Good and Evil: The Wrecking Crew

I've been in Sacramento.

As everyone knows, California's financial situation is at crisis proportions. Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed a package of spending cuts and revenue enhancements. Republicans have "taken a vow" not to generate revenue via tax increase/s, and have proposed an alternate and draconian budget of cuts to services and supports to California's most vulnerable citizens (disabled, elderly, children).

While democrats are the majority party in the state, they do not possess the super-majority required to approve the tax increase revenue enhancements without some republican votes as well.

The republicans have taken a hardline stand to "protect taxpayers" (insured and in perfect health) and corporate welfare. The result is that either the budget is balanced solely via cuts to programs and services to the elderly, children and people with disabilities... or they will hold up the budget until the state runs out of money, thus ending funding for all programs and dismantling and destroying California's network of care. California's new wrecking-crew.

Which brings me to the reason for this post:

How can otherwise "good" people perpetrate "evil" acts?

Read this excellent post by Matt Langdon at the Hero Workshop blog which highlights Professor Phil Zimbardo's speech at Stanford University on The Psychology of Evil and Heroism:



Also from Matt Langdon's post, his Cliff's Notes:

Evil is The exercise of power to: Intentionally
Harm (phsychologically);
Hurt (physically);
Destroy (mortally);
Commit crimes against humanity.

The Road To Evil
Mindlessly taking the first step;
Dehumanization of others;
De-individualization of self (Anonymity);
Diffusion of personal responsibility;
Blind obedience to authority;
Uncritical conformity to group norms;
Passive tolerance of evil through inaction or indifference;
Accepting an ideology that accepts evil.

Heroism is the antidote to evil
We want to promote the heroic imagination by creating an educational system that instills in every child the self-belief that, “I am a Hero-in-Waiting. I will act heroically when my time comes.”

Banality of Evil: Ordinary people commit extra-ordinary evil deeds.
Banality of Heroism: Ordinary people commit extra-ordinary good deeds.

Most heroes are one time heroes. They rise to the occasion.

The very same situation that can inflame the hostile imagination in those who become perpetrators of evil can also inspire the..
Heroic Imagination in others of us or…
Render most people passive bystanders and guilty of the Evil of Inaction.

One day you will be in a new situation with three paths:
Path One: You become a participant in evil
Path Two: You become guilty of passive inaction
Path Three: You go straight ahead and become a hero.

The Wrecking Crew could have been heros, instead they commit crimes against humanity.

--Shella