Tuesday, July 21, 2009
For many Germans Colonel Count Claus von Stauffenberg is a hero. 65 years ago on July 20th he planted a bomb under Hitler's table with the purpose of overthrowing Hitler's regime. He was one of few people who refused to obey to authority and followed his conscience.
Indeed obedience to authority is an interesting aspect of human psychology. Stanley Milgram, an American psychologist, in 1961 conducted experiments that revealed how much humans tend to listen to orders instead of following their own ethical judgment.
The numbers are stunning, what is now widely known as Milgram's experiment showed that more than 60 percent of people obey to authority despite their deepest moral beliefs. (For those interested there is a movie created by Milgram named 'Obedience' or you can also see a modern replication of the experiment here). In the Milgram's experiment number 18 only 3 persons out 40 refused to obey and followed their conscience.
Clearly, Colonel Count Claus von Stauffenberg belongs to those 3.
Indeed obedience to authority is an interesting aspect of human psychology. Stanley Milgram, an American psychologist, in 1961 conducted experiments that revealed how much humans tend to listen to orders instead of following their own ethical judgment.
The numbers are stunning, what is now widely known as Milgram's experiment showed that more than 60 percent of people obey to authority despite their deepest moral beliefs. (For those interested there is a movie created by Milgram named 'Obedience' or you can also see a modern replication of the experiment here). In the Milgram's experiment number 18 only 3 persons out 40 refused to obey and followed their conscience.
Clearly, Colonel Count Claus von Stauffenberg belongs to those 3.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Currently around one half of the human population suffers from poverty. The book by George Orwell "Down and Out in Paris and London" helps to imagine what it is like to live in poverty. It narrates about a man's life in poverty in the beginning of the 20th century. So what do you do if you haven't been eating for three days already?
- search for any job you can get.
- try to borrow some money from your acquaintances.
- pawn your clothes (the only thing you have left).
- go fishing.
- remember that fasting is quite pleasant after the fourth day.
- Feel a relief “at knowing yourself at last genuinely down and out. You have talked so often of going to the dogs--and well, here are the dogs, and you have reached them, and you can stand it. It takes off a lot of anxiety."
George Orwell claimed: "Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I understand it.". "Down and Out in Paris and London" was published in 1933. However, one can feel an inclination towards Socialism already.
According to the book there was a vast number of laborers back at that time, laborers that were as wasted slaves, doing largely unnecessary work. "And they are kept at work, ultimately, because of a vague feeling [of the rich class] that they would be dangerous if they had leisure and time to think"
Summing up, although at some places the narrative isn't very organic and consistent, the book is very easy to read. In my view, the book is more valuable not as a piece of art, but as a chronicle and a collection of ideas. It might definitely help to understand the evolution of Orwell's thought and serve as a good introduction before reading his other, more famous, books like “1984” and “Animal Farm”.
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