The quote from William Styron's "Sophie's Choice" addresses the capacity of military personnel to commit horrific acts, citing examples like My Lai and Chile. However, Styron argues that it's a misconception to view the military mind as the sole source of evil. He emphasizes that the military's actions, while often driven by aggression and thrill, differ from the true, oppressive forms of evil that are usually perpetrated by civilians. This distinction highlights a deeper, more pervasive kind of monstrosity that exists outside of the battlefield.

Styron's point suggests that real evil can manifest in mundane and systematic ways, contrasting with the dramatic nature of military crimes. He implies that the horrors of history, like those seen in Auschwitz, stem not from military command but from a civilian bureaucracy. This commentary forces us to reconsider our understanding of who is capable of true evil and challenges the notion that such actions are confined to soldiers or leaders in uniform.