Torture lite: A few issues

[shereads]

that was Milgram. see, for example

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20020301-000037.html

so maybe all efforts to curb 'torture' are doomed, since people are so willing to 'follow orders' and someones always going to be asking for results. in Gen. Geoff Miller's words, we need 'actionable intelligence.'

Thanks, Pure. Fascinating article. Infuriating, too. It makes me want to hurt somebody.

Seriously, what I get from Milgram is that some primitive part of us - closer to the surface in some people than others - doesn't need to be given an order; just permission.

The torturer gets to unchain something vicious that's normally repressed by the fear of exposure and punishment. If he's lucky, he gets to hear the president refer to him, indirectly, as 'one of the professionals who deserve the tools to get the job done.' Who knew that torturing the neighbor's pets would lay the foundation for a distinguished career.

 

[cantdog]

that was Milgram. see, for example

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20020301-000037.html

so maybe all efforts to curb 'torture' are doomed, since people are so willing to 'follow orders' and someones always going to be asking for results. in Gen. Geoff Miller's words, we need 'actionable intelligence.'

The turning point in those studies is when the subject determined that someone else will take the responsibility. Which is of course what the 'taking orders' defense comes to. Someone else is responsible. I can torture someone to death so long as it isn't my fault.

I believe that is the psychological reason for uniforms, as well. They spread the blame. It would have been clearly someone in a uniform, but it's hard to say just who, exactly, when we all look the same.

 

[elsol]

I believe that is the psychological reason for uniforms, as well. They spread the blame. It would have been clearly someone in a uniform, but it's hard to say just who, exactly, when we all look the same.

The psychological reason for uniforms is a perfect deliniation of US & THEM.

I've yet to meet an individual honorably discharged who did not immediately give more respect & courtesy to one of us.

The uniform is one of the most perfect artificial creations of socialization.

 

[cantdog]

The psychological reason for uniforms is a perfect deliniation of US & THEM.

I've yet to meet an individual honorably discharged who did not immediately give more respect & courtesy to one of us.

The uniform is one of the most perfect artificial creations of socialization.

Maybe that's what makes uniforms so pointless, then. There actually is no US nor any THEM.