“Whether we consider Nazi Germany or Abu Ghraib prison, there were many people who observed what was happening and said nothing. At Abu Ghraib, one photo shows two soldiers smiling before a pyramid of naked prisoners while a dozen other soldiers stand around watching passively. If you observe such abuses and don’t say, ‘This is wrong! Stop it!’ you give tacit approval to continue. You are part of the silent majority that makes evil deeds more acceptable.”
More from Philip Zimbardo
“A good way to avoid crimes of obedience is to assert one’s personal authority and always…”
“Our sense of power is more vivid when we break a man’s spirit than when we win his heart.”
“Our ability to selectively engage and disengage our moral standards . . . helps explain…”
“While no one can change events that occurred in the past, everyone can change attitudes…”