Reply #46: read up on Stanley Milgram's experiments [View All]

[realisticphish]

he found that people who believed that a researcher had authority over them shocked other people with what they thought were fatal electrical shocks because the researcher told them to (the victim was just an actor). realize that these were normal people, who did NOT like doing it; but because they had volunteered for the experiment (and they did not know what the experiment was beforehand), the researcher had authority over them.

now picture a soldier, who actually DOES have an authority over them, and imagine the indoctrination, and elimination of individuality. the effects would be multiplied exponentially

in short, it is NOT always as simple as people think; you can say "well I wouldnt do that" but the simple fact is that you were NOT in that situation, and did not understand the pressure and sense of responsiblity that the soldier had

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat