In his book "In the Garden of Beasts," Erik Larson chronicles the experiences of Dodd and his family during their time in Nazi Germany. Throughout their first year, Dodd observes a pervasive indifference among the German populace towards the atrocities being committed by the regime. Many people, including those in moderate government positions, seem to accept the escalating violence and oppressive measures with little to no resistance, reflecting a troubling complicity in the face of horror.

This indifference to the unfolding brutality strikes Dodd as deeply unsettling. The general acceptance of such oppressive decrees highlights a societal willingness to overlook moral and ethical boundaries. Larson captures the tension of this historical period through Dodd's perspective, painting a vivid picture of a nation adapting to terror and the alarming apathy that allows it to persist.