he following comments have been submitted by readers of the book and visitors of this web site. If you would like to add your own feedback, please click here.

	Cristina Poponete from Romania via Netherlands
	August 6, 2009 4:25 am Dear Sir, I am still thinking that you were touchable by Christina's arugments because YOU LOVED HER. I guess this is a key variable which I think deserves much more focus. I am wondering if she was an ordinary colleague would you pay attention to her reaction? Just when her reaction threatened your relationship, although she risked all and she is a hero and just because you loved her - this made you to stop. From my point of view is this love for her the key of opening your eyes. For the young people from Pitesti Experiment (from 50-ies , so much earlier than your attempt) the sufferences went even further. In a post-war Romania left completely in Russian hands after US, UK and Russia bargaining of each spheres of influence, the Russians had free hands to experiment whatever they wanted: to wash brain young people from "old mentality" by torture and even beyond and after to create a new communist thinking. In Pitesti experiment using the torture for 3 years, some of the subjects were asked (after falses promises) and some accepted to become guardians (of their own brothers, friends) from your experiment and doing so to destroy morally the others. And here is their testimony about what happened, in English language: http://www.ortodoxmedia.com/inregistrare/492/beyond-torture-gulag-pitesti Yous speak about the external control of authority - who is watching over the situation, but this is a limited explanation. Particulary in this case: who watched the crime of bargainig the spheres of influences in order to not made possible what happened in Eastern Europe? Who watched and challenged the authority of the leaders of the great power of the moment to rennounce to this criminal bargaining? Nobody. In daily life when to made decisions we don't have arround us al the time guardian angels like Christina to come and challenge us. For this reason the auto-control, self-control plays here at least the same importance, if not even more. So how we can solve this problem? Sincerely yours, Cristina Poponete

	GIL GAMESH from Washington
	August 4, 2009 7:46 pm Dr. Zimbardo I just finished reading The Lucifer Effect and an already enthusiastically recommending it to others. I have read about the Stanford Prison Experiment several times in the past and I will likely go over such material several times in the future. I am interested in what makes people human. Where do psychopaths, samaritans and banal evildoers come from? I disagreed with one tiny item in your book; the labeling of Mother Teresa as a hero. I once thought of her actions as heroic until I learned more of the details of her life and philosophy. I read Christopher Hitchens' book; The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice and it caused my solid perception of Mother Teresa as a hero to soften. I reminded myself Mr. Hitchens was a noted contrarian and not to change my mind from a single resource. I then developed (via Google) other information from people who had worked for Mother T (as a Nun or otherwise) and a person who had investigated actions. This new information made me rethink my opinion of Mother Teresa. I now see her as a manipulative egotist who caused many to suffer pain unnecessarily. M. Teresa was given many millions in donations from people who thought their money was going to help the poor of Calcutta. The money would have gone a long way in alleviating Calcutta's destitute, but unfortunately the sick and dying (and only those who absolutely had no family in India) were warehoused in a dank small non-air conditioned building without beds. Palliative treatment was forbidden as that would deny the sacrifice of the pain to Mother Teresa's Christ. Patients were not taken to hospitals (indeed, Mother T. could have built hospitals with the donated money) nor were adequate medical supplies afforded the staff. Syringes were used over and over after being rinsed off in tap water. What happened to the donated money? Some was used to build convents (monuments to Mother's ego) for the new order of nuns Mother Teresa founded. As far as can be determined, Mother T. refused to be audited, the rest of the money sat in banks. Mother Teresa spent only a little time at her Calcutta warehouse of human misery. She spent a lot of time flying first class to hob nob with the elite of the world. Mother conferred legitimacy on Baby Doc Duvolier, known for horribly mistreating and plundering the Haitian citizenry. She vociferously condemned divorce no matter how much violence a husband heaped upon his wife, but consoled Princess Diana stating publicly that her divorce from Prince Charles was the best thing for them. There is much more, but I'll let others more qualified speak of her failings. It turns out that Mother Teresa was not a living saint, but another banal human abusing her position. Thanks for your time. Gil Gamesh

	Cristina Poponete from Netherlands
	August 3, 2009 1:15 pm Dear Doctor Z, Last weekend I watched on Youtube your presentation about the Lucifer effect and the Heroic imagination project and, although I read the book and watched your presentation at Authors @Google, I found them very insightful and useful. Especially the part about the heroic imagination made me think about a situation that I was confronted with lately and I would like to ask your opinion about. This year, at the age of 11, my daughter together with here classmates at an International School in Netherlands studied the horror literary genre for few months during the English (as a secondary language) classes. She came at home in March with some pieces of this literature in order to be read, as homework. I attached two pages out of four stories and please be kind and read them. Also part of assignment was the listening of the Dracula’s movie soundtrack written by a polish composer in order to prepare her mind “better” to write a short story that has a clear purpose stated by teacher: “to frighten the others”. This story was assessed by teacher and the students received grades for their story. As a mother who tries to rather encourage his kids to listen the ODE of JOY by Beethoven, I was astonished by that music which inspired fear. Secondly, the texts were juicily describing all deaths’ horrible features and even the chase of a phantom with a rope killing the main character, in the final. This is a scene of a crime, totally inappropriate for 11 years child mind and imagination. And finally, the idea to write something that inspires fear to others generated in me the need to protect my daughter and to try to change the situation. I asked the teacher, the director of the school, the chief of parent support group how moral is to ask an 11 year kid to write something to create fear in others. I asked whether we exploited all the positive, constructive feelings and the fear was left out. The teacher told me that for the last 20 years she could observe “the frisson of excitement in children eyes when they read this” type of literature, whose educational purpose was to teach them how to create suspense. So, because was easier to make the kids read and get excited the teacher used this horror literature than the other text inspiring more positive feelings. I reminded her that adult-sexual literature could create at least the similar excitement and suspense if we gave to teenagers to read it but we don’t give them to read that. Moreover, the director asked me if I let my daughter on a roller coaster in order to made similarity with the study for this king of literature. But education doesn’t mean entertainment, I replied. Next question was about the social values promoted by this literature at this age. The director said that “he would not dare to praise for certain values using the literature” and that he is the adept of the “literature study for the sake of the literature (techniques)”. He couldn’t answer why is so wrong to promote positive values using literature like friendship, respect, mutual understanding, cooperative behaviour, heroism that we really need in this global world. Anyway, from my point of view, the second argument was not correct: you cannot separate the form from the content in a text because this is impossible. So, actually when you deliver a form of literature you should consider the message it sends, especially with kids at this age. Finally I asked what if tomorrow, because they learned that they are so good at writing e something inspiring fear (after all they were assessed by the teacher how good they learned the lesson), children will apply their new “skills” in interpersonal conflicts or group rivalries. And instead to be encouraged to solve an issue they shall amplify it? The director told me that I have no prove for the harm of this literature. And the president of the parent support group assured me that our children were very mature and can handle this type of literature. Although the other parents left me alone in this story, my daughter’s brilliant common-sense argument made me to go further: “Mom, every time I read I like to imagine the thinks, you know it helps me to focus on the story. But I know that I want never again to imagine something like that”. So, as her parent I own to her this action. Doesn’t matter that the director of the International school informed me that is simply impossible the change of the curricula “every time when a parent has a complain”. I understood from your presentation that you are working on a curriculum promoting the heroic imagination. How does this situation appear to you from this perspective? Should the school not promote values, and especially good ones in the literature children read? Should the school not make a careful selection of the literature texts it asks the kids to read? It is there a connection between horror literature and your work? Any research showing the influence of literature on kids would be more than welcome. My sincere appreciation, Cristina Poponete p.s. Since I cannot add them here I sent the attachements on your Stanford e-mail adress. c.p.

	Pharmd927 from wwouorew
	July 28, 2009 7:21 pm Very nice site!

	Dr. Maria Elena Tan-Llanos from PHILIPPINES
	July 26, 2009 12:37 pm The world is hats off to the work made by you, DR. PHILIP G. ZIMBARDO, a psychology guru whose experiment is one of the best ever done in these TWO CENTURIES in the field of PSYCHOLOGY. The TRUTH to your findings is verified by the media coverage on the brutalities committed by the AMERICAN SOLDIERS against IRAQ’S PRISONERS. Congratulations to you, DR. ZIMBARDO and to your wife, DR. CHRISTINA MASLACH, whose questionnaire on TEACHER BURNOUT I have used in my DISSERTATION. I got the chance, too, to exchange messages with your wife through E-mail while I was in the process of finishing my Ed.D in Management at University of the Philippines. It is widely said that if educational works are good, they must come from the MASLACH-ZIMBARDO. True, indeed. DR. MARIA ELENA TAN-LLANOS CHAIR, Education/Languages St. Paul University, Quezon City PHILIPPINES dr.tan_llanos@yahoo.com.ph

	Abhilasha from Bangkok, Thailand
	May 14, 2009 9:52 pm Dr. Z Recently I was doing a research on the Lucifer Effect for my school assignment and was wondering what did Mao as the leader of the Cultural Revolution do to incfluence his people and how does the theory of Lucifer Effect apply in this situation? I read a lot of articles but they did not provide any specific details about the Lucifer Effect in Cultural Revolution

	Rob King from UK
	April 24, 2009 1:45 am I wonder if you would be good enough to clear up a nagging discrepancy for me? John Wayne is referred to as David Hellman in The Lucifer Effect. A couple of years ago Amnesty International did some interviews with torturers and he was on it. His name was given as David Eshlemann. Did they just make a mistake? Did he change his name? All the best Rob

	Susanne from Germany
	April 13, 2009 1:32 pm Dear Prof. Zimbardo, the book's content (which I have read in German) on social-psycholocal aspects is very excellent and educational, but some of your examples have suspicious references which scientific discussions by historians are without result yet.(for example http://www.tallarmeniantale.com/).

	Tijn Boon from The Netherlands
	March 2, 2009 9:19 am Dear Sir / Madam, I would like to express our interest in Philip Zimbardo, The Lucifer Effect: How Good People Turn Bad 2008 Random House Paperback edition Copyright 2007 by Philip G. Zimbardo Inc. Please let me know if the rights are still available for Holland. If they are, I would appreciate receiving a reading copy with an option on Dutch translation rights. I look forward to hearing from you soon. With kind regards, Tijn Boon Editor non-fiction books My address: Lemniscaat Publishers Attn. Tijn Boon Postbus 4066 3006 AB Rotterdam The Netherlands

	Stefano Csaszar from Switzerland
	February 26, 2009 6:03 am Dear Dr. Zimbardo The authoritative clarification of such fondamental rules concerning the human behavior in extreme situations contained in the book The Luzifer Effect helps everyone to improve essentially the capacity of judgement in several context of our life. Thank you very very much for this. I have read the book in German although my mother tongue is Italian. I will bring 2 aspects in focus in form of the following questions: The physical incapacity to feel emotions (I thing it is called alexithymie) or empathy may have a determinant influence to our behavior ? Is this the first prerequisite bevor all the others (dispositive, systemic and situative environment)? In all your book do we facing to a specific male driven world? The worlds of Christina Maslach and Lynndie England are 2 different planets. Lynndie England behavior is conform to the typical negative male characterics (aggression, ideological, vindictive) on the other hand Christina Maslach is concrete, comprehensive, consensual and empathic. A jail of women is different the one of men? I wish all the best to you and your family

	Shirley Luxem from Washington
	February 6, 2009 7:52 pm To Dr. Zimbardo; Thank you for writing this book! I teach Parent Effectiveness Training in the Seattle area and am finding the idea of CONTROL to be the greatest obstacle to creating healthy parent-child relationships. The Lucifer Effect is alive and well in the American family. Parents bring their tiny helpless infant home, close the door behind them and for the first time in their lives, they have complete control over another human being. When this power is challenged by a crying infant or a two year old who will not use the potty, the parent becomes increasingly frustrated. Frustration turns to anger, anger to rage and it is not unusual for a child to end up dead. Our parenting traditions, for centuries, have been based on control through punishment. The Bible being the most vocal cheering section with Spare The Rod And Spoil The Child being only one of many such pieces of advice. In the last centurey the behaviorists chimed in with their control techniques of punishment and reward. With parents being told it is their God given right and duty to control with punishments and with little or no other information or training to raise their consciousness, they and their children are set-up as adversaries. The results are all around us with parents at war with their offspring and dire statistics of child abuse, delinquency, teen pregnancy, teen suicide, runaways and teen violence and crime. See: Ghosts From The Nursery by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley. The Lucifer Effect is given free reign when parents believe they OWN their children. Tradition has prescribed punishment for a child's non-compliance and the adult is at a loss for alternatives to punishment when his POWER fails him. When the parent terrorizes the child enough to gain complete control the resuts are always devestating. For a first person account of a full-blown Lucifer Effect at work in a family, read Marilyn Van Derbur's account of life with her father. On page 12 of her book, Miss America By Day, she says, "My father believed he owned my mother and his four daughters. We were his property and he could do anything he wanted with us. He believed it and lived it so strongly, we believed it, too. What can we do? We must have EDUCATED parents. We need a massive consciosness raising effort through our schools, communities and politics. Our children are in deep trouble. To qoute Philip Greven from his book, Spare The Child, page 10 "The evidence is everywhere-surrounding us, engulfing us- yet, like the air we breathe, usually invisible to us. Once it becomes visible, surely we will begin to see ouselves differently. Your book has taken us a giant step forward. My hope is for you to help change the way children are treated and socialized. Could the Nazi phenomenon have occured if German children had been raised differently; without spankings, beatings and complete submission to the Father? Could there have been a Fuhrer and a Fatherland without the fathers who had raised generations of children to submit to their will? Thank you for what you do! Shirley Luxem

	Ruth Faris from MA
	January 22, 2009 3:04 pm Dear Dr. Zimbardo, I recently read The Lucifer Effect on the recommendation of my son Max who is currently a junior at Clark University in Worcester; he was doing a paper last term on 'cult behavior' and his professor, Jim Laird, recommended your book to him. (As it happens, I was a psych major at Clark, graduating in 1972, and also had Jim Laird for a class!) I think I mostly wanted to write to you to share the joy of having a young adult son who is interested and excited in the same things I am, and to thank you for inspiring him enough to get his mother to read your book! Max was really captivated by your book as was I; I was most impressed with your honesty as you reflect back on what you did not know at the time in terms of the forces unleashed by the SPE, and your humility and willingness to end the experiment (also loved the happy ending for you and Christina!) I am a clinical social worker and have recommended your book to many colleagues; I have also signed up for your 'hero' project. Thank you for your work and all best! Ruth Faris
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo February 1, 2009 Dear Ruth I value your feedback and your recommendation of Lucifer to colleagues, I think there are many important messages in it that deserve wider recognition. Do check out various elements of this web site, many goodies buried throughout. Also my thanks to Max for his alert to you. Ciao Phil Z.

	mary wanjeri from England
	January 6, 2009 8:20 am dear mr Z i am currently doing studies on the standford county prison in my psychology lesson i just wanted you to explain your idea about how you think that prisons are 'failed social experiments' and how you think this situation could be improved. hope to hear from you soon M.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo February 1, 2009 Dear Mary Wnanjeri (All the way from the UK) I argue that all prisons are societal experiments as interventions designed to reduce crime and punish offenders by isolating them from their communities. They are all failing: 60% or higher recidivism rate- those paroled return to prison within 3 years 25% of those who return to prison are for more serious crimes than original ones. Crime rates are not correlated with prison population rates. It costs as much or more to keep a person in prison than the cost of a college education. Corrections budgets often equal or exceed Education budgets in some states. Hope this helps. Dr. Z.

