~All it takes is one person to go against the herd, and many
more will follow.
Joshua Krause
The Daily Sheeple
March 12th, 2015
http://www.thedailysheeple.com/theres-only-one-way-to-stop-a-murderous-government_032015
The Daily Sheeple
March 12th, 2015
http://www.thedailysheeple.com/theres-only-one-way-to-stop-a-murderous-government_032015
I’m sure by now, most of you have
heard of the infamous Milgram experiment that was
conducted in the early 60’s. I’ll save you the details since, if you’re like
me, you’ve probably read about it a dozen times or more already. It’s one of
most popular experiments to cite, because it says so much about the nature of
evil, and the darkest potential of the human spirit; and anyone who understands
the dangers posed by government power, could probably describe the experiment
from memory.
In short, Milgram provided an answer
to the most tragic question in human history. How do so many good people wind
up doing horrific things to their fellow-man? How is it that when the Nazis had
to answer for their crimes, all they could say for themselves was “I was just
following orders.”
Humans are a social creature. We’re
programmed to work with the “tribe” and defend it at all costs. This instinct
has allowed us to work together in a way that helps us survive and thrive. But
it also makes us vulnerable to sociopaths who might hack that instinct with
lies and propaganda, so that they may convince the masses to do their bidding.
Once they have enough people on their side, they can order them to coerce or
kill the rest.
They can create centralized
hierarchical societies that on the surface, mimic the tribal and familial
environment our species was raised in. In reality, this structure creates
systemic pressure to conform at every level, while simultaneously giving people
the ability to shed their moral responsibilities, and share them with implied
authority figures. The weight of their decisions no longer lies solely on their
shoulders. It is now shared by the tribe/government/nation or what have you,
even though the choice is often entirely their own.
That’s the Milgram experiment in a
nutshell. While the experiment offers an excellent explanation for how
tyrannical governments can command the masses, it unfortunately fails to offer
a solution. If we know that our social nature makes us prone to conforming to
evil, what can we do to convince the herd to stop following unethical orders?
The answer is quite simple, and deep
down, you already know it.
In 2011, the Discovery Channel
released a documentary titled “How Evil Are You” that was hosted by, of all
people, horror director Eli Roth. The show explored humanity’s capacity for
evil by recreating the Milgram experiment, to see if modern Americans were just
as prone to following unethical orders as they were 50 years ago. Surprise! The
results were pretty much the same.
However, at the end of the episode
they decided to try a new spin on the social experiment, to see what it would
take for people to stop their sheepish compliance. If you’re already familiar
with the Milgram experiment, feel free to fast forward to the 37 minute mark,
and watch the last five minutes of the video.
Our social nature is a two-way
street. It can exploited by evil people, but it can also be used to reinforce
ethical behavior. All it takes is one person to go against the herd, and many
more will follow.
Delivered by The
Daily Sheeple
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