The essence in obedience consists in the fact that a person comes to view himself as an instrument for carrying out another person's wishes and he therefore no longer regards himself as responsible for his actions.
Stanley MilgramRead
The disappearance of a sense of responsibility is the most far-reaching consequence of submission to authority.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Submitting to authority often leads to a loss of personal responsibility.
Stanley Milgram's quote highlights the dangers of blindly following authority figures, suggesting that when individuals relinquish their sense of responsibility, it can result in significant societal consequences. This loss can enable harmful actions and diminish moral accountability, as people may act contrary to their values simply because they are following orders.
Themes
ResponsibilityAuthoritySubmissionConsequencesMilgram
In practice
Example use cases
During a seminar on ethics, this quote could be used to discuss the implications of following orders in unethical situations.
More from Stanley Milgram
All quotes →A substantial proportion of people do what they are told to do, irrespective of the content of the act, and without pangs of conscience, so long as they perceive that the command comes from a legitimate authority.
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The soldier does not wish to appear a coward, disloyal, or un-American. The situation has been so defined that he can see himself as patriotic, courageous, and manly only through compliance.
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Ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process. Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority.
Stanley MilgramRead
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