Everyone has the potential to become a perpetrator of violence, because human behavior can be shaped by authority, distance, and the environment around us.We can see how ordinary people obeyed orders even when it meant causing harm. This sets the foundation for understanding other studies, like the Stanford Prison experiment, which also shows how easily people can slip into cruelty under the right conditions. Through Milgram’s experiment, conducted at Yale University, which placed participants in the roles of teachers and learners. It proved that not only people obeyed authority even when it meant harming others, but through the tone of voice that is provided by the one telling those what to do. “It is difficult to harm a person we touch…quite easy to be cruel towards a person we neither see nor hear… it is far easier to maltreat others if they are personal strangers…especially if we engage in rationalization processes of self-deception that serve to dehumanize them.” (A Matter of Obedience, Page 3-4) This shows how the circumstances of distance and dehumanization makes it a lot easier for ordinary people to hurt those they do not personally know. Together, these findings suggest that under the right conditions, obedience and emotional distance can push almost anyone towards evil violence. This idea is reinforced by another famous study: the Stanford Prison experiment. The Stanford Prison showed that some guards became abusive simply because the environment they were put in encouraged it and authority figures did not stop them. We as mammals through the source of nature, were created to be in groups. This natural instinct makes us more likely to follow the influence of others, especially in a group setting where there is always a leader. This often leads us to want to impress, please, or avoid angering authority figures. These experiments demonstrate that people may do harmful things in order to gain approval from those in power. “Occasionally, disputes…violating an explicit injunction against physical force…When the 'superintendent’ and ‘warden’ overlooked these incidents, the message to the guards was clear: all is well; keep going as you are.” (The Real Lessons of the Stanford Prison Experiment, Page 2) This shows people can slip into cruelty behaviors and mindset, if authority figures fail to restrain them from doing anything. In fact, the danger of obedience becomes even clearer when looking beyond experiments and into real history, such as the Holocaust. Through our nature of wanting to impress our leaders/authority figures, it disconnects our brains and body from knowing what is wrong and right. But is that really an excuse to use? I read the article " How the Nazi’s Defense of ‘Just Following Orders’ Plays out in the Mind”, which questions whether obedience can truly excuse someone's actions, especially considering how far the holocaust goes down into history. Nazi used the excuse of following orders to make people feel disconnected from their actions, a defense that attempted to shift responsibility away from individuals.“In particular, acting under orders caused participants to perceive a distance from the outcome that they themselves caused…people actually feel disconnected from their actions when they comply with orders, even though they’re the ones committing the act.” (How the Nazi’s Defense of “Just Following Orders” Plays out in the Mind ,Page 1) This shows how obedience lets people commit harm without fully feeling responsible. However, recognizing this disconnection does not erase the moral responsibility of their choices. Instead, it reminds us that while obedience can explain behavior, it cannot justify cruelty. The Milgram experiment suggests that human behavior can be deeply influenced by authority, distance, and the way harm is carried out. These factors reveal how ordinary people, under the right circumstances, can willingly cause pain on others without fully realizing the weight of their own actions. Obedience to authority pushes people to harm others. Most people when they are placed under the direction of someone they view as powerful (authority figures) or credible, they often silence their own moral doubts, will, and choice of decisions. The pressure to obey creates a sense that disobedience is worse than the act of harm itself. “But that same year Stanley Milgram, a Yale University psychologist, conducted a series of famous experiments that tested whether “ordinary” folks would inflict harm on another person after following orders from an authoritative figure. Shockingly, the results suggested any human was capable of a heart of darkness.”(How the Nazi’s Defense of “Just Following Orders” Plays out in the Mind, Page 1) This shows that simply following authority can lead ordinary people to commit harm. What makes this even more concerning is that obedience often happens automatically, and it does not require the person to be cruel by nature. Instead, it shows how fragile our sense of morality can be when pressured by someone in power. This transitions us into another factor: distance and indirect harm. We choose to believe that when we don’t know someone personally, we could care less about them, which creates indirect methods of harm to reduce guilt and responsibility. Situations similar to this mindset happen a lot in everyday life, like for example, when bystanders refuse to step in during an emergency because they assume “someone else will help.” This type of detachment makes it easier to ignore the suffering of others, especially when there is no personal connection or face-face interaction. “Russell and Gregory also believe that the way the harm is inflicted would affect the willingness of individuals to do it…they point out that the shock generator was a technological and indirect way… rather than using “direct physical force.” (A Matter of Obedience, Page 4) this suggests people will go further when the violence feels less personal. In the end, Milgram’s experiments remind us that potential for cruelty lies not only in individuals, but in the systems and environments that shape their choices. Recognizing this is the first step in making sure obedience does not excuse harm, and distance does not allow us to forget our responsibility to others.
