Tonight I got to see the movie named after the Stanford Prison Experiment.
It was very emotional seeing how people fell into place, reminding me of Bob Altemeyer's authoritarians.
Some dots were connected in seeing what personality conditions allowed for the horrible mistreatment of the prisoners and their lack of unity. It's not just needing them to fight with violence, but with the correct attitude of a righteous feeling that they don't deserve it and should be considered. Not what our society has done and still does, which is to accept injustice as "the way it is".
Traits of Confident people thread:
The students didn't seem confident enough to stand up for what they wanted. Knowing it was an experiment, they tried to say when things went out of hand being against the official rules. However, due to the guards who quickly seized authority, they lost their feeling to the right of the contract they signed. Anyone who has been afraid to stand up for their OWN authority, ends up serving others' authority.
On Anger thread:
Anger is useful, especially in cases like this which was full of gaslighting and constant line crossing (in terms of the contract agreed upon by the participants). Anger can be a real suffering that leads you to face perceived danger and stand up for what you feel you deserve.
David Jacobs interview on abductions:
Jacobs mentioned how many people were terrified and felt powerless in abductions. A lot of them didn't fight back after seeing they "couldn't win", like the participants. Even the ones who found peace with the situation were eventually targeted. There is no way to hide from it.
Yet Jacobs explained how fighting back- using anger properly in that case, got them out of the situation. The abductors, much like the guards only have as much power as you concede to them.
Malcolm X speeches/writings:
Malcolm X explained that you can't always speak to someone if they don't speak your language of logic and reason. If they are setting you up to be lynched, you can't stop them that way, you have to fight back. That does not mean lynching them back, but to do what is needed to prevent you from being lynched and to help those who are going to be lynched. The prisoners didn't stand up for eachother, they quickly hid in their own bubbles, hoping the punishments would go to someone else. JUST LIKE OUR SOCIETY DOES.
Argh, it was a tough movie to watch but I can say a good reminder of what might happen if things get worse and worse. I am reminded of a show I saw on violence and video games. Violence was found not to cause violent behavior (unless you dissasociate and not feel it they found). But what did cause violent behavior was frustration (via a rigged to fail Tetris game). Interesting when we think about transmarginal inhibition- the dogs who got angry and fought were harder to break down.