Zimbardo Lord Of The Flies Good And Evil Essay

How To Become Evil
When given the power to do anything anonymously, what is the first thing you’d do ? You might choose something harmless but it's likely that if you keep anonymity for too long this might change. In 1971 the Zimbardo prison experiment took place. This experiment shows very clearly the effects of power and anonymity. Even though this is an extreme case, evil is tested all of the time even if you don't realize it. Even though some people may say that evil is inherited and you are born with a certain mindset, the more accurate view is that your frame of mind evolves as you grow and experience things. These experiences decide whether or not you become evil.
One way that people get introduced to evil is with power. People with

Him saying this suggests that people may do hurtful things to others when they have power, not because they want to but because they can. A Lot of times people take advantage of their strengths with bad decisions that they wouldn't otherwise make. Additionally, the book Lord Of The Flies by William Golding reads “The chief led them, trotting steadily, exulting in his achievement. He was a chief now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy’s broken glasses.”. In this part of the book Jack steals piggy's glasses and hurts him when he becomes the leader. It is clear that this is him trying to show off his power. This was an extremely unnecessary act toward Piggy that was only meant

Anonymity is an easy way for people to have comfort in their wrong doings. Most people find that when they don't have an identity and cannot be held accountable for their actions, it's way more likely they will do bad things. Zimbardo explains that, “Nobody knows who you are, so therefore you are not individually liable. There's also a group effect when all of you are masked. It provides a fear in other people because they can't see you, and you lose your humanity.”. He is suggesting that people lose their compassion when not held liable for their actions. For instance, imagine calling someone a spiteful name to their face. You probably wouldn't because it doesn't feel good and others would see you as hateful . Would you do the same if it was told to them anonymously? It's a little more appealing right. You lose the fear of being titled a bully. This idea is also represented in The Lord Of The Flies with face paint. The boys feel like painting there faces gives them a blanket of security and a free pass to be violent. "The mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness". In this quote Jack feels like with the paint he has more dignity when it comes to his brutal activities. This is mostly about the comfortability that you gain with whatever camouflage you have, whether it be online, or with a