I do think people without direct experience are unable to understand the depth or the totalitarian evil. It’s just too terrifying to accept that one can be trully powerless, that any kind of resistance can lead not just to the destruction of themselves, but also their families, that the degree of bullying and control can be so high and the regard for human life so low.

It’s too scary, so normal human minds just refuse it as a possibility and try to imagine more optimistic scenarios.

It’s healthy not to lose hope, but it’s also not good to underestimate the evil and unfair to look down on the people facing it.