	Justin Grandfield from Warrensburg, MO, USA
	December 24, 2008 1:20 pm Dr. Zimbardo, First of all, let me say congratulations on your accomplishments and accolades. You have definitely earned every iota of respect. I love how you have delved into the very nature of humanity in all its glory and misery. I was curious. Have you ever noticed when someone is playing a game, you can see what a person would do uninhibited by morality? For example, in Dungeons and Dragons, every character is faced ethical and moral dilemmas: "Do I kill the monster and take the treasure?" "Do I use the treasure on myself exclusively?" "When do I stand against the monsters and fight, and when do I try to reason with the so-called 'monster?'" Uninhibited, many (at least from what I have seen) take the easier route, giving in to temptation and greed. There are a few who stand against their fellow characters and declare something is wrong, and are quick to say, "It's just a game." I believe there is a lesson here, wouldn't you say? In Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) there are what we call "alignments." These represent a stance on good and evil, as well one on law and chaos. There are nine alignments: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil, Neutral Good, True Neutral, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, and Chaotic Evil. Each person falls into a category in this alignment system in D&D. People that play often argue that this system is arbitrary, and provides no gray area for morality. While I agree, nine areas for a person to fall under is too little, I definitely believe it is a more concrete way to look at morality and ethics. What I'm trying to say is this: A game teaches us so much about people, ethics, and morality. A game can sometimes show us what is underneath the exterior of flesh and facade. A game is never really just a game. A game is veritable litmus test for morality and ethics (at times). I would be interested to hear your opinion, sir. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Sincerely, Justin Grandfield
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo February 1, 2009 Dear Justin Yes games that engage us pull out of us many key dimensions of our humanity, exactly as you report. also we put on a game face, that enables us to step out of character during the time limits of the game and take on a new persona --as more good or evil than we are usually. The problem now with video games is that they are increasingly violent and increasingly realistic, with virtual 3-D games entrapping players in a fantasy world that has gamers playing for an entire day non stop. My concern is that school is more boring than ever when kids bring that new mentality of constant change, challenge and control to a traditional school when everything is slow, repetitive and rewards delayed. We need a new generation of games to promote morality, wisdom, compassion and realistic heroism. thanks for your good feedback. Dr. Z.

	SD Flores from U.S.A.
	December 21, 2008 6:44 pm Dr. Zimbardo: I was very pleased with both of your presentations at Univ. Of Hawaii@Manoa and that we were able to converse on the subject of 'evil' and how our condtioning plays a vital role in this process. We also talked about Dr. Mimi Silbert and what a outstanding job she did with the Delancey Street Foundation Triangle . . .I have heard that it was even called the 'house of evil', because all of the residents have been in contact with the criminal justice system and are consisdered criminals. . . until rehabilitated (court declaration) and they re-enter into 'society' The effort of her to help turnaound these individuals has not gone un-noticed, it, the 'Triangle' has been replicated and has had a tremendous amount of T.V. coverage. We have to remember, that it is 'inside' a individual. . .how they experience their various stages of life. . .yes, good people can turn evil, and yes. . .they can return to a positive (Good)'lifestyle'. Your knowledge has opened up some new 'doors', there is help for people who get caught up in this life cycle . . .education is a Key that cannot be redeemed. We all hope for a better future.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo February 1, 2009 Mahalo SD Flores, Sorry for the delayed response, been dealing with health problems. You are right on regarding the central role of reeducation of offenders rather than just punishment. Mimi Silbert is a psychologist who has been in charge of SF's Delancey St. Foundation for many years and that group is a model that every city should emulate. Their key to success (measured as keeping offenders out of prison and developing them into productive citizens) is: GIVE THEM JOBS GIVE THEM GOOD HOUSING TEACH THEM MARKETABLE SKILLS GIVE THEM SOCIAL SUPPORT PROVIDE DAILY OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNAL ENCOUNTERS THAT CLEAR UP PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY AND SUPPORT PRO SOCIAL BEHAVIORS OF MEMBERS. warm regards, Phil Z.

	D from new york
	October 15, 2008 12:28 pm Dr. Z Yo made mention that situational forces have a significant impact on people's actions. It seems though that the most obvious presence was that of authority. What other situational forces do you believe affect our behavior and what suggestions do you have that we could implement.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo November 18, 2008 Please read my Lucifer book for detailed discussion of this issue also in this web site go to Resisting Influence section for concrete suggestions on how to resist unwanted influences thanks for writing sorry to be late been traveling widely and not well Dr. Z.

	InHyuk, Song from KOREA, south
	October 8, 2008 9:56 pm Dear Mr. Zimdardo, I saw your talks in the TED. I would like to say your story is really remarkable and truely MUST shareable. Nowdays many Korean have shocked because Choi Jinsil, best actress in the korea, was suicide because very bad rumor related her. the rumor is that she made some other famous actor(Ahn Jaehwan) guy suicide-she lend some big money and threat him to back. and her private life is also some kind of hussy. Prosecutor investigate suspects let her to suicide. but They finished it without any conclusion. They told that they cannot find strong suspect. I think it was not a problem of specific individual. It was a problem of anonymous people behind mass medias. I believe we need your talks. people should know your thoughts and your stories. That was a beginning of solving social problem threatening individual. I'll try to spread it more and more ^^ Nowdays I'm writing NewsLetter to my subscribers (Newsletter is related about LOVE and Relationship) unfortunately it is not written in english =) http://lifeislove.kr If you don't mind, I hope you tell a short message for my subscribers. I'll send your honorable talks to my readers. Thanks. Always be happy. Best, InHyuk Song.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo November 18, 2008 Dear InHyuk Song The Lucifer Effect is now in an excellent Korean translation Please tell your readers to get it and read it also do translate any of my ideas into blogs for your web site also any materials on this web site may be used for non commercial purposes. regards Dr. Z.

	Michael from Pennsylvania
	September 11, 2008 11:02 am Hello Dr. Zimbardo: I've just finished reading TLE. It was very well written and easy to read. I have a couple questions regarding your view on the Abu Graib 'abuses'? 1.) Do you believe that the decapitation of Nick Berg was in retaliation to the Abu Graib abuse scandal? 2.) If yes, how do you explain the decapitation of Daniel Pearl or when four charred corpses of U.S. civilians were hung from a bridge in Fallujah? *(Before Abu Graib)* 3.) Knowing the type of radical enemy our soldiers are battling, can we really view humiliating photos- not physical abuse- as crossing a line? Where should this proverbial line be drawn?
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo November 18, 2008 Michael sorry for very late reply, been traveling widely and not well Not sure if the decap of Nick Berg was retaliation or separate But all those horrors, the hung, burned bodies and poor Danny Pearl cut up in 10 pieces are the consequence of fundamentalist ideology that makes many people in the OTHER, as less than human, and so can be used for public propaganda, for media circuses, also to incite others to attack foreigners. Danny Pearl was my student at Stanford in 1984, and last week I presented a memorial lecture in his honor, at the request of his parents. It was so sad because he was so talented and had so much to live for. There is an absolute standard of respect for human dignity that cannot be violated, not be saying the horrors described above are worst than the horrors of US soldiers humiliating Iraq prisoners at Abu Ghraib, both are despicable and degrade human nature. Also the prisoner abuses were not limited to that prison but were widespread please read my chap 14 and 15 in Lucifer Effect, where I document with the reports of US interrogators and Military officers equally offensive actions US soldiers took against their Iraqi prisoners. Thanks for this provocative question (so) Dr. Z.

	Michael Holmes from Hamburg, Germany
	August 4, 2008 8:33 am Dear Mr. Zimbardo, Your book deeply touched me, because I myself have experienced the power of evil situations and ideologies. I was a member of a radical marxist sect for about 10 years. I admired mass murderers like Lenin or Milosevic. I justified dictatorships like the one in Cuba and brutal military campaigns like the soviet invasion of Afghanistan. And I was full of hatred against the "enemies of the people", the ones I labelled 'greedy capitalists', 'imperialists' and so on. All this was not because of my character. In everyday life, I have all the time been a nice and likeable person, except of course for my intolerance towards political dissent. The problem was that all my friends and all those I admired were "revolutionary" and so were all the books I read. I know that I could have easily killed anyone I considered to be a fascist, if only in a situation and in a position to do so. And a fascist, you know, was pretty much everyone somehow right wing, however moderate or democratic. So how did I manage to get out? Well, I met a victim of Mao's cultural revolution. Her father was tortured to death while she was being humiliated in school, a teenager back then. Talking to her changed my life. When I talked to my comrades about what she told me, they refused to listen and started discrediting me. If I had only betrayed her memory, her pain, I could have kept my friends. But it was too late. I knew it was a lie and started reading about Mao's China. The moment almost all of my friends turned my back on me, some calling me a traitor, was one of the most terrible and at the same time most beautiful moments of my life. For the first time I felt very alone - and very free. Well, I found lots of new friends, and better ones, and I don't care who violates human rights, left or right, I will speak out against it whenever and wherever I can. Thank you for writing this book. I hope it will help me find the strength to resist evil - next time I get the chance. Best, Michael Holmes
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo August 27, 2008 Dear Michael Forgive my late reply, I have been traveling the globe, and not well lately, but your touching note has helped revive my spirits. It is really a testimony of what the Lucifer Effect is all about. You are apparently a caring person who was ready to kill on command anyone categorized as The Enemy. For your group it was the Fascists; the torturers I interviewed in Brazil, doing their dirty deeds for the Fascist Military Junta, said that their enemies were Communists and Socialists, so that they could torture and kill them without remorse. It is the Wrong Way of the World, and we must always be wary of Ideologies that foster hatred and cruelty as operating procedures. I am so delighted you were able to escape the powerful grip of that political cult, but how many more were not gifted with your insights, and remain to do evil? warm regards Dr. Z PS- i recently spent a few days in Hamburg as the guest of Karsten Peterson, the brilliant translator of Lucifer into German. It is wonderfully vibrant city, especially the Sunday Fish Market and the Lake.

	Ray from Michigan
	August 1, 2008 11:44 am I am no scholar, yet I think of myself as a student of life. I love to learn and this book has a tremendous amount of knowledge. I was one of those that said it couldn’t happen to me; but to understand and learn that I would most likely be influenced by situational or system forces is wisdom that I cannot and must not ignore. I am surely going to use this book and the accompanying website as a foundation for change. I do have to admit though, through no fault of yours, I found myself rereading some of the text. I think the reason for this, was that I really wanted to understand what you were stating, not just reading to get through the book. This book sparked something within me that has been dormant for many years or never truly existed, to simply ask why. I don't think we question the system; most of us simply abide by and live within any given system. The Lucifer Effect thoroughly explores a multitude of systems and situations where only a select few ask why. I think more to need to ask that question, we cannot let these systems and situations influence our lives to the degree in which they do. I agree with your thoughts on allowing the system and situation to become a part of the defining of one’s actions, especially in law. Shouldn’t the law change as we change as a society? As the human race evolves, and I am speaking about just the person, the human being, so should the system and situation. I want to be an agent of change; I want to ask why and not just ask but ACT. Simply disagreeing with something is not enough (similar to what you said), we need to act, do something, gather people and resources and make a plan for change and then move forward. Always moving forward. Thank you for sharing all that you did. You have truly changed my life.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo August 27, 2008 Dear Ray, As I mentioned to Michael from Hamburg, Germany, I am sorry not to have replied sooner but too much travel has me weary and without time to keep up to date on this web. What a great tribute to TLE! It makes all the work that went into it fully worthwhile if its only effect was the change in your self conception. Thanks so much for sharing these insights with me, and other readers here. You are anticipating my next big project, Promoting the Heroic Imagination everywhere as the ultimate antidote to evil, getting everyone to think of themselves as heroes in waiting, ready to ACT against evil in any of its many forms when the time comes. TED.COM and You Tuibe will show a speech I gave at the TED conference in Monterey in Mid Sept, look for it. it is a call for universal action to celebrate Everyday Heroes. Ciao, Dr. Z.

