I just got done watching "How evil are you?"

[Hydra]

They were re-running the infamous Milgram experiment, where ordinary people were given the power and authoritative permission/orders to administer increasingly deadly shocks to person they couldn't see in response to errors during a test. They said that during the original test, 65% of the participants failed to stop when the threshold point was reached and the person they were shocking asked them to stop.

This time, almost all of them failed to stop. We've actually gotten worse. On the upside, one of the participants refused to shock the other person at all. That gave me some hope.

I see this as how blind obedience and rationalization, both of which are lionized in our culture as virtues, can and are being used to turn ordinary people into monsters. We can see it in "The War on(of) Terror" and the things attached to it, like the domestic spying and the increased security/military presence in our lives. Like the fake doctor they supply in the Milgram Experiment, they are asking us to ignore what we know is right and legal in favor of what they want us to do.

I believe the Milgram and Standford experiments both scream loudly what is needed- people who speak out against evil, who say "no!" and who remind other people to listen to their better angels, no matter who is asking them to step over the line.

Speak. Make yourself heard. Refuse to participate. They NEED your support to make it happen- don't give it to them!

[hobbit709]

1. I've never been good at blind obedience to orders.

[tblue]

2. Where did you see it?

I'd like to watch it too. Great post. It is devastating to me to watch people who call themselves liberal Democrats support truly inhumane and/or unconstitutional policies. But I read it here every day.

[Hydra]

3. It was on the Science Channel this morning

I was told it was a re-run.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvqbvk_curiosity-how-evil-are-you_lifestyle

It was a riveting and disturbing test. The person I was sure couldn't go through with it did the good german thing. Even the 2 people who refused seemed to make a tangible effort not to go along with what was expected.

[tblue]

4. I always think, Dear God,

Please don't let me be one of those kinda of people! We all say we wouldn't do it, but obviously a lot of us do. I can't handle movies, images, or even thoughts of torture. It is very, very excruciating to me, more than most.

[Hydra]

5. One of the takeaways

Is that when they gave people someone who stood up to it, they followed the person out the door. Always be that voice, because even if the person would have been the good german given the chance, the study showed that they would follow a good example if offered it.

"All that it takes for evil to win, if for good men(people) to do nothing."

[REP]

6. That is a lesson that has stayed with me

It hasn't always turned out well for me - except being able to live with doing the right thing. Nothing as obvious or heroic as refusing to torture, but the smaller daily ethical challenges of working for an evil company.

[Hydra]

7. Often, there are costs

Otherwise it wouldn't be so tempting to do the wrong thing. I'm with you though- being able to live with yourself is the most important thing.