Godwin’s law says that if you give any argument long enough, it will devolve into both sides comparing the other to Hitler and Nazi Germany.

Soon enough someone will get sick of arguing the actual points of the debate and will decide that it’s easier to just call the other person a Nazi and move on with their lives.

However, if you really think about it, everything you ever do can be compared to Hitler and Nazi Germany.

Have you ever praised the interstate highway system? So did Hitler.

Do you like the idea of government work to help improve the job market? So did Hitler.

Do you like agricultural subsidies? So did Hitler.

Do you fancy yourself a painter? So did Hitler.

Are you an environmental conservationist? So was Hitler,

If you search hard enough, you can find some way that everyone is similar to Hitler.

For example, I once had a mustache, and if you look at photos from the time period, so did Hitler. I have hated the strict discipline at schools, and so did Hitler.

When you realize we are all a little bit like Hitler, the entire argument that someone’s stance is like Hitler loses any weight. Unless someone is saying they think an entire cultural group is responsible for all of the world’s problems, and that they should be exterminated, saying they’re like Hitler doesn’t mean much.

When you compare someone to Hitler, you are trying to say their ideas are akin to those of one of the most evil people to ever live in modern times. But at that point, you might as well be trying to call them a farmer’s son, or a bee keeper, or a failed artist, because that’s how much weight that the comparison has.

So the next time you try to compare someone’s ideas to those of Adolf Hitler, remind yourself that in some ways, we are all just a bit like Hitler.

Alex Bertsch is the opinion editor of The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].