	Olof Jebram from Germany
	July 3, 2008 11:43 am Greetings Dr.Z. This is coming from the same university-class Anna Frohberg is in. Thanks for your reply. Maybe we might be so bold as to ask more questions: Question 1.): If the behaviour of the guardians of Abu Ghraib was highly shaped by situational and systemic influences, wouldn't the same be true for the agents and leaders of the system behind Abu Ghraib? Shouldn't we examine the situation of Bush, Cheney, Rice, with the same care and precision? For example: The Bush family is part of the US economy, has partners, friends, and interests, so there is much room for influences, like friends making demands, buisness associates making suggestions, bosses giving friendly advice, etc.. Question 2.): What is your opinion on prisons? Should they be abolished? Do you see alternatives? Is there a better way to deal with convicted offenders? Best regards and a safe travels to germany, Olof Jebram, Miriam Henke, Dietmar Gölitz

	Sherron Watkins from Houston, Tx
	June 23, 2008 12:25 am Hey Dr. Z.... love the book and will be referring to it in upcoming lectures. Sorry about the mis-information from Margaret from Palo Alto; I was certainly not granted immunity from prosecution. I did sell $47k of stock and options in the fall of 2001; months after I'd found the fraud; but after Skilling quit the company and after 9/11 - (both events prompted many people to sell Enron and/or stock to raise cash). I did know more about Enron and its state than the purchaser of my shares, for which I regret, but such is the case in nearly all employee sales of stock. Why did Time magazine notice us in 2002?... b/c we tried to stop behavior that was wrong. In the end, the lesson for folks considering telling 'truth-to-power' ... is to be careful, your profile will be raised and many will want to find less than admirable reasons for your stance. I think we've failed as a society when we require or need 'hero's' or truth-tellers to stop the madness or at least aide in the prosecution of the madness... b/c in the end, those that take a stand (like the 'man in the arena'), also have chosen to take audience criticism, and most of us did not ask for the praise or the criticism (like me, they get 'outed' by someone in Congress, or the media, or an employer). The system has failed when truth tellers, whistleblowers, or 'rebels' are needed. I hope you're enjoying even a larger audience for your messages; they are spot on. All my best, Sherron
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 1, 2008 Dear Sherron, Thanks for taking the time to rebut your critics on this web site. It is tough to be a hero these days with so many ready to find faults in whistle blower histories or motivations. We need to encourage everyone to be willing to engage their heroic imagination into decisive heroic actions, as you have done. The world, and now especially the USA,needs more heroes with the courage of their convictions to oppose corruption, fraud, bullying and evil in its many masks. Continue to fight the good fight, Ciao, Dr. Z.

	Anna Frohberg from Germany
	June 19, 2008 11:50 am Dear Dr. Z., thank you for writing your highly enlightening book! We have been working with and discussing it since April in our psychological university-class for teachers and even though we've already learned a lot there are some questions left we would like to ask you. One important question is: To what extend could it be possible that some results of the SPE were "mis"-used for the war on terror, e.g. in the prison of Abu Ghraib?
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 1, 2008 Dear Anna delighted you have organized a Lucifer discussion session check out www.prisonexp.org for my discussion questions about the experiment. yes I think the US military used the SPE 's results in Abu Ghraib prison, giving guards almost total power over the prisoners with no oversight or surveillance -> abuses the worse in both prisons were on the night shift when there was little or no supervision. good news. German translation will be published soon in mid July I am lecturing on evil and Lucifer at the International Congress of Psychology in Berlin July 20-25 my talk is July 23 at 10 am check web for venue regards Dr. Z.

	Mark from UK
	May 27, 2008 8:34 am I've just finished reading your book and found it very interesting. There's just one thing I'd like to ask - it may have been covered in the book and I perhaps didn't pick up on it. My question is - to what extent to you believe the political/social/religious convictions of individuals in "bad" situations "set them up" to either succumb to situational forces, or prime them to resist? My thinking on this is that for example, someone who is politically/socially conservative may be psychologically normal and law-abiding. However, they may have world-views leading them to think that criminals or potential terrorists forfeit their human rights, which may lead them in a prison situation to abuse prisoners. Alternatively, they may have religious views giving them the conviction and strength of character to resist situational influences. To what extent to you believe these factors influence situation-based behaviour?
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo June 7, 2008 Mark Glad you found TLE interesting, hope you also have explored all the goodies on this web site. I like your point, and agree with its premise, that political/religious/ social systems create beliefs and conditions that "setup "good people" do evil deeds, without awareness of the moral nature of their actions. It is the nature of our belief systems that justify and rationalize our actions as acceptable to us and "our kind" when under any higher moral standard they would be evaluated as immoral, unethical and maybe illegal. the SITUATION is socially constructed and cognitively maintained in the minds of the actors on its stage, but always supported or challenged by the Power System, from behind the curtains. warm regards Dr. Z.

	ginger from san mateo
	May 26, 2008 10:49 am check this out.... you were obviously pissed at that other girl Margie? but..... she may be right. http://blog.kir.com/archives/2007/10/the_faux_enron_1.asp but in the end who cares. Sherron is obviously nuts and unethical.... you are self aware, and the ones of us that follow you are on the self awareness path. But to use the words back off..... eeeeck. Sherron was given immunity from a felony.... is that really enough to "charge" that girl like a "running of the bulls". I'm kidding! I just illustrate the absurd in order to make my pathetic point. http://blog.kir.com/archives/2007/10/the_faux_enron_1.asp
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo June 7, 2008 Ginger I would not judge Sherron Watkins as "nuts" maybe unethical maybe an opportunist who helped herself while helping to shut down an evil-generating corporation. You can't be a hero who is concerned with self-profit as part of your motivation. See my Chp 16 in TLE for that clear qualification to the criteria for everyday heroes. Ciao from Sicily Dr. Z.

	ginger from stanford
	May 26, 2008 10:17 am read your stuff obviously. To tell margaret to back off.... you do realize that Sherron Watkins did commit a felony and was given immunity .... right? Thats well known. She committed insider trading fraud, its well known. But if that bothers you, ask yourself why? This is well known and well published. I love all that you had otherwise said. Sherron Watkins committed a felony that was not prosecuted. If you want to talk to Margaret personally about it email her.... I think she is right and maybe you stepped over the line. Is it possible you did not know the immunity from the felony Sherron Watkins had committed and you "stepped over the line". ?
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo June 7, 2008 Ginger when I wrote my book, I did not have access to the info on Watkins Non-Hero status. I have obviously removed her from our hero site and consider her more of an opportunist than a whistle blowing heroine. that is what makes the study of heroes interesting, complex phenomenon with cultural and historical constraints to consider thanks for helping to keep me honest Dr. Z

	Kamila from Poland
	May 13, 2008 6:32 am Dear Mr Professor, as a student of linguistic I had only a short coure of psychology but it was very interesting (I'd say even more - it was intriguing) mainly thanks to your textbook "Psychology and Life" :) Having read your overview about "The Licifer Effect" I am also very eager to read it. Best wishes :) Looking forward to see you in Warsaw this Friday, Kamila, Poland
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo June 7, 2008 Kamila Hope you attended my lecture in Warsaw It was very exciting for me to be there and meet with many students, faculty and media The Polish translation of my book will appear in September I think you will enjoy it. ciao Dr. Z

	Jess from Southern Minnesota
	April 22, 2008 9:26 am Hello, I had an experience yesterday that may not seem to dramatic to some but I just thought that you might like to hear that you reached someone with your book and it caused me to rethink how I handled a situation I found myself in. I was driving home when I came around a turn and found a house engulfed in flames. My first reaction was to tell myself that it wasnt really a house but maybe a large burn pile a farmer had going, and not to worry about it, that it was a controlled fire. then I told myself someone had to already know about the fire and was doing something to help, then as I watched two cars in front of me drive past without so much as touching their brakes, it hit me that they were probably all thinking the same thing as I was. I decided to call 911. It turned out that the fire had not yet been reported. I am in the middle of reading your book. I really feel that it was a factor in how I handled that situation because as soon as I had the thought that someone else was probably already doing something I instantly thought of what you said about that and I re-thought what my responsibility was to that situation. I am sure you are praised all the time for your work but I thought you might like to hear about how you touched my life. I know that this wasn't as dramatic as some stories that Im sure you have been told but what really hit me, was my first instinct to let someone else call and this has really bothered me and made me stop and think about who I really am as a person. I dont know if I would have made the call if I had not been reading about this. Also I have never read a book that actually affected me in my life and changed the course of my actions. So thank you. Jess
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo April 22, 2008 Dear Jess, I want to thank you deeply for sharing this personal experience with me. It is what makes being a researcher and writer so meaningful when on those rare occasions what one does has an impact on people in the "real world." When I was writing my book, I wondered if anyone would read it, would take to heart its messages, and then would go the next step to put the abstract ideas into practice. You validated it all! To know that I touched your life is so rewarding, and in turn, you should know that your action as a concerned citizen might have saved lives of people in that fire or kept it from spreading further by your timely action. Some times such small actions can have major positive benefits. Indeed, it qualifies as an act of "ordinary heroism," which is my next project. Please check out my Lucifer web, and feel free to keep in touch when you finish the whole book. Ciao, Phil

	Brandon McIntosh from U.S.A, North Carolina
	April 9, 2008 4:38 pm Hi, I am a psychology student at Western Carolina University, I have not yet read The Lucifer Effect. But I am a fan of your work and look forward to reading it. My professor in history of psychology has given us a term paper on a history of a famous psychologist. I recomened your name even though it wasnt on the list. You may know him his name is Dr. James Goodwin, he was the president of the historical branch of the A.P.A.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo April 27, 2008 Brandon Yes I know Dr. Goodwin, fine expert on the history of our field. I am flattered you chose to do your term paper on me. Do read Lucifer, check out my various webs for info starting here with About Phil Zimbardo, it will lead you to my home web site, zimbardo.com which has the start of an autobio. wish you well Dr. Z.

	Richard Thiang from Vancouver
	April 8, 2008 7:57 pm Dear Dr Zimbardo, I thank you for a very interesting perpective on the nature of evil. I have just arrived at page 180, before the debriefing of the prisoners. At this point, where I have only read a nearly unbiased account of the experiment, I would like to write down some of my thoughts. I feel that the empirical evidence of the experiment hardly supports your main thesis - that it is the 'bad barrel' that causes 'good apples' to turn bad. This interpretation of the results seems rather naive to me, i.e. blame everything on the system. In fact, your fundamental assumption that all the student subjects are 'good apples' is falacious. They are definitely not similar, as exhibited by the wide spectrum of dispositional behaviors in both the guards and prisoners. The correct interpretation of the experiment should be that a 'bad barrel' reveals the true disposition of apples. In a 'good barrel', all the apples have been socialised to behave according to a set of societal norms. Provided that these apples do not have anti-social tendencies, their true disposition is often veiled by societal norms. A 'bad barrel' is simply a situation where societal rules and norms are removed, as in a prison setting or during a war. In the absense of law and enforcement, the true disposition of the apples are revealed. Hellmann and Burdan revealed their sadistic natures. The rest of the guards revealed their malleable nature in going along with their leaders. The main lesson that we should all derive from this experiment is that a civil society needs humane and compassionate rules - rules that are well-enforced. This is because there many, many apples out there that are readily disposed towards evil, if left without guidance, or checks on their power. Fortunately, there are also the few rare 'good apples' that show us the light in the darkest of times - people like Sarge, *salute*. A more interesting continuation of this study would be to determine what factors make a person more disposed towards evil. Is this person an extrovert? Does he seek attention? Is he an alpha-male? Does he need to dominate? Sincerely, Richard Thiang
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo April 27, 2008 Dear Richard, I appreciate your constructive criticism and resonate most with your concluding paragraphs on The Main Lesson is how to enable our society to develop-- and practice-- more humane and compassionate rules. I disagree with your insistence on the dispositional analysis of evil and taking evil-generating situations off the hook because not everyone in them is equally affected. In all the exps. I detail in chapters 12 and 13 it is always the MAJORITY who obey, comply, yield, cross the line. Of course there are individual differences, but they represent the default value when faced with powerful situational forces. Ciao, Dr. Z.

	Peter Darby from Wales, UK
	April 1, 2008 8:31 am I have just finished the book, and already find it's informing my outlook on many issues. I am on the committee of a national home education charity, and often we find ourselves asking "Why are local government officers consistently overreaching their remits? Why is bullying constantly present in schools, by both students and staff, aimed at both students and staff? Is it really less prominent in home ed communities or are we missing something?" Recently on a popular discussion board that I follow(http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/010103.html#010103) the question was asked "Why do private security guards believe they can ask you to stop photographing public spaces and even delete the pictures from your camera?" From a similar position, discussing how to moderate a children's internet discussion board, how to make sure the moderators understood the limits of their responsibilities and powers.... And every time, I'm thinking "The guys in power who are overstepping the mark... these are the nice guy students from Stanford turned guards... They're not a priori bad, many of them have been cut loose by their management..." Sure, few of the situations are approaching the toxicity of the Stanford Prison (though I have my doubts about schools... especially in Britain where a "targets culture" has moved management away from personal governance to optimisation of statistics), but still the people are being led by the situation into behaviours they would not exhibit outside of that situation. Thanks for providing me with an excellent set of tools for my mental toolkit.

