[mixin visuals]

All humans are capable of committing torture and other “acts of great evil”. That is the unhappy conclusion drawn from an analysis of psychological studies.

Over 25,000 psychological studies involving eight million participants support this finding, say Susan Fiske and colleagues at Princeton University in New Jersey, US.

The researchers considered the circumstances surrounding how individuals committed seemingly inexplicable acts of abuse in the midst of the US military’s torture of Iraqi inmates at the Abu Ghraib prison in 2003 and 2004.

“Could any average 18-year-old have tortured these prisoners? I would have to answer: ‘Yes, just about anyone could have.’”, Fiske says.

Many forms of behaviour, including acts of cruelty, are influenced as much by authority figures, peer pressure and other social interactions as by the psychology of the individual, she says.

“If we don’t understand the importance of social context and accept that almost anybody could commit acts of torture under certain circumstances, then we are setting ourselves up for situations where Abu Ghraib [atrocities] will occur again,” Fiske warns.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996727

[Mr.White]

I know for a fact if I don't take my meds, I end up choking my chicken relentlessly.

[BRussell]

I've been trying to find the full text of that Fiske article online (in Science), but it's a paid subscription only.

[hyperb0le]

Originally posted by Mr.White:
I know for a fact if I don't take my meds, I end up choking my chicken relentlessly.

Erm... Good job?

[MARINEOSX]

This is amazing! Everyone is always saying how bad we treat the enemy. Well if we really treat them so bad why do they surrender so easily? I know I would not. In light of everything that is being said we are not slitting there throat, letting them suffer, video taping it, and then sending it all over the world. If there are any atrocities that is IT. Could you imagine having the one person that you love leaving and never knowing if they were going to come home? If that was the last hug or kiss that you would ever receive from them? I do, and My Fellow Service members, and there families do. Freedom is not free, and the last time I checked war was not nice. If anyone thinks it should be nice then I think they have a serious issue. I wish that war didn't happen but it does, and walking up to somone with a gun pointed at you and saying to them, you can give up. Will never stop them from coming after you. I know of people that have been spit on by the people they protect and risk there lives for because they are simply Marines. This is an atrocity in its own. But Even after so many Marines, Sailors, soldiers, and Airman have given there lives to protect there great nation, not very many people seem to notice. until the numbers are great. I love this country and will never stop defending it and my brothers in arms because they would do no less for me. I am not directing this toward anyone I just felt the urge to vent. I have sworn to protect this country from all enemies foreign and domestic, and I will continue to do so to whatever my capabilities can allow me to do, and when those are at an end I will find new capabilities to push me even farther.

USMC Code of Conduct

ARTICLE I:

I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

ARTICLE II:

I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

ARTICLE III:

If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

ARTICLE IV:

If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information nor take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them in every way.

ARTICLE V:

When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country or its allies or harmful to their cause.

ARTICLE VI:

I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free

I will trust in my God and in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

[BRussell]

Originally posted by MARINEOSX:
This is amazing! Everyone is always saying how bad we treat the enemy.

Nice rant, but the article is just saying the people that commit acts of torture and abuse in those Abu Ghraib-type situations, and I'd say even in those beheadings and such, are not necessarily especially bad or evil people. They could simply be average people who have been pressured in one way or another to do them.

[MARINEOSX]

I know. I understand that, that is why I said " not directing this toward anyone." Just made a rant cause it seems like things like this are always compared with something that happened in a war. I am not critiquing anyone at all nor have I read this artical it is probably to intelectual for me. (or it could be I don't want to read it.)

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by MARINEOSX:
This is amazing! Everyone is always saying how bad we treat the enemy. Well if we really treat them so bad why do they surrender so easily? I know I would not. In light of everything that is being said we are not slitting there throat, letting them suffer, video taping it, and then sending it all over the world. If there are any atrocities that is IT. Could you imagine having the one person that you love leaving and never knowing if they were going to come home? If that was the last hug or kiss that you would ever receive from them? I do, and My Fellow Service members, and there families do. Freedom is not free, and the last time I checked war was not nice. If anyone thinks it should be nice then I think they have a serious issue. I wish that war didn't happen but it does, and walking up to somone with a gun pointed at you and saying to them, you can give up. Will never stop them from coming after you. I know of people that have been spit on by the people they protect and risk there lives for because they are simply Marines. This is an atrocity in its own. But Even after so many Marines, Sailors, soldiers, and Airman have given there lives to protect there great nation, not very many people seem to notice. until the numbers are great. I love this country and will never stop defending it and my brothers in arms because they would do no less for me. I am not directing this toward anyone I just felt the urge to vent. I have sworn to protect this country from all enemies foreign and domestic, and I will continue to do so to whatever my capabilities can allow me to do, and when those are at an end I will find new capabilities to push me even farther.

USMC Code of Conduct

ARTICLE I:

I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

ARTICLE II:

I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

ARTICLE III:

If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

ARTICLE IV:

If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information nor take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them in every way.

ARTICLE V:

When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country or its allies or harmful to their cause.

