"s, and "what should have been"s. Yet it was because of this man, that roughly 1100 Jews were saved from Auschwitz. To add on, further using his money to buy shells to sell to the Germans while having his own factory manufactured duds that did no pass the safety standards in order to keep his company running and safe. Truly a man that showed how War can also bring out the best in some people.