	Charlie Delgado from Oregon
	March 27, 2008 9:32 am Dear Phil: On page 406 of your book, you state: ' On Trial: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld' ' Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee: "These events occurred on my watch. As Secretary of Defense, I am accountable for them. I take full responsibility." 'HRW asserts that "Secretary Rumsfeld should be investigated for war crimes and torture by US troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo under the doctrine of 'command and responsibility.' Secretary Rumsfeld created the conditions for troops to commit war crimes and torture by sidelining and disparaging the Geneva conventions. He did so by approving interrogation techniques that violated the Geneva conventions as well as the Convention against Torture and by approving the hiding of detainees from the International Committee of the Red Cross." ... You make an excellent point here, but another point must be made in reference to Donald Rumsfeld's "admission." Donald Rumsfeld's admission was a farce. Even though Donald Rumsfeld admitted to being "responsible," he faced no recriminations, criminal charges, or punishment. Why? As for example in the case of the "Ice Man," (photo on page 410), MURDER was committed on his watch, --and, I might add --with Rumsfeld's blessing. Yet, no murder charges were ever filed, and no sentence for murder was ever carried out against Donald Rumsfeld! Instead, Donald Rumsfeld has won a salaried contract with, and joined, the elite faculty of Stanford University and has been added to the faculty roster of the Hoover Institution there, which now employs Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice --another war criminal! What a joke! According to the Nuremberg Charter, Judgment, and Principles, and under the guidelines and restrictions of the Nuremberg Trials, Donald Rumsfeld is a War Criminal! No nation on Earth can hold the United States accountable for war crimes as Nazi Germany was held accountable for war crimes at the end of World War II. Only the American people, or, failing that, the people of the world, can hold the United States accountable for war crimes perpetrated against the people of Iraq, including, but not limited to, those war crimes perpetrated at Abu Ghraib. The second point I would like to make here is that Donald Rumsfeld had both SPECIFIC PERSONAL knowledge and INSTITUTIONAL knowledge of the torture that was going on at Abu Ghraib before, during, and after it took place, and failed to take corrective action. Instead, he contributed to the commission of these crimes! First, Donald Rumsfeld had INSTITUTIONAL knowledge because, as you note on page 407, "The Department of Defense was repeatedly warned about torture and abuse of detainees by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in May and July 2003 (prior to the public expose at Abu Ghraib) and again in February 2004." In addition to that, the Pentagon had both constructive and institutional knowledge that the conditions at Abu Ghraib were ideally suited to torture before the torture took place at the hands of U.S. forces. It was known by the Pentagon and the CIA that Abu Ghraib prison was used for torture by Saddam Hussein, and this took place with the full knowledge and blessing of the CIA, prior to its being occupied by U.S. forces following the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The institutional knowledge that the Pentagon had prior to the torture taking place at Abu Ghraib began with the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) itself, which was both commissioned and funded by the Department of the Navy, as you stated in your book. Whether or not that study was still in the possession of the Department of the Navy when the Abu Ghraib atrocities began under the command of Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense, the Navy should have learned from it, and did learn from it, as evidenced by the SERE program. And legally, since The Navy had constructive knowledge, then the Pentagon also had constructive knowledge. Donald Rumsfeld was the head of the Pentagon, as Secretary of Defense, and therefore he also had constructive knowledge. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had specific personal knowledge of the abuses that were taking place at Abu Ghraib, and failed to take corrective action, because, as you note on page 406, he "approv[ed] interrogation techniques that violated the Geneva Conventions as well as the Convention against Torture and by approv[ed] the hiding of detainees from the International Committee of the Red Cross." The American people must hold Donald Rumsfeld accountable for his actions. Nazi war criminals were hanged for committing similar offenses, and those laws are still on the books! On the other hand, if the American people do not hold Donald Rumsfeld accountable for these horrific crimes --including murder --no one will. And sadly, it does not look like any people anywhere will hold him accountable. Not, at least, in his lifetime. And the same goes for the other high level perpetrators of these war crimes committed at Abu Ghraib and throughout Iraq by U.S. forces. If not Donald Rumsfeld, then who will hold America responsible, and who will be forced to pay for these crimes? I shudder to think, for this is the legacy that we are leaving to our children and our grandchildren. Thank you for all you do and keep up the good work!
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo April 27, 2008 Charlie If you examine the results of my Virtual Voting Booth, the vast majority of site visitors agree with you and me that he and the other architects of torture are guilty of command responsibility violations and should be dealt with as such. My central point is that Accountability must accompany Responsibility and thus personal liability attends such failures of responsibility. Rumsfeld should be in a prison cell next to the Army Reserve MPs whose policies led them down the slippery slope of evil. Ciao, Dr. Z.

	Sarah from England.
	March 23, 2008 7:40 pm 18th of march at the Emmanuel Centre in London! One of the best days :) its was like truely inspirational, and now i really want to buy your book. sadly i didnt get to get a picture with you :( but i did get a picture of you! From now on i am definatly going to "search for the hero inside myself"! hahha! loved it.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo April 27, 2008 Sarah it was a great time for me also, what a tremendous reception by 1000 UK high school students--on each of two days. Eager for return engagement. check out the many good features on this web site and enjoy Lucifer. ciao Dr. Z.

	M.R.Srinivasan from India
	March 1, 2008 9:41 am I'd been through the narration in this website, and I feel the participants in this endeavor of yours were only play-acting , aware as they were of your project's raison d'etre by the process of selection as part of an academic study.Having said that, the subject of 'crime and punishment' is a catch 22 stuff,having to deal with hardened criminals/ inveterate delinquents of all types,and balance the need to administer adequate correctional & rehabilitative measures in the interest of both the offender and community of which he's a member. Criminal jurisprudence should use modern scientific principles and less dehumanizing process of investigations in the true spirit of the U.N. Conventions on human dignity and right to life,etc.When the State itself is a party to being the ruthless oppressor of human rights by framing of enabling rules/regulations of prisoner-investigations,such evil-minded & beastly actions on the part of the minions of law- enforcement in the name of 'getting at the truth'turn out to be a license with impunity ! Sensitivity to human concerns must be 'top-down'to rid the scourge of human depravity,tinged with sadistic impulses.As a specialist in the field,I guess, you'll agree.

	Charlie from Oregon
	February 27, 2008 9:24 pm Hi Phil, Since I was a Poli Sci major, I focus on the 'bottom line' for me: People in positions of responsibility need to be held responsible. --like Bush, Rumsfeld, Sanchez, Myers, etc., as mentioned in the book. Criminal charges should be filed, these guys should have been arrested long ago, and they should all be --in jail --pending trial! The torture and abuses that went on at Abu Ghraib was intentional! The critical detail that points to this fact in your book is the fact that your SPE was funded by the Department of the Navy! I contend that --if they should have known, they did know. They did know. The question of why they are not in jail is another problem. Suffice it to say that the Evil in "The System" that you have identified in your book is mych more pervasive than you allude to in your book! I don't believe they should be water-boarded, --just put in 24/7 solitary confinement under bright lights, a surveillance camera, and have to sit on a stainless steel toilet with no toilet seat in front of the camera, and have their every move recorded on film! I have reason to believe I was under political surveillance by the FBI while I was saying this. Many Thanks, Charlie

	Ilhan Niaz from Islamabad, Pakistan
	February 23, 2008 12:51 pm Dear Dr. Zimbardo, I've finished reading the Lucifer Effect and I must say it is absolutely essential reading for all social scientists. What happened in Rwanda in the 1990s happened in India-Pakistan in 1947 when the two countries were partitioned along religious lines out of the British Empire in India. About a million people died and some twenty million were displaced in that communal holocaust which saw neighbors of different religious persuasions who had lived, dined, and socialized together for over a century of British rule (Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus) butcher, rape, and displace each other. At a more mundane level, I can relate to it personally. Many of the people I know were or are members of the power elite in Pakistan and your diagnosis applies to them almost perfectly. I have also researched their behavior from a historical perspective to further my understanding of the crisis of governance in my part of the world and part of the problem is that the amiable and articulate gentlemen who quote Voltaire and Milton and play golf at the club are the same people who in their official capacities often behave like mafia dons. I have seen this take place amongst several of my circle of friends and acquaintances who have joined the military or police or other sectors of the state apparatus as well. Even the best of them fall into the category of "good guards" - i.e. they do no harm but also do not, or cannot stop their colleagues from causing harm, the evil of inaction. The systemic pressure is too great. The difference is in magnitude-our culture of power and historical experience of the state is very different from that which exists in the United States- and therefore the lucifer effect is far more readily demonstrable in India/Pakistan than it would perhaps be in the US. In this part of the world practically every prison and many a police station is an Abu Ghraib/Gitmo. I think the Lucifer Effect and its perspective can be used to explain history far better than many existing frameworks. Perspectives such as Fukuyama's End of History hypothesis or Huntington's Clash of Civilizations are woefully superficial in contrast precisely because they are dispositional in their analyses. It is ultimately a question of personal interest but I hope that you or your colleagues may consider developing the Lucifer Effect into a philosophy of history or analysis of state psychology. That would be a tremendous contribution. Wishing you all the best, Ilhan Niaz Islamabad, Pakistan

	Richard Domencic from Pennsylvania
	February 22, 2008 4:47 pm Dear Dr. Zimbardo: Last spring I wrote a very positive review of your book on this website and thanked you for your humane insights. The high regard I hold for your work remains. I have just completed Naomi Klein's very disturbing new book "The Shock Doctrine," a revealing look at what she calls disaster capitalism. Her research, perspectives, and presentations on torture bring a further dimension to what you offer in your book. That dimension is its use in producing the necessary kind of shocks/traumas to support disaster capitalism as expressed by the Milton Friedman University of Chicago school of economics philosophy. It is based upon "wiping the slate clean" by way of disasters or violent shocks. She begins with the shock treatment experiments supported by the CIA in the 40's, 50's and the development of their interrogation -- nay, torture -- manuals and the adoption of such techniques by other countries. Klein further details how the shock resulting from natural disasters pose wonderful opportunities for the furtherance of the privatization of the operations of countries, the abolition of free trade, the cutting of taxes and social services, and the pillage of the resources of countries for the benefit of a wealthy minority....while increasing the breadth and depth of poverty exponentially. I would be very interested in your view of Klein's work from the perspective of The Lucifer Effect. Thanks again for your contributions and maintaining this forum.

	Kathy Butler from Washington state
	February 14, 2008 4:47 pm The same year as the Stanford experiment, I was a secondary school teacher in Australia. I had read about the "blue eyes, brown eyes" experiment in a Reader's Digest article, and decided to share it and try it out on my "smartest" 7th grade English class: it was too disturbing to repeat--in only 50 minutes some students were brought to tears, became nauseated, etc. A few weeks later I enrolled in a drama workshop where the leader used role playing to show its effect on the psyche: I was a "Yank", had to sit in a chair without moving my head, and two Aussie girls were told to walk circles around me saying anything they wanted about how much they hated Yanks. At first, it was insincere and like a game. But as the minutes past the remarks became more harsh, severe, truly hateful--sincerely so. I began to shake all over. The moderator stopped the "experiment", held my hand and asked me to describe what I was feeling: it was several minutes before I could stop shaking and crying. In 1974 I went to Japan and became involved in a fundamentalist Christian group that I began to realize had cult-like methods: I was almost completely brainwashed: almost, because I remembered the experiments in 1971. Because I brought my friends into this church, I stayed to "protect" them for almost 25 years. I have not been with them since 1998: those I helped are also no longer there; those I could not help, are still there. It was the knowledge of the mechanism that gave me power over it.

	Z.C. from USA
	February 13, 2008 2:08 am I haven't read your book but I know that what you speak of in the book was already known by other previous psychologists in our history. I am talking about the very concept. I also want to ask you why you chose the word "luciferic" to describe evil. Surely this points out to a christian viewpoint. Many luciferians feel harmed by that book. As a psychologist you should of picked a more "scientific" word to describe this effect. Was it only for the appeal of the crowd that the decision was made? Please explain why a person such as yourself would view reality in a "dogmatic" way.

	Emmanuel Lee from Chicago, IL
	February 12, 2008 2:38 am Hello. I just saw your interview on the Colbert Report, and I heard an interesting comment you made about the cause of Lucifer's fall from grace. You said that because God put all angels under the authority of Adam, a mortal being, Lucifer refused, and everything evil sprung from that incident. From Biblical study, your premise is flawed. In a study of Biblical chronology, Satan came to Adam and Eve as a serpent, indicating he had already fallen before the creation of Adam and Eve. Specifically in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, Satan's sin was listed. It was pride. He thought so highly of himself that he figured he could rule as God. However, your premise, as I said, was flawed from the beginning. This fall took place before the creation of Adam, and Satan sought to usurp Adam's authority. Adam, however, was not resisted for being mortal. God made Adam immortal, incorruptible, and stipulated that he was to abstain from eating of the tree of knowledge (firsthand experience) of good and evil (not of moral understanding, but of experience of good and bad times); God told Adam that if he ate from the tree God commanded him not to, he would die. Death did not come as a result of Adam's being created, but for Adam's disobedience to direct orders. For you to say Lucifer didn't want Adam as a governor due to his mortality is the key flaw in your argument, and doesn't hold water in a theological debate. I would be very wary of basing a book on this flawed premise, and even further, I would hate to have a theology that allowed sympathy for the reprobate enemy of God; that is a very strong foothold Satan uses in his deception-- it's always the little stuff that leads on to big stuff... Just thought you should know. If you want real Biblical understanding in context, I highly recommend this ebook: http://www3.calvarychapel.com/library/smith-chuck/books/wtwict.htm Thank you for your time, and take care.