ARTICLE VI:

I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free

I will trust in my God and in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Yeah, is I actually reply to this as I wish to my ass will be flamed so fast it hurts. If I said that it is impossible to understand or have any perspective with the soldiers mentality for instance.

I wouldn't worry though, there are plenty of flag-waving americans ready to bomb the brains out of whomever they please, just as soon as they can find them on a map.

[entrox]

This doesn't surprise me. After all, every man is a potential rapist, too.

[MilkmanDan]

War sucks. Nothing is new about that.

[DeathToWindows]

Probably the most famous example of this in psych experiments is Stanley Milgram's experiments in the 1950s

http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

Experiments that one could NEVER do today... the IRB (institutional review board) and the APA would scream bloody murder when they looked at the grant proposal, not to mention the finalized experimental proposal...

[paully dub]

Originally posted by DeathToWindows:
Probably the most famous example of this in psych experiments is Stanley Milgram's experiments in the 1950s

http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

I saw the film of this at school. Anyone have a link to it? it's chilling stuff.

It's terribly relevant these days.

[cszar2001]

Originally posted by DeathToWindows:
Probably the most famous example of this in psych experiments is Stanley Milgram's experiments in the 1950s

http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

Experiments that one could NEVER do today... the IRB (institutional review board) and the APA would scream bloody murder when they looked at the grant proposal, not to mention the finalized experimental proposal...

Equally shocking: the Berkeley Prison Study by Zimbardo.

[angaq0k]

Originally posted by DeathToWindows:
Probably the most famous example of this in psych experiments is Stanley Milgram's experiments in the 1950s

http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

Experiments that one could NEVER do today... the IRB (institutional review board) and the APA would scream bloody murder when they looked at the grant proposal, not to mention the finalized experimental proposal...

This may actually be happening without it being an "experiment".

If we take some time to reflect about it, we may discover that we may all be exposed to relatively similar situations in our daily lives where we come dangerously close to the limit exposed by that experiment.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by entrox:
This doesn't surprise me. After all, every man is a potential rapist, too.

Then I suppose every women is a potential whore, waiting to get raped.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by mixin visuals:
The researchers considered the circumstances surrounding how individuals committed seemingly inexplicable acts of abuse in the midst of the US military’s torture of Iraqi inmates at the Abu Ghraib prison in 2003 and 2004.
[/url]

I wasn't aware that putting pink panties on somebody's head amounted to torture.

[paully dub]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Then I suppose every women is a potential whore, waiting to get raped.

Using whore and raped women together, classy.

[DeathToWindows]

Originally posted by cszar2001:
Equally shocking: the Berkeley Prison Study by Zimbardo.

Yes, especially when one considers that Zimbardo seemed to lose his objectivity partway in...

[roberto blanco]

Originally posted by PacHead:
I wasn't aware that putting pink panties on somebody's head amounted to torture.

depends on who's been wearing the panties, i guess.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by PacHead:
I wasn't aware that putting pink panties on somebody's head amounted to torture.

Are you willing to volunteer then?

[PacHead]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
Are you willing to volunteer then?

Volunteer for what ?

[MacNStein]

Originally posted by entrox:
This doesn't surprise me. After all, every man is a potential rapist, too.

I used to date a girl who yelled "NO!" when she climaxed... at first it was very confusing, lots of stopping and starting.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Volunteer for what ?

We'll try a nude photo-shoot with panties on your head an go from there.

Then you can decide if its torture or not.

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:

I wouldn't worry though, there are plenty of flag-waving americans ready to bomb the brains out of whomever they please, just as soon as they can find them on a map.

They aren't in charge.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
We'll try a nude photo-shoot with panties on your head an go from there.

Then you can decide if its torture or not.

Oh big deal. I've been nude before at some party when I was drunk out of mind, doing a little dance for some horny females. It's no big deal. I'm not ashamed of my slightly larger than average sized penis.

If that's torture, then bring it on !

How somebody can equate that with some primitive animals chopping off people's heads is beyond me.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Oh big deal. I've been nude before at some party when I was drunk out of mind, doing a little dance for some horny females. It's no big deal. I'm not ashamed of my slightly larger than average sized penis.

If that's torture, then bring it on !

How somebody can equate that with some primitive animals chopping off people's heads is beyond me.

See, your experience was not degrading BECAUSE YOU WERE OUT OF YOUR MIND. You weren't hog-tied and humiliated for amusement. You weren't beaten for fun.

You really have no idea how sadistic people can be, do you? You really don't know how close to the surface that is in some of us.

It comes down to motivation and intent. At that point what is done is completely irrelevant because the person would DO ANYTHING.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by DeathToWindows:
Probably the most famous example of this in psych experiments is Stanley Milgram's experiments in the 1950s

http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

Experiments that one could NEVER do today... the IRB (institutional review board) and the APA would scream bloody murder when they looked at the grant proposal, not to mention the finalized experimental proposal...

nice link. i was thinking the same thing when i read this thread.

watched it in my high school class about the holocaust. very relevant.