Discussion – The Holocaust
The Holocaust is among the cruelest and most disturbing things that have ever happened on the face of the earth. During this time, the German Nazis, led by Adolf Hitler, organized and commanded the killing of 6 million Jews and other individuals like homosexuals and persons with disabilities who were considered undesirable (Shaver, 2015). The individuals who executed these inhumane activities, such as building death camps and gas chambers, are believed to have acted in obedience to authority. For one to obey authority, they have to accept that it is rightful for the command to be made of them. In the case of the Holocaust, individuals acted in obedience to Hitler, whose command, influence, and power were considered legitimate and, hence, had to be obeyed without questioning. This was proven by Adolf Eichmann, a key participant in executing the killings, who claimed that the orders were the highest thing in his life and he had to obey them unquestioningly. Through Milgram’s research, it is evident that individuals tend to render obedience to authority with disregard for this obedience’s effect.
References
Shaver, K. G. (2015). Principles of social psychology. Psychology Press.
ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE
We’ll write everything from scratch
Question
Write a paragraph that expresses your opinions about the Holocaust or about another example of obedience to authority. Consider how social psychological research on obedience informs your interpretation of the event.