	Louis Mensing from Oregon
	February 2, 2008 10:07 pm I and two Inmate friends are about to read The Lucifer Effect and really need a vocabulary definition list to help our reading and discussions so we do not get overwhelmed by the difficulty. We are doing the discussions by mail as of course we can not simply sit together and discuss the material. Thank you for any help you could give us in locating a dictionary or similar help. Sincerely, Louis Mensing
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo February 6, 2008 Louis, I wrote Lucifer for the general public not for professionals. The main part of the book is on my prison study, 9 chapters, and there is no jargon or psych terms there. Not until the next chapters do I introduce the psychological explanations and always try to define each term as I use them. I do not have a definitions listing. there is a big index of all terms at the back of the book so you can find where each term is used. Hope you enjoy it and learn from my book. also check out all the good stuff on this web site Dr. Z.

	Joshua Hockett from Wisconsin
	February 2, 2008 5:03 pm I first got word about your book when I passed over your face on a C-SPAN peice about you and your book. I recognized your face right away having taken a couple personality psychology classes as an undergraduate (I am actually a Kinesiology student now pursuing an MS) Having has a small nack for wanting to know how people think, interact, react and adapt to the world around them caused me to stop and watch the segment. It might have been some 20 minutes at most but in that time I found myself very deeply intrigued by the stance and insights you gave about your book and its purpose. Having learned about the SPE in class had provided me with some insights to what you were discussing already. But to hear that your book offerd much more then the video had to offer was indeed compelling. Enough so that I did ask for your book as a Christmas gift this past Dec. I am all but 3 chapters away from closing it up. Even now I have done a complete 180 on my perspectives of human relationships and interactions with both people and their environments. My regrets now stem from not knowing what I know now after having read your book. Your book challenges, enhances and modifies known theories of self-serving bias, self-effacing bias, locus of control, social learning, and dispositional tendancies to name just a few. I have but two comments to enforce before leaving off: All undergraduate sociology and psychology students should read this book and secondly is my own curiousity as to how I can apply the concepts of "not bad apples, but bad barrles" to the domains of sports and exercise science?
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo February 6, 2008 Dear Joshua Thanks for this very supportive feedback, I think you will find those last 3 chapters are the pay back for enduring the long journey through the first 13. The last chapter, 16, has become my favorite and should give you new ideas about heroism. Lucifer is now in Paperback and is cheap, so yes I hope it gets adopted for college courses, as you suggest. I don't know enough about your areas of interest to give specific advice. The key is adopting a Systems perspective and giving up the excessive individual focus. warm regards Dr. Z.

	margaret from palo alto
	January 27, 2008 4:16 am aside from my noticing you did not know or recognize how to spell my name, (your busy and I understand .... I go to Stanford too) But ggoogle your name with Sherron. you are such a brilliant man... and think after carefully reviewing the problems you'll agree with me... she was no angel, Andy Fastow deceived everyone, and god only knows what else. But I have admired you so much, for so long, your a hero and legend yourself.... why in the world would you defend some opportunistic (if you had done some academic review) like Sherron Watkins. I idolize you but it sadly reminds me of all the books , magazine articles and press just jumping on the Bush bandwagon for war. However in your case... you jumped on the self serving Sherron bandwagon. I read all these cases very seriously.... I knew more than you when you published your book. Whats the deal? After looking over the evidence you could not possibly call her a hero or whistlblower. In fact she got immunity from going to prison. Do felons meet the criteria you call "heros".... and if so , why?
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo January 29, 2008 DEAR MARGARET, I am indeed sorry for mis-spelling your name, It was my mother's name, so it is not that I did not recognize it, I was likely exhausted and not paying as close attention as I should have. Regarding the Sherron Watkins debacle, what else do you want me to do other than remove her photo for my photo gallery and no longer consider her a hero? I read her book, spoke with her in person, read the TIME magazine piece extolling her as one of three women whistle blowers, that was all there was at the time I wrote my book. I did not do exhaustive research because there was much more of vital interest then SW. I am glad you have done the research and are correcting the misrepresentation. However, I take offense at your last sentence of calling a felon a hero. You have crossed the boundary of becoming offensive. Back off. Dr. Z.

	mohikanis from Canada
	January 25, 2008 5:07 pm Just last evening a 17-year-old with Down's Syndrome was tormented verbally and then physically by his hired "teacher associate" during a field trip for the accredited school where I work as a teacher. I was driving the van in which fourteen passengers, including the victim and harrasser, were riding. Then on CBC in Canada I heard about the Lucifer effect. I think this information is going to impact the way I treat students. Already I have discussed the van incident with two other staff members, and we are in the process of ensuring that senior administration is aware of the behaviours of our teacher associate. Unfortunately, this individual is probably not alone in his unacceptable treatment of the lad with Down's syndrome. Possibly the whole staff can participate in training which may cause each of us to re-evaluate our responses to certain students in our school.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo January 29, 2008 Dear Mohikanis I am pleased that my CBC interview made you aware of the way usually good people, kids and adults, can easily slip into dehumanizing and teasing and bullying others. It does take a call to vigilance of the System to declare no tolerance for such abuses for it to be challenged. Please read my Lucifer book, especially the final chapter. I wish you well in seeing this matter through to a humane conclusion. Dr. Z.

	Cathy Smith from Alberta Canada
	January 24, 2008 6:56 pm I heard an interview today with Mr. Zimbardo on CBC radio. It was very interesting and I intend to read the book, The Lucifer Effect. One comment that you made caused me to think immediately of CAN WE BE SAINTS by Frank Duff the founder of the Legion of Mary. It is a tought provoking and inspiring book on the call of all mankind to be GOOD not evil! Blessings to you Cathy Smith
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo January 29, 2008 Cathy Glad you enjoyed my CBC interview.I am amazed at how much interest it has stirred up judging from all the emails I have gotten from across Canada. Current One must be a popular radio program. I will indeed buy and read Duff's book, on your recommendation. Hope you like my Lucifer and enjoy the goodies in this web site. Dr. Z.

	Suz from Connecticut
	January 1, 2008 11:57 am I am writing to thank you, deeply, for your fine work of art known as "The Lucifer Effect". I recently purchased this book at the suggestion of a friend and practicing therapist in Ireland. She and I met via the internet and share a common bond, that of survivors of adoption. She is an adoptee and I am a mother who lost her child to adoption in 1986 after a five month stay in a maternity "home". She knows my story well, my experience of being interned in the home, being threatened with lawsuits and worse if I did not surrender my first born child to a baby broker. She knows of the twenty something years I have spent in therapy from resulting PTSD and immense shame and guilt over the relinquishing of my daughter to adoption. For years I have wondered how a "good Catholic girl..and honor student...with such high potential" could leave a three day old child in the hands of complete strangers. Had I done so in a mall, I would have been arrested. However, since I did so in a hospital, three days post partum, under the guise of adoption, it was deemed morally acceptable. Call it adoption, pretty it up as some will, but for me it was at traumatic experience that has left a permanent wound on my soul. I have been able to forgive many of the players in this horrible play but I could never, ever, forgive myself. I should have known better, I should have been stronger. I should have never left my child. For years I was told to put blame on the system, the church, society and the constructs of same (and its views on single, unwed mothers). I could not. I signed those papers, not Father Pcolka out of Holy Name, not my mother, not some stranger on the street. ME. Now, today, after reading your book, I see the larger system at play. I see how alienating a young girl, locking her up, removing her from the only familiar faces and support system she had and daily telling her she was worth nothing, played a part - a large part - in my psyche at the time. More importantly, I see how all actors in the system contributed to the decision I ultimately made and am held accountable for. A decision that forever changed my life path and that of my first born child. Thank you. You may have just saved me many hours in therapy. While I have an excellent therapist (with whom I intend to share my thoughts of your book with), this reading, this research, this explanation you provided has produced quite the breakthrough for me. Thank you. From the bottom of my scarred heart and soul, thank you. Suz Bednarz -- The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.- Friedrich Nietzsche
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo January 29, 2008 Dear Suz, Letters like yours make my efforts so much more worthwhile and will keep me going when things get tough. That decision you made as a young girl was not out of your free will, it was determined,controlled, seduced out of you by a System with many seemingly good people working in complicity to achieve their goal -- of getting a baby to sell and not having to deal with your issues directly. It is sad that you lost your child and sadder that you have had to suffer so long from the guilt of a decision that was systemic and not dispositionally generated. I love the Nietzsche quote, did not know it but will use it in my lectures. It is time for you to take joy in your life, to put the past in its proper place and become an ordinary hero focusing on helping others in whatever way your talents and energy lead you. it is also time for scarred hearts to heal and become vibrant. OK?? Dr. Z.

	Anna from United Kingdom
	December 24, 2007 1:47 pm My partner and I are currently reading the same copy of 'The Lucifer Effect' (I lent the book to him on a train and he's been reading it whenever I'm not since) and are finding it incredibly interesting and insightful. As a Psychology student, I had read about the SPE before buying the book, but never in such detail as 'The Lucifer Effect' goes in to. I was interested to read further on the SPE as in the area of Social Psychology I'm focusing in, the experiment is one of a few that are referred to and referenced most frequently. Aswell as an in-depth look inside the SPE, told by the man himself which was also an exciting aspect of the book, I've found the other chapters of the book interesting - though somewhat unsettling at times! It challenges a reader to look inside themselves and admit they don't really know themselves in extreme circumstances such as the ones exemplified in 'The Lucifer Effect'. However, I believe it's this better understanding and self-realisation that the book details in a clear and concise manner, which may endeavour to help a wider understanding of the same issues. Here's to Chapter Sixteen!
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo December 27, 2007 Dear Anna Your thoughtful feedback is a Christmas gift to me because your reaction is what I had hoped to elicit during the grueling process of writing this SPE memoir and expose of the evil situation and system operating at Abu Ghraib prison. Yes the real heart of my book is in Chapter 16, on resisting influence, promoting civic virtue and encouraging the heroic imagination. Please explore this web site fully, there is much here and we update sections of it regularly, and get friends to visit it as well. You made my day Dr. Z.

	Cristina Poponete from Romania via The Netherlands
	December 4, 2007 10:55 am Dear Prof. dr. Zimbardo, First of all I would like to thak you again for yours book of social psychology sent to me with time ago. Was helpful to understand better what is all about today. 1. I saw just yours Google conferences but I hope that soon I shall read the book too. I am a little bit confused about yours explanation. You say in yours Google youtube conference that “the situation corrupted the soldier’s behavior”. I am just thinking that the situation is a little bit too abstract. Is not the way the soldiers perceived their situation there, which gave them the Luciferic sensation of total power on those human beings? I mean being aware (more or less) of all the limits of the situation which can induce such a sensation…You speak about “powerful situation forces” which can transform a person. But power is a concept which has signification just in human mind. People invest with power …Is not the power which makes you to raise the hand and beat nor the situation, is you, as a consequence of how you think and perceive you, in yours pretended "superiority". This makes sense to me rather because you say at the beginning that in human being is always the struggle for good or evil and later you change the register toward the situation and the forces created. If in each human being is the raise and the fall too why the forces outside human can explain all these? Because Chip was a normal person we should not question the today’s normality, after all? 2. You insisted on the fact that these were weekend soldiers. So is not in fact the corruption which can arise when the incompetents are posted in higher functions than their knowledge and moral values? 3. I can accept the social psychological argument of “the need to be as the group”, but is not the moral guardian (the conscience) who can make you to question the situations and the acts? So I dare to ask a little bit forward: today after yours work and conclusions what system can offer this heroic, altruistic education for children? Have blessed Holydays with love and peace!
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo December 20, 2007 Dear Cristina Thank you for these interesting points of view. I do hope that you will read The Lucifer Effect, some answers are contained there in more detail than I can offer here. A quick reply: My emphasis on highlighting how external social situations can influence human behavior is presented to balance the excessive focus in psychology and in most explanations of complex actions on The Person, on his or her Dispositions, genes, character, etc. Such views ignore or minimize the influences of group dynamics, authority power, rules, roles, diffusion of responsibility, dehumanization, deindividuation and other social variables acting in particular behavioral settings on those within its psychological sphere of influence. We are also influenced by the nature of our physical environment, but the social environment is socially constructed. Those forces are especially powerful in new, unfamiliar settings where our learned, habitual ways of responding are not readily activated or are not relevant. Situations influence behavior to varying degrees, nevertheless, Individuals are still personally accountable under law for their actions. The MPS at Abu Ghraib were Army Reservists with minimal training for their job in a combat zone. In addition, they received no oversight, surveillance or support by superiors, ever. They were instructed rather to help military intelligence, the CIA and civilian interrogators from the CACI organization to help them to "break" the prisoners, to prepare them for interrogation, to "take the gloves off," in short to abuse them- and they did that. Morality becomes "disengaged" in some situations, enabling good people to do evil, and then return to their ordinary values and state of mind when outside that situation, according to the theory and research by Albert Bandura--check it out on Google- Moral Disengagement." Regards to you and Happy Holidays. Dr. Z.

	Kathy Kimber from California
	November 27, 2007 11:12 am I've been following the SPE for decades now and am really glad that the book has finally come out. What I want to know is whether any indepth follow-up studies have been done of the student participants. How did the study effect them over the long term? Did they having lasting effects, either positive or negative? Did they change their political/cultural views on things like psychology, prisons, punishment, etc. after their participation. I saw the comment that they seemed to have no lasting traumatic aftermath but I'm more interested in how participation might have changed their psychological, emotional, spiritual, cultural orientation. Thanks. Wonderful work and *really* difficult at the same time.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo December 20, 2007 Dear Kathy Glad you asked about the fate of the students in the SPE. I devote much of a chapter in the Lucifer Effect to that issue, please read it in depth. There were no negative effects beyond those they experienced while in that unusual setting, little carry over to their everyday lives. Some were indeed affected- for the better, such as prisoner 8612, Doug Korpi, the first to break down, whose whole life since then has been to work within the Corrections system in California, helping both prisoners and guards to suppress sadism and to promote personal dignity. I also describe in detail the effect that study had on the researchers and others connected with it. Wish you well. Dr. Z.

