Essay about Unchecked Obedience - 1472 Words

Machiavelli declares that whatever you do, be it just or evil, if you know your actions will bring favorable results then you are not responsible for the manner, corrupt or blameless, in which they were obtained. This reasoning defines a timeless question: do the ends really justify the means? R. J. Herrnstein, author of â€Å"Measuring Evil†, believes they do, â€Å"A small, temporary loss of a few peoples comfort and privacy seems a bearable price for a large reduction in ignorance† (88). But is it not harsh to allow few to be terrorized for the benefit of many? When evaluating the Milgram experiment, summarized in Milgram’s article â€Å"The Perils of Obedience†, Diana Baumrind, writer of â€Å"Review of Stanley Milgram’s Experiments on Obedience†,†¦show more content†¦Several variations were invented to test the direct effect proximity to the authority figure had on the subject. All found that the closer and less questione d the authority figure was, the more likely the subject was to hurt the pretend victim in any way asked (Milgram 179). Many subjects felt the situation was impossible and some were stressed to the point of emotional and physical harm (Milgram 175). Confirming the enormous influence of the authority figure, subjects allowed to chose the level of pain seldom caused discomfort to the victim (Milgram 176). Overall, Milgram’s experiment found that within the walls of a laboratory, a subject was likely to severely harm another, and the extent of that harm was dependent on the level of authority directing them (Milgram 172). Milgram concludes that today’s world trusts authority figures too much, and fear to disobey along with the tendency to push the responsibility for atrocious actions onto superiors is the reality of this generation‘s morality. (178) While the results of Milgram’s experiment are concrete, their application to real life is questioned because of the deception throughout the procedure. The results of the experiment prove that people are likely to obey in a laboratory setting, but Baumrind exposes the difference between a lab and real life. Because the subject is in an unfamiliar setting he has a certain amount of trust in the authority figure (BaumrindShow MoreRelatedA Critique Of Le Bon s The Crowd1648 Words   |  7 PagesPrussian hegemony. However, Otto von Bismarck did not become Prime Minister of the strongest European military by chance; in 1862, taking advantage of the constitutional crisis, he manipulated King Wilhelm I into appointing him prime minister with unchecked authority in foreign affairs (Taylor, 1967). Indeed, Bismarck was a very able—or conniving, depending on your view—Statesman. 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