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I don't understand why one would be surprised at the recipients of the Peace Prize.

Alfred Nobel made his fortune from producing weapons and oil.

Rehabilitating the reputation of people responsible for vast numbers of deaths seems exactly appropriate for the Peace prize when that's its purpose from the beginning.

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What does that have to do with the selection of Nobel winners 125 years later? Honestly, what relationship could it possibly have? Are the awards haunted?

I think I agree that there's no reason that the awards must reflect historical precedent or some original intent or spirit.

However, it's common to appeal to that sort of thing. How often do people belabor the absence of pedigree of the prize in economics?

Those who don't believe the award has a "spirit" shouldn't complain about it being violated.

If you don't have any expectations for the Nobel prizes, good for you!

Agree completely. It is always NOT given to the deserving party based on it's prima facie claims. Of course the agenda is completely different to the stated one and hence their choice of the undeserving and oftentimes murderous vile people.

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