	Marie from the East Coast
	November 16, 2007 9:21 pm Thanks for writing The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil. I see the effects of pernicious institutional forces everyday--in a public school, no less, where administrators tell teachers daily that they are being "investigated" because a child claimed all his papers weren't graded or a parent stormed the office in anger because "My child deserved a better grade!" Teachers are routinely interrogated by groups of hostile administrators in meetings that may last up to several hours, driven to re-grade papers until the child gets the appropriate grade, and required to attend conferences every time a student or parent complains. The psychological abuse that happens during those meetings is eerily similar to the directives the guards gave to the misbehaving inmates in your study. The effects are demoralized, frightened teachers who ingratiate themselves to children, parents, and administrat ors, teachers who inflate grades, and teachers who often leave the "profession" shortly after entering it. Most of us teachers and administrators, I'm sure, consider ourselves compassionate, self-sacrificing individuals who work hard to support children and the educational process; most of us would, I expect, vehemently deny being controlled by anyone who was not "acting in the best interest of the child." My guess is high-stakes testing may not be the sole reason the schools are hemorrhaging qualified teachers and stable students.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo December 20, 2007 Dear Marie; sorry for the belated reply, just finished writing a new book on the psychology of Time Perspective, to be published in August, 2008, took a lot of time and energy. Your point is well taken and is very distressing. In our current climate in the U.S., parents and students are putting excessive pressure on school administrators to upgrade students' performance evaluations, to change grades and less than glowing recommendations by teachers. Too often, school principals and other administrators cave in to such pressures and sell out their teachers, in turn pressuring them to yield to such parental power. It is a sad commentary I believe on the corruption of the school system, mostly by over-involved "helicopter" hovering parents obsessed with their children's success. They should spend more time helping their kids become better students, to read and study more, practice critical thinking, learn how to write more effectively and to practice being good citizens. Dedicated teachers can give up and burnout from such negative influences, when their administrators do not support their efforts as pupils and parents attack their abilities and motivation. I wish you the strength to survive these assaults-- teachers have to unite against such injustices. warm regards, Dr. Z.

	William Rhoades from California
	October 14, 2007 3:49 pm Long ago, when I first learned of the SPE, I thought the conclusions made from the study seemed "natural." I felt this because of my own experiences in life, and specifically my experiences in a Military HS. What the study brought to mind was Golding's Lord of the Flies novel. The Lucifer Effect evokes those same thoughts of the dynamics in that novel; and in particular The Beast. When the Milgram study happened in the early 60's, dumbfounded, we asked,"How can this happen?" When the SPE research came out, the same question was on the tip of our collective tongue. Now we have Abu Graib's litany of horrors and the same question haunts us. If one wants to understand "why it happens," certainly the definitive place to look would be Zimbardo's Lucifer Effect. Fundamentally, is man good or evil? Philosophers have pondered that idea since Plato. However, we live in the world of behaviors and not lofty towers of intellectual debate. At least in my mind, man has an equal propensity for good or evil. What he chooses at any given moment, is strongly influenced by social and situational influences. We should all very much look forward to Zimbardo's future research regarding Heroism and "good."
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo October 28, 2007 Dear William I appreciate your support of my research and the ideas presented in TLE. The big question now is once we appreciate the previously hidden power of situational forces, how does that change the way society copes with its various types of evil --beyond punishing perpetrators. Do we push a paradigm shift away from a simplistic dispositional notion that has ruled since the Inquistion to embrace a public health model? Such a model would view the evils in any society as a vector of disease whose source must be uncovered, and once identified can lead to strategies of prevention and innoculation. I am now making another arugment, that what the world needs now- beside love sweet love-- is many more heroes in our midst as the antidote to evil. Check out the Celebrating Heroism section of this site. Dr.Z.

	Lynne Martin from Indiana
	August 26, 2007 10:43 pm I have read the book and I agree with Dr. Zimbardo’s ‘bad barrel’ theories. However, I do not believe that ALL of the "trophy" photos taken by soldiers in Iraq have been destroyed. Their power would be too great. The potential for blackmail, media shock value, confirmation of revenge, and much more would make their total destruction unlikely and ADD to that the ease of duplication and the small size of media required to keep those photos. If I were a journalist, I would be hunting for more of the story.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo August 27, 2007 Dear Lynne As expert witness in the defense of S/Sgt Chip Frederick, I was allowed to see all of the many trophy photos, many hundreds of them, most worse than the dozen or so leaked to the media in 2004. The military and Bush administration have worked hard behind the scenes to prevent their exposure in part because they further implicate the military and civilian command structure that encouraged these MPs to "soften" up the detainees, to "take the gloves off," in prepping them for coercive interrogation by CIA and Military Intelligence operatives. Also these abuses went on for at least 3 months, who was watching the store? Where were any senior officers during this time. Joe Darby was given a CD with the hundreds of trophy photos by his buddy, actually 2 CDs that were making the rounds of the compound. Some soldiers had the image of the nude pyramid on their computer screen savers!! The media should be pressing harder for their release. Dr. Z.

	John Nirenberg from Vermont
	August 24, 2007 4:59 pm I finished reading the Lucifer Effect and was horrified at the behavior at Abu Ghraib (and at other prisons). The details of these events and the complicity of the administration up to and including Bush is extremely disturbing. I don't usually write comments to discussion groups but when I read Christina's comments on page 459, I decided I had to write. She says, “If you disobeyed, refused to continue, got paid and left silently, your heroic action would not prevent the next 999 participants from experiencing the same distress. It would be an isolated event without social impact unless it included going to the next step of challenging the entire structure and assumptions of the research.” In a sense even SPC Darby, whistleblower that he was, may ultimately be ignored in spite of the show trials. It is made worse because now we all know about these events and, as Nancy Pelosi says, "impeachment is off the table." Okay, given the public awareness about the abuses of the Bush administration - which are extensive, can we do more than ride out the administration's term of office as it persists in illegal and immoral behavior? Your readers have voted overwhelmingly that they believe the administration is guilty. What would Christina do?
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo September 7, 2007 Dear John, You raise volatile issues about what course of action can citizens take when their government veers off in a path of corruption, injustice, deception, and immorality. It is the worst effects of a System that talks democracy and freedom and practices fascism and suspension of our freedoms. It is not clear what is happening to the psyche of America at this time in history: we are resigning ourselves to this administration's lie-filled support of a victory in Iraq at all costs by supporting Democrats who oppose the war but do so in the most gentile ways. I think Pelosi and company are willing to wait out Bush's term hoping he will further erode support for the Republican Party so the Dems will gain more congressional seats. But that is a long wait, with much time for further destruction of our ideals, and death and maiming of our children-soldiers. Dr. Z.

	Leon from Texas
	July 26, 2007 6:57 pm Last week, a friend of mine from Texas telephoned and told me that I must read Philip Zimbardo’s book, The Lucifer Effect. Mind you, I am a retired businessman, not a social scientist, and my general reading leans toward murder mysteries, not scholarly works. But my friend is one of the most thought-provoking, intelligent, and upright women I have ever met, so I bought the book. The Lucifer Effect has made me think. My first thought is that I haven’t really had or held onto an original thought in the past forty years. My life has been so enmeshed in “the System,” that I might as well have been living on automatic pilot. I thought that I had been doing all of the “right” things. I had made my stockholders happy, received a good annual bonus, joined the most visible service clubs, had my name in the Business section of the newspaper on occasion, attended church on Sundays and at Christmas and Easter, and had been a good provider for my family. But I have been more than a scoundrel. I have been an outright bully. First of all, I spent forty married years telling my wife and children how lucky they were to have me for a husband and father. Didn’t I provide well for them? Hadn’t I worked my butt off to give them everything they wanted? Didn’t they belong to the best clubs, go to the best schools, have the nicest cars? In my eyes I was the chest-thumping Tarzan, king of the jungle who came home every night bringing food for the table. In their eyes, I am afraid that I was an absent father, an egotistical jerk, and, as my Texan friend tells me, I “wore a big hat but I had no cattle.” When my wife left me two years ago, that was my wake up call. She was done and I didn’t understand why. So for the past two years I have been looking for the answers and I don’t like what I have been seeing. I thought that the marriage ended because we had grown apart over the years. When I started reading about the Stanford Prison Experiment I began to realize that for forty years I had been the prison guard in our house, and my wife and kids were the prisoners. I had even lined my children up against the wall just like the videotape of the Stanford prisoners. I would pace back and forth yelling at my four beautiful children telling them how hard I worked to buy things for them and what a disappointment they were turning out to be. I wouldn’t stop until every one of them looked just like the picture of young Stewart on page 107 of The Lucifer Effect. Something inside of me wanted to break them, to break their spirits. And I didn’t know why. The Lucifer Effect explained the role I was playing during those many years and with that understanding I think that I can take off my dark glasses and my uniform now. Maybe I can even set things right with my kids and my ex.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 26, 2007 Leon, Thanks for posting this remarkable reaction to The Lucifer Effect, which you had posted earlier on our theology blog in response to Jennifer Brook's blog on domestic violence. The transformation you outline is so amazing that I would like as many of our site visitors to see and absorb it, so posting it here as well doubles those chances. I hope we will stay in touch. I am eager to learn of how your new self perspective is working to right past wrongs. Dr. Z

	Richard Dalton from TX
	July 25, 2007 8:05 am I based my discussion on personal past experiences while an "instructor" at the USAF Survival School at Fairchild AFB, Wn. During the 1960"s. I worked in the RTB (Resistance Training Branch where we played roles such as those described in your book. We were "aggressors" for two weeks out of the month in which we took American soldiers, sailors, Airmen and Marines as well as some foreign nationals and placed them in simulated captivity. We exposed these people to as many of the rigors/stresses of captivity as we could. Many were tactics used by the Soviets, East Germans, North Koreans, North Vietnamese, Chinese, and Middle Eastern countries (Iranian). These were all areas that our pilots, sailors, soldiers and Marines might be exposed too at any given time. We held them in isolation, transported them with bags over their heads, placed them in 4 meter boxes for 15 to 30 minutes at a time to bring out claustrophobia and interrogated them for at least an hour four times a day for a week. This was done by Psychologicaly tested USAF personnel from the Intelligence Field. We like your article stated also had people who went "round the bend" or "off track" when subjected to the administration of stresses which were inflicted on our own men. Some went so far as to see if they could mentally and physically break a "student" in this program. I saw latent sadism erupt from what were percieved as mild mannered "bookworms." The concept of "Brainwashing" as was coined by the press in the 1950's which is nothing more than Pavlovian "Conditioned Response" was used by this school on a regular basis. In conclusion, this is what happens when decent people are thrust into situations that are counter to sociological norms. Your article and the work of Dr. Phillip Zimbardo have proven out what I witnessed and participated in. This school caused mental breakdowns and created marital problems for the instructors on a regular basis. I would love to share my thoughts and experiences with Dr. Zimbardo of Stanford U. Richard M. Dalton
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 26, 2007 Richard, You have indeed shared these important views with me, and I thank you for doing so on our Lucifer web, so others can also share them too. First, the article you refer to is one our web visitors may want to check out. It is a fine essay in Scientific American, August 2007 issue, by Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptic Society and columnist for S.A., titled, "Bad Apples and Bad Barrels". Next point you raise is the nature of the military training originally designed to help U.S. soldiers to effectively resist being "broken" into giving false confessions or yielding valuable information to enemy captors. It has come to be known as the SERE military program-SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE, and ESCAPE. However, there is mounting evidence that recently it has been "reverse engineered"-- using lessons learned for prevention of our soldiers from giving information to extracting information via coercive interrogation tactics on enemies combatants and also so called "enemy non-combatants." I cover this issue on pages 252-254, and is part of a new Vanity Fair (July 17, 2007) expose, that I recommend reading, titled Rorschach and Awe, by Katherine Eban. You can find it here. But let me not forget the part of your message about how situations in which people are only playing roles, as interrogators in these mock SERE exercises, could get so carried away into the reality of those roles, that they acted sadistically despite ordinarily being "mild mannered bookworms." That is what I mean by "The Lucifer Effect"--the subtle and pervasive power of behavioral situations to transform ordinary, good folks into mindless perpetrators of evil. Thanks for your input, hope you find something of value in my book. Dr.Z

	Leonard H. Becl from Wilmington, DE
	July 21, 2007 4:00 pm Dr. Zimbardo, At your suggestion I have my copy of "Lucifer". I am searching for descriptions and discussion of "appropriate discipline", "Restitution", "Justice", and early Intervention. To me, Justice is bringing to light information which may affect the innocent. (minimum secrecy) Restitution is for the Victim, the Convict, and the Community, as described at www.prisonpage.net And, most important, Appropriate Discipline is the first step Key we all need to agree on for early intervention. I prefer the teaching/self-training implication. You have written well on so many, many challenging subjects. I hope you will also consider "Appropriate Discipline". Len Earlier you took issue with my statement that no one commits murder as his first offense. I regard bullying and abuse as the 'others' first offense, which often lead to a form of victim self-defense.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 24, 2007 Leonard thanks for the post. My concern is with the semantics of "discipline," and "appropriate discipline." The words are fine, but what is their action reality.? Authorities in prison always say they used "appropriate force" to deal with inmate opposition. What is appropriate to them may be brutal to the inmates or to third-party observers. I could not agree more with the need for early intervention to help youngsters who are sending distress signals to society that they need help, that they can be dangerous to self or others. That was surely the case with the young Korean student at Virginia Tech who became a mass murder. He like many others who commit homicide as their first criminal offense are likely to be "shy sudden murderers," and extremely over-controlled in their impulses. But teased, bullied, demeaned, and isolated in any school setting--is a recipe for disaster of self-destruction, or with readily available weapons, of shooting to death dozens of students and teachers at Virginia Tech, Columbine and a host of other schools throughout our nation. I will check out your web site for answers, but we may be in more agreement than you indicate. Dr. Z

