RE: Milgram & Authority

[Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>]

On Tue, 26 Apr 1994, Sandy Sandfort wrote:

> subjects to proceed since, in their minds, they were "only following 
> orders."  No one seemed to question the idea that it is possible for one 
> person to take responsibility for the actions of another.
> 
> I have asked myself many times, what would I have done?  I like to think 
> I would have refused, but I honestly don't know.  Scary thought, huh?
> 
> 
>  S a n d y
> 


I've worried about the same thing myself.  The best way to fight these
tendancies is to "follow the tracks back to the barn."  Uncover the
illusion and place it in context.  Whenever I visited Disneyland, I used
to follow all the tracks back to the barns.  Most of the rides there are
rail vehicles even the submarine ride.  You can see the reality of the
place by observing the tracks.

In the case of experiments like this you can be aware of the existence of
the researcher and avoid trusting him.  In the larger world, you can keep
a death's grip on reality and note that people giving you orders are just
men who have their own reasons for doing things.  Trace the power
relationships back to the barn.

Never be afraid to jinx sideways to throw them off your tail.  Practice
violating small orders so that when it really counts, you'll be able to
violate big orders smoothly without even having to think about it.

Not to attack others facing a different world but how many jews could have
saved themselves during the 1930s by choosing to become illegal aliens in
the US or the UK.  

Practice disobedience.

DCF

Privacy 101 -- Don't get a driver's license from the state or country
where you live.  You gain absolutly no benefit from having one and not
having one could easily save your life someday.  You can drive a car in
the US with a license from any nation on earth.