The Perils Of Obedience Summary

Over the years the question of absolute power and morality have been discussed in many articles. In the article "The Perils of Obedience" Stanley Milgram shares his experimental study where he sets out to prove that ordinary people perform unjust tasks to the public eye. Milgram reveals the negative side of blindly obeying (Milgram 77). The people in the experiment are told to say different words, and the learner has to memorize and repeat them. If the learner fails to recite the words correctly, the subjects deliver a level of shock. The learner is secretly an actor but pretends to be in pain. The subjects continue to follow the authority even when they have the chance for the experiment to end. The question of blind obedience and absolute

power are also questioned in Erich Fromm's article "Disobedience as a psychological and Moral Problem". Fromm states that "human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience"(Fromm 124).

He believes that if society continues to act on this, and then eventually these acts will destroy society and lead the world into destruction. According to Fromm, he states that original sin is what set man free and that humans have the intuitive knowledge of what is human and inhuman (Fromm 124-126). He synthesizes that an individual must find the courage to stand up for his or her morals and have the courage to say no. Milgram and Fromm effectively agree on the necessary following of orders from Dawson and Downey, as well as the issue of their blind obedience to the order by Jessup's call for code red, and they effectively explain Jessup and Markinson’s role in absolute power and how it can affect the entire

unit.
Milgram would effectively agree that absolute power has a large effect on individual’s actions (Milgram 79).

Jessup had absolute power over Dawson and Downey to order a code red. Milgram logically explains this in his article with the experimenter’s power of the individual performing the immoral act even when accustomed the choice to stop. Both Milgram and Fromm would agree that absolute power can be corrupt. While Christopher Shea author of "Why Power Corrupts" would disagree and states in his study that power does not corrupt and only heightens pre-existing ethical tendencies. However, he does agree that there is a relationship between moral identity, ethical behavior and aggressiveness. This resembles the way the subjects thought in Milgram's experiment, and they believed that they must proceed because the experimenter told them to (Milgram 81). According to Ronald E Riggo PhD "How Power Corrupts leaders" he effectively ties on the idea that leaders tend to use their power to acquire tasks not always for the good. Fromm verifies this idea by stating that for centuries people have insisted that obedience is a virtue and disobedience is a vice (Fromm 125). These statements lead to an explanation of the action by Jessup to order code red, Riggo explains that Jessup would have sensed personal power in the situation and deluded himself into thinking he was working for the greater good of the unit but engaged in power that is morally wrong. Fromm and Riggo would explain the

actions of Jessup by effectively stating that a leader can be intoxicated by power. This leader thinks they are the top of the tower and they will not suffer from their actions. However Fromm explains that a conscience is important and humans have the power to say no, which logically explains the situation in Cuba with Jessup speaking to Kaffee. Jessup knew what was right and wrong but did not know how to say no to his actions.
Dawson and Downey blindly obey the order code red ordered by Jessup, while most would believe this is unjust or immoral. Milgram logically would agree that Dawson and Downey were to obey the order and follow authority. Milgram effectively explains the idea that “they were ordinary people just doing their jobs” (Milgram 77). Fromm would also agree with the idea of following the absolute powers order by insisting that obedience is a virtue (cite). Mike Murr explains in his article “Blind Obedience to Authority…isn’t” contrary to Milgram’s conclusion that people blindly obey authorities to the point of committing evil deeds we are so susceptible to environmental conditions (Murr), this is exactly why Downey and Dawson followed command. Milgram and Murr would both agree that Dawson and Downey followed the command by Jessup because it was their duty and they knew that the outcome was not their responsibility. Dawson and Downey were following the order because it was their duty to listen as they were told, likewise in the Milgram experiment with the subjects and the experimenter. The two men did not question their actions because they were told to follow the code, “unit, God, core, country” they did not see their actions being wrong. Author of “Conformity and Obedience” Jerry M. Burger explains the reasoning behind Downey and Dawson in following the order and not seeing it as morally wrong. Burger states”A military would fail to function if soldiers stopped obeying orders from superiors.” However when Markison was ordered by Jessup and knew his ultimate intentions, he knew what was about to happen would be morally wrong. Markinson did not blindly obey, he knew what the outcome could become and therefore his action of killing himself in the end was because his morally wrong actions lead to the final result. Fromm would explain Markinson’s actions immoral and unjust, explaining that he was afraid of freedom and could not dare say no to himself. Despite the consequences he knew would come in the end, and in the name of “following orders” or “just doing my job.” People can violate ethical principles and break laws (Burger).
Jessups idea of absolute power over his unit demonstrates the negative outcome of authoritarian consequence and intoxication of power. As well as Dawson and Downy’s act of obedience to following orders and Markinson’s act of unjust actions and thinking. Milgram and Fromm logically explain the idea of absolute power and how it can lead to corruption, as well as following the code when told to obey your authority. Both Milgram and Fromm are effective in explaining why people follow unjust orders and what the outcome from these orders can be.