	Dmitry Sergeev from PA
	July 6, 2007 11:40 am One aspect of the Stanford Prison Experiment that is not addressed concerns the perception of prisons - what the participants thought their roles as prisoners or guards would be. Apparently some thought that prisons are supposed to punish and humiliate people. A related question concerns what kind of people would be willing to participate in such an experiment. Now, would someone who understands the social dynamics of such situations be willing to participate? . . . I would guess that most of the participants were naive. Concerning discrimination among third graders, why do those who think they are superior maltreat (don't play with them, etc.) those who they think are inferior? There are situations where students may discrimate based on someone being taller, wearing glasses, etc. without being told of superiority, but this does not seem to be the case in this situation. SPE highlights shows how ordinary people do not act rationally when they are interacting with other people except perhaps when they are trained.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 10, 2007 Dmitry Thanks for raising these issues. Remember the SPE was conducted in 1971, a time when there was a lot of media attention about violence in prisons, when civil rights and anti war activists were often arrested and sent to local jails, a time when few American college students ever considered becoming prison guards but could imagine becoming a prisoner. Thus, none of our participants expressed any desire to play the guard role and all thought they might learn something of future value from playing the prisoner role. Indeed the participants were relatively naive, and they -like most people then and NOW--did not appreciate the power that social dynamics could have on their behavior. Other research beyond that of Mrs.Elliott's Blue-Eye vs. Brown-Eye class demo reveals that any cue that minimally distinguishes among people quickly becomes a discriminating cue used to make one's own "in group" superior and the other,"out group" as inferior. The SPE shows that ordinary, INTELLIGENT, young men can quickly act in ways that are contrary to their rational appraisal of some behavioral contexts --especially those that are novel, where their habitual ways of responding do not work. Dr. Z

	DR. COLIN SHEPPARD from AUSTRALIA
	June 18, 2007 6:45 am A wonderful book which everyone should read. However, there is an odd scotoma in the discussion of Palestinian suicide bombers. The discussion focusses on evil old men brainwashing young men. There is no assessment of the "SITUATION": Palestinians living in concentration camps for 40 years with daily death & humiliation!!! Surely, this is a case of the SPE running for 40 years rather than 6 days! Also, when you introduce the term "Palestine Hanging", you don't add "so-called since this is how Israelis torture Palestinians". Instead, you produce a non-sequitur about the Inquisition. It seems to me there are some injustices even you are afraid to confront.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 5, 2007 Colin: My only intention in presenting the material on the training program for Palestinian suicide bombers was to show that such acts are not isolated, random attacks by fanatics, but rather follow a well orchestrated procedure. Of course, the deeper motivation of these young men and women comes from decades of personal suffering and humility they and their friends and family have experienced-that is the pervasive Situation that is maintained by complex political-social-economic Systems on both sides, as well as International Systems, such as the relative indifference of the current US administration to get seriously involved in helping to normalize relations in that region between Israel and Palestine. Phil

	David Esposito from CA
	June 17, 2007 3:20 am No need to publish this, just for your own info. Just saw you on cspan - LA library book event. Here's my thoughts. I'm a software engineer, schooled to be a technician, but I've picked up some thoughts of my ownn over the years (graduated in 89). Can't the passivity of people in the face of authority be related to our school systems, consumerist culture, the original Native American genocide, etc? Until we see some kind of world wide study, with different cultures, isn't it wrong to make broad generalizations about human behavior? What about the effects of group influence as it applies to the world of advertising and programming us to be consumers? Seems like that deserves some mention. I guess you have to find someplace where that's not the case and compare. I see you mentioned about Gore "could have won the election". Are you falling prey to false-frame that the elections are free and fair? Buddhists say that there is no evil, only "ignorance". What happens if you replace "evil" with "ignorance" everywhere in your discussion? When I hear the term "evil", it always seems kind of emotionally charged and can get in the way of our discernment. I like your Jim Jones reference. Very interesting stuff there, to compare cult behavior with the larger cult of nationalism, or tribalism. Some of the speculation around Jonestown having some relationship to CIA mind control experiments is worth pause for thought as well. In fact it's worth considering if anything "interesting" in the world can happen today without knowledge of intelligence groups? Finally, I have an alternate theory about the torture, isn't it really the same kind of loyalty training that you had in Jonestown where they had lots of dry-run poisonings? The same kind of gang-land or mafia loyalty test where they make you kill someone? So perhaps the people on top are using these systems to just ensnare more people in their cause? These prisons are put there specifically for training the guards, getting the guards into a situation where they cross their own moral boundaries and are therefore no longer politcal actors and just voting zombies.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 5, 2007 David Thanks for this set of provocative questions, for which there are not simple answers; I will give some replies that may be helpful 1. yes all of our systems of socialization encourage passivity and obedience to authority--family, schools, religions and more. 2. our consumer culture also promotes group conformity-mentality by seducing us to want to have what others of high status have. 3. I use evil only to mean really bad things, Ignorance does not capture that sense for me, people may do bad out of ignorance, but what they do has consquences beyond ignorance. 4. Jim Jones is worth understanding more fully, an amazing character. I might add a paper (to this web site, if there is any interest) that I wrote detailing how his mind control tactics were borrowed from Orwell's mind control tactics in 1984. 5. interesting theory about conditioning people to be cruel guards in various venues. Phil

	Joan from Tampa, FL
	June 10, 2007 10:21 pm I bought the book today and I am using the information with two other doctoral nursing students for a presentation to our fellow students in an ethics class. I had the preconception that many of the problems with student participants being treated in ways that are not ethical were related to the fact that sometimes educational research does not go through an IRB approval. I was surprised that your study was approved. Did the proposal that the IRB approved include the surprise arrests of the subjects, their blindfolding, standing naked and solitary confinement? Do you think that some of the IRB's agreement was related to the fact that it was 1971? I could not put the book down. By the way, years ago when I wanted to return to college after having a degree from Rutgers in fine art, to become a nurse, I took a course that included your video series and accompanying basic textbook. I really love that text and have referred back to for many years. Thanks
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 14, 2007 Joan, There is an extended discussion of the ethics of the SPE and other such research in Lucifer, see chapterl 11. Remember that the IRB at that time had no idea of the kinds of effects this situation produced, for them in advance it was kids playing cops and robbers in an experimental game that they could quit at any time. From hindsight, knowing the consequences, our view is very different. We did not include the Police arrests in the IRB protocol because I had not thought about doing that when we submitted it, and as I say in chap 2, until the very last minute it was not clear we could get the cooperation of the city police. I really appreciate your support of my work, texts and movies, as well as this new Lucifer. ciao Dr.Z.

	Margaret from Palo Alto
	June 6, 2007 4:18 am I love your book for many reasons. Primarily because of its focus on resistance and heroism. As an American I am eternally grateful to those whom have spoken up regarding this administration and the war, prisoner abuse, judicial abuse, ect. I noticed on your site you had a picture of you with Sharron Watkins and titled her a whistle blower. She is no whistle blower by your standards. Two very critical articles in Forbes about her are http://www.forbes.com/2002/02/14/0214watkins.html and http://www.forbes.com/2002/02/15/0215topnews.html Additionally she also admitted to insider trading or what she called "improper trading" of $47,000 after her memo. The aprox same amount that Martha Stewart went to prison for. This is not someone I want to look up to or admire. She is not a whistle blower. She stayed at that company after her famous memo. If you read the entire memo its more like a public relations concern. The group think that went on in the press regarding Sherron was that Congress quickly called her a "whistle blower" and the press just jumped on the bandwagon. I am going to one of your book signings soon and am excited to meet you.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo June 7, 2007 Maraget, I appreciate this correction to my support of Sherron Watkins as one of the heroic whistle blowers based on her co-authored book and my meeting with her at an Aspen Conference. I will indeed read the source materials you sent, and make the necessary adjustments to my text and deletion from the photo gallery if her role in the Enron disaster was self-serving rather than heroic. This is one of the joys for me of having this open-ended reader feedback -- to enjoy reader praise but also to learn new truths and perspectives that ultimately enrich my teaching. After having read the source material you provide she does NOT qualify as a Hero. Dr. Z.

	Eric Weinberger from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
	June 6, 2007 12:27 am Dr. Zimbardo, Thank you for all the trouble you put into writing this book. It must have been a depressing experience for you, just as reading it has been for me. Nevertheless, depressing or not, reading it has been an important learning experience for me, and I strongly recommend the book to anyone with sufficient background and desire to understand it. Besides the excellent content, I appreciate the great care that went into the logical structure and the language of the book. The notes and references are excellent too. I would like to see someone apply the lessons of this book to producing a practical guide to child rearing. I hope this book becomes a worldwide bestseller.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 14, 2007 Erik, you got it right, totally depressing to immerse myself in12 hours of SPE videos and then read through their typescripts prepared by my students, Scott Thompson and Sean Bruich, and then to go through all 1000 horror images from Abu Ghraib and read all the investigative reports- like a job of shovling shit in sewers. But then I felt that I really knew what was going on in depth in both prisons. I put a lot of time in tracking down the refs and building up the detailed Notes. Problem is that the book ended up much bigger than my publisher wanted it to be and they predicted it would not sell,too big, too scholarly, too political-- and then did little to promote it. I hope it gets a wide readership. Paper back is due out in January and that may help sales second time around. Appreciate your support- do get your buddies to buy a few. Dr.Z.

	Richard Domencic from Pennsylvania
	May 19, 2007 3:06 pm Dr. Zimbardo...I just finished your book. First of all, at the risk of simply sounding trite, thank you for a very thoughtful and thought-provoking work. I want to offer two questions/observations: (1) I am surprised that you neither included nor referenced M. Scott Peck's work "People of the Lie." I believe this may have been one of the first attempts at the development of a psychology of evil. Dr. Peck had served as one of the lead investigators of the My Lai massacre and includes a major section in his book on group evil. Even though the book is more than 20 years old, he offers a great deal in reflecting on characteristics of the sociopath. I would be interested in why you felt that it offered nothing for inclusion in your Lucifer work. (2) When you reference definitions and offer observations about courage, bravery, valor, etc., I was mildly surprised that the issue of fear was not addressed. Instead, the early 20th century dictionary definition (hero, etc.?)included an absence of fear. I strongly disagree with such a reference. I believe to define courage or reference heroism in terms of a lack of fear more akin to describing a mental illness. I believe fear is a mjor part of courage. Without it, there really isn't much about which to be courageous. To be a person of courage -- leading towrads heroism -- I believe you must experience fear...and choose to move on in spite of it. Incidentally, when you asked me for my verdict on your indictments, I voted guilty on all counts. Thank you for taking me on the journey with you. Congratulations on your most recent honorary degrees and best wishes for the future. Richard Domencic
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo June 7, 2007 Richard Thanks for alerting me to a serious failure in my scholarship. Of course, I should have included mention of M. Scott Peck\'s work; I had read it earlier and it just got crunched out of memory when I was preparing the notes for Lucifer. It is an important addition to the themes I am presenting. Maybe I can find a way to expand on it in my Lucifer Effect web site. I am glad you took the time to vote on the Command Complicity of our Higher Ups. The vast majority of viewers find them guilty, even Republicans. I appreciate your good wishes as well. Dr. Z.

	Milly from London
	May 12, 2007 2:34 pm Re: Raul Arce's beautifully written comment April 4th and Dr Zimbardo's response- is this not what he was 'having a dig' at?!! also just wondering how you respond to analysis of your work through a critical psychological perspective? such that you were only able to produce the (mis) behaviour you wanted because social psychology with its history of experimentation holds such immense power that it enabled you to build a prison in which to do it in? or that the abstract lesson taken from it (these were NORMAL (gasp) people corrupted by power!!) does nothing to address the conditions that permit such behaviour and allows social psychology to dodge out of other levels of explanation and omits the wider social fabric. or perhaps that social psychology is accepted so long as it conforms to the emphasis on cognition i.e. how the immediate measurable social situation impacts on the individual, whose 'cognitions' are measurable and enduring. haven't read the book yet, will certainly be doing so, I am currently researching as am required to critique your work (and Milgram, Asch etc) for an undergraduate psychology exam! Thank you.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo July 20, 2007 Milly thanks for your challenges; they are right on in general, but not on target with regard to my Lucifer Effect. I make evident that understanding complex behavior that can be described as "evil" always requires a 3 part analysis, the person in a situation, created and sustained by a system. good people become bad apples in bad barrels, made by bad barrel makers. In trying to make sense of the horrorable abuses at Abu Ghraib, my book goes beyond blaming the few Army Reserve MPS who perpetrated them, to uncover the dysfunctional situation they were forced to live and work in, and the irresponsible Army and Bush Administration commands that encouraged abuse and humiliation as part of coercive interrogation tactics in their war on terror. Please do read Lucifer and continue your studies of social psychology. I gave many lectures and interviews in London last May about the Lucifer Effect and will return end of March to do more. Check out my tour web before then for details. Drop by Dr. Z

