Monday, February 27, 2012

I, Invertebrate

http://prisonexp.org/discussion.htm

2. If you were a guard, what type of guard would you have become? How sure are you?


I've chosen this particular question because my answer is most readily available. Of the three types of guards apparent in the experiment (" First, there were tough but fair guards who followed prison rules. Second, there were "good guys" who did little favors for the prisoners and never punished them. And finally, about a third of the guards were hostile, arbitrary, and inventive in their forms of prisoner humiliation."), I would most definitely absolutely align with the second type, the "good guys," as it were. 


I am completely certain about that.

The reason I say that is because I live with me daily and know that I possess nothing even slightly resembling a backbone. I'd hardly have it in me to ask somebody, kindly, won't you wear this stocking cap for the purposes of the experiment. Being that I am the furthest thing from authoritative, the guard role might arouse internal dissonance, thus preventing me from performing properly. I would most likely drop out of the experiment before humiliating somebody else. I just couldn't ever have another person thinking I'm a jerk; I am incapable of functional existence if I'm aware that, somewhere, somehow, somebody is angry at me. Perhaps it's genuine compassion for my fellow manshape, or perhaps it's my own instincts for self-preservation kicking in. . 


If I recall correctly, there was a similar question posed about the position of the prisoner. Perhaps I would not fit more comfortably into the role of prisoner, as I'm certain the guards would find some reason to think I've pissed them off, but I might be quicker to conform and accept it. 


I think this just goes to show why I would never consider a career in crime or criminal justice.

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