	Michael Rodocker from Baghdad, Iraq
	May 1, 2007 4:48 am I read the book and do not come to the same conclusions as Dr. Zimbardo. Although I do agree with many of the points, I don't think you can summarily dismiss the act of free will. Nor do I think you can blame the "system" for lack of individuals exercising free will. I would suggest the analogy that you would not cut down the apple tree (system) because a few apples (people) were infested with worms (bad values, judgment, choices, etc). The book, as I read it, set a basis of believability by introducing years of psychological experiences, tests, studies, etc that were juxtaposed against the abusive behavior of the soldiers in Abu Ghraib. It only confirmed that one "system" with little to no variables (SPE) and another "system" (military institution) with a vast array of variables came to the same conclusion at the execution level. The difference between the two systems were the SPE did not introduce specific rules of engagement, values, ethics, EO or leadership training for the guards, nor did it introduce rules of engagement, prisoner of war, resistance training for the prisoners. The guard/prisoner relationship is all about power and the ability to enforce that power over one another. Dr. Zimbardo confirmed that by pointing out how in one experiment the prisoners actually took control of the guards in a reversal outcome of an experiment. The individuals in the SPE had a preconceived disposition based on the "suggested means of keeping the prisoners under control". Most people call that suggestive influence. It’s not a result of training or experience on the part of the guards or the prisoners. The soldiers at Abu Ghraib did have training in ethics, values, EO, leadership and job specific training (SSG Frederick was a correctional officer). However, the similarities in the SPE and Abu Ghraib are quite evident at the execution level were the variables were similar - lack of purpose, direction and motivation. If the point of the book was to prove that the absence of guidance and morals leads to destructive behavior, then it may be 50% right. The reality is people are faced with a choice to do right or do wrong, and I could not in reasonable conscious come to the conclusion that we would hold anyone accountable for a single persons actions other than the individual themselves and those who have an immediate supervisory responsibility to the individual committing the crime, if there is such a person (in some cases there is not). I do agree that the soldiers in Abu Ghraib (as well as possibly other military prisons) crossed the line by committing acts of rape, sodomy, and the infliction of bodily harm (breaking of bones) or even death (suffocation). However, every instance was not over the top, such as, the introduction of fear, sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, stress positions, or even deception as tools to manage intelligence gathering. These are and should be perfectly acceptable. When individuals are given specific "rules of engagement", such as indicated on pg. 412 by LTG Sanchez, it absolves a level of responsibility at the senior level of leadership. It then becomes the next level down the chain of leadership to interpret guidance and ensure their interpreted guidance is compatible with higher guidance and other factors such morals, values, ethics and law of war. Some guidance is indeed implied, and does not require specific direction. I agree that the immediate leadership (Company and Battalion level) of Abu Ghraib (and possibly other prisons) should be held accountable for their lack of leadership. They should not, however, be put on trial for individual acts of crime committed by the soldiers of Abu Ghraib. Good people or not, the soldiers (apples) at Abu Ghraib made some bad choices (infected by worms) and should be held accountable for those choices (pruned from the tree/system), just as the leadership, who chose not to properly supervise them should also be held accountable for their bad choice. But to come to the conclusion that the system(apple tree), and every individual (good and bad apples alike) in the system, all the way to the President should be put on trial for the crimes of a few is absurdly inept.

	Renee Garfinkel from Washington, D.C.
	April 26, 2007 1:50 pm Fabulous book! - so timely and very much needed. Related to the topic of heroes, your readers might be interested in a report available from the U.S. Institute of Peace, on religious extremists who have become peacemakers. "Personal Transformations: Moving from Violence to Peace" can be downloaded at http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr186.html. Hard copies are also available from U.S.I.P.

	lady beatrice from kent, england
	April 25, 2007 9:02 am i think ur book rocks!!!!!!! i love you...u r the best psychologist ever!!! hope to see u in england soon!!!xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	niki from london
	April 23, 2007 3:03 pm Buongiorno signor Zimbardo!!! I attended the conference you did at the Emanuel centre in London the other week, and I just wanted to tell you how fantastic I thought you were!!! The delivery of your presentation was engaging, informative, and extremely inspiring. I have also began reading your book, which is compelling even in the early stages that i am presently at, so i look foward to progressing in my reading of it! You are a captivating speaker, and author, and you contribution to psychology is imcomparable!!! I hope you do another lecture in london soon!!!! Tante belle cose!!! xxx

	kerry from england
	April 20, 2007 11:57 am omg how amazing i attended your conference in london on the 19 of april at the emanuel centre and i was amazed everything you spoke about was so true and made me relate to certain things that happen around the world. i have never heard anyone speak how you spoke and i will never forget these words "shit is shit and you cant make it vanila" i look forward to buying your book and reading it thankyou for the inspiration all me love xxxxxxxxx

	Jeremy from IN
	April 20, 2007 10:26 am I'd like to consider myself an average human being. I'm a 20 year old college student that has been through a lot. I've been a hero in many situations where I know it would be common for most to fail. I have yet to read your book. I have just come accross this site and I thought I would lend some feedback from what I have seen thus far. You have a great understanding of people. It appears you have a goal to help society produce heroes instead of passive or "evil" human beings. For a long time now I have felt like I've been on a similar mission, but my expeditions have been rather fruitless. I was hoping to gain some of your insite on how exactly I should go about changing my current environment to promote being a genuinely good person. A person that can act in the correct manner even in highly stressful conditions.

	Mike from Montana
	April 19, 2007 1:00 pm Fascinating book...not only the Stanford experiment, but the different examples of evil that ordinary people will engage in if they think it is sanctioned by the authorities. Suggest a chapter in John Dean's recently published "Conservatives without Conscience", (think it's Chapter 2), that deals with authoritarian personality types. That's some more research that needs to reach a wider audience. I'm sure this stuff is all old hat to our psyops folks, but it's nice that occasionally something comes out that can educate us ordinary folks about how things work. But like my favorite line from the movie NORTH DALLAS FORTY "seeing through the game is not the same as winning the game." Thanks for the book!

	TD from UK
	April 18, 2007 6:33 pm I attended your lecture at Cambridge University on 16th April 2007, although I do not study Psychology but Criminology/Social Policy at another Cambridge University I found your lecture very inspirational, you are truly a remarkable teacher.

	Adam Breckenridge from CA
	April 17, 2007 9:40 pm My roommates speak of the 'Lucifer Effect' in the voice and in from the perspective of philosophy--and strongly advocate that I read up on Chomsky. Normally our discourse will clear the room of anyone that was having a pleasant day. I've found the book to be a very useful framework for us to bridge very 'big' (or 'downer') conversation topics such as Good & Evil, Philosophy, or Politics with 'banal' daily life talk--the three of us can only seem to debate, never chat. For me--and I believe for others in situations not all too different from my own--the biggest social barrier is confronting not only the seemingly contradictory notion of 'the banality of heroism,' but the introverted notion of 'the heroism of banality' as well. It's been very hard to let my best friends know how deeply I respect their getting out of bed every morning, stepping out of the house, and getting a day's work done. These are embarrassing things for me to respect with an emotional fullness. The book and that particular juxtaposition of banality with heroism I found quite personally compelling, and I don't believe I've yet given you a reader's 'thank you.' Thank you! I hope these two responses find themselves in good company. best, adam

	bridget warren from FLORIDA
	April 8, 2007 2:57 am I know that you are a very busy man but I was hoping for some of your insight. I want to pretty much get the same ideas out there that u are getting out there. I have had a rough life which diectly lead to my ideas and beliefs but I am unsure what voice to write it in. I fear the way the world is headed and I have constently been plagued with this need to use my pain to help others.... I thought you might have some insight. I am sorry if I have oversteped any lines

	Bridget from Florida
	April 5, 2007 12:01 am My name is Bridget warren. I listened to an interview on skeptic.com where they interviewed you and I was blown away by your insight. Many of the things you said are things that I found through many painful experiences to be true. I want to be a hero, I want to raise my children to be hero's I find myself lacking in self estem a critical component in heroisum. I have wanted to shout the things that you are for so long. Thank you for being brave enough to try to make a difference. I am in the process of starting my own web site in my site there is a section for shout out's to people that are hero's and I would love to add your name to that list if you are comforatable with that.

	Raul Arce from NY
	April 4, 2007 3:49 pm I wonder if an extrapolation of the former L project can be done to a macro-societal level, where a conveniently underinformed population, conditioned with individualistic values of ethnic superiority and almost a metaphysical sense of freedom with a surreal sense of personal need is subjected to fear tactics and dragged to the army for the lack of a better option in life. Would you engage in such a research project? Any comments on possible scenarios or expected results.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo April 5, 2007 I need not do that experiment, it is being put into stealth practice in many countries around the world, some would say including the USA.

	Michele Braa-Heidner from Washington
	April 1, 2007 12:52 pm This book is yet another example of science doing experiments exclusively with men and then calling the outcome of the experiment "human nature". Ie: Women are "excluded" from the experiment and "included" in the results. Maybe someone should do an experiment on this phenomonon. "The Invisible Woman Effect" in human nature. The experiment to me does not explain what happens to human behavior in the prison environment but what happens to men in an environment without womem to balance their aggressive tendacies due to their hormonal difference of testosterone. It is a well known fact that most of violent crime and our history of war has been done by men yet this fact is never acknowledged and women are still to this day included in this male nature which we call "human nature". In the book by Leonard Schlain "The Alphabet versus the Goddess" the author looks at our history and explains what has occured in our history when woman are oppressed and men have free reign over all decisions. During these times war and violence were prevailant because their was no estrogen (women) to balance out the testosterone (men). A good example of this currently in our world is in some parts of the middle east and other countries where woman have no rights the men are more violent and war is more predominatly in their way of life then where the woman (such as America) are more equal and are a part of decision making. The Lucifer Effect only shows what happens to "male nature" not "human nature" when placed in a prison environment. If he is going to exclude woman in his study, he should acknowledge this absense and count it as a variable that may have effected the behavior of the men and his hypothesis and outcome significantly. Women by "nature" are not violent and they need to be recognized for their "nature" separately from men because they and their history are very different. Of course in our our history books again women are invisible and what we read about is what men have done historically and that unfortunately is wage one war after another. Again women are excluded from our history books but included in the male behavior as "human behavior". So when someone says to me that "war and violence" is human nature. I must disagree because all of the facts point to a different conclusion; that war and violence is "Male Nature". And the nature of women thruout history has been to give birth to our children and to nurture life not kill our children and snuff out life. Women need to be recognized for their heroic nature of giving life and nurturing that life instead of lumping them into the violent nature of men.
	Reply from Dr. Zimbardo April 2, 2007 I love women and wish it were so that women would never do the evil deeds that are outlined in The Lucifer Effect. It would simplify my mission of trying to reduce evil in the world by identifying situational causes and developing public health means to modify them-- if evil were only a male bastion. Indeed, it is likely that the means of the two gender distributions for empathy, compassion, nurturence, cruelty or sadism are different-- with the average female revealing more of the pro-social and less of the anti-social tendencies. However, the distributions overlap widely with many men also possessing goodness and many women exhibiting the negatives as well. Evidence: At Abu Ghraib, several female MPs fully participated in those horrendous abuses; Lucifer Effect: Chp 12, I report that one replication of Milgram's Obedience research using female volunteers found the same majority, 60% shocking the victim to the max of 450 volts. Further in that section of the chapter a study is reported in which 50% of male college students actually shocked a puppy to the full extent possible in an alleged conditioning experiment, while among the female student participants, who were typically in tears, complaining they could not do it, were not that kind of person--100% blindly obeyed authority (Sheridan and King, 1971). Lucifer Effect: Chp 13, a study is reported with female college students from NYU, most of whom willingly shocked other women "victims" at an extreme level, if they were made to feel anonymous and not personally responsible. Societies everywhere train men to be killers as soldiers in war, to respond with violent force as police, to engage in highly aggressive sports, and to be forced to defend one's reputation against threats with a "full metal jacket." It is not IN the male nature to be violent, but societal conditioning shapes their hostile imagination. After you have read the full argument I present in my book, then please return to this discussion. Cordially Phil Z

	Greg Larson from San Francisco, CA
	March 21, 2007 5:09 am Philip Zimbardo brilliantly explores the problem of evil, asking the "big questions" of philosophers and theologians while using the analytical tools and experimental methods of social psychology. Powerful, far-reaching, and reflecting a life's worth of brilliant observations and scholarship, The Lucifer Effect takes us to the extremes of human behavior. Zimbardo challenges readers to believe that we are all capable of absolute evil, given certain situational forces. To the numerous examples of evil that he presents, he urges us to ask the question "Me also?" This question becomes most compelling when the Systemic forces behind human behavior are identified. The structure of the book is masterful: the Stanford Prison Experiment serves as supreme illustration for the power of a situation to transform character; the landmark and notorious experiment is narrated here in greater detail than ever before, with chilling minute-by-minute detail. But then the scope is fully widened, as this isolated example of evil becomes canvas and foil for exploring humanity's worst atrocities: Nazi death camps, Rwandan genocide, the Jonestown massacre, My Lai, and (most harrowingly) Tier 1A at Abu Ghraib. Throughout, The Lucifer Effect maintains poise between rigorous research and foreboding moral concern. It is a haunting journey, but a necessary one.

	Rose McDermott from CA
	March 20, 2007 7:38 pm This magnificant masterpiece of a book stands as a truly impressive testament to Philip Zimbardo's life-long study of human psychology. Drawing on path-breaking experimental work conducted in the 1970's in the Stanford Prison Experiment, Zimbardo brilliantly examines the current Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal. He meticulously details the situational factors which can make good people engage in evil acts, in order to meet natural and normal human needs for safety, knowledge and affection. In so doing, he demonstrates the systematic institutional responsibility for such horrible outcomes. This important book must be read by everyone seeking to understand the nature of evil, and the prospects for good, in themselves, each other, and society at large. As a plus, Chapter 12 constitutes the single best history of the field of social psychology ever written. Be prepared; reading this book will change and improve how you understand yourself and others. Its message should challenge readers to work to change and improve the world around them by recognizing, and resisting, the subtle ways people use the environment to manipulate others into doing their dirty work for them. The ultimate message of hope contained in this volume encourages the possibility of redemption for those who have learned the secrets of human behavior detailed in this book.

©2006-2010, Philip G. Zimbardo