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DR. PHILIP ZIMBARDO
STANFORD UNIVERSITYPALO ALTO UNIVERSITY
ZIMBARDO SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENT
SUPPORTING OUR WORLD AT THIS TIME OF NEED
OUR WORLD IS NOT WELL
WHY ARE WE MEETING TODAY?
- Our planet is wounded due to negligence, greed, and related climate disasters.
- Our physical and mental health are rapidly deteriorating with insufficient action taken.
- Our political and social systems are failing.
- Our ability to relate to each other with compassion and respect is increasingly fragmented, leading to various inter-group and racial conflicts.
Warning signs
- Covid-19 Pandemic has recently hit our species hard! It has impacted all of us, with billions of people impeded, half a million now dead, and no clear end in sight. Is the worse yet to come?
- We have been confronted with the fact that our healthcare systems are ill equipped to care for so much sickness, and that severe resource inequity prevents basic services deployment to those who are desperately in need.
- We are recognizing the problem is not only this vicious virus spread, but also an incompetent political system which is not caring enough and is actively discriminating between different groups in society.
- While these markers are present all over the world, we are clearly identifying severe manifestations of these problems in our own nation -- the USA!
- The hideous murder of George Floyd has enacted another wake-up call, alerting us to our inundated systems of evil in many police departments and laws protecting only privileged classes.
- The current racial justice uprising of protest marches and demonstrations across America, and around the world, are a clear signal that these warning signs are now visibly identified.
- These clear markers of evil are not being ignored. Alongside depressing indicators of prejudice and systemic oppression we are also witnessing a large-scale heroic, collective public outcry for social justice.
- It is up to us all to take pro-social actions in response to these evils and injustice!
Warning signs
- Here is a visionary statement from Angela Davis, professor emerita at University of California, Santa Cruz:
“This is an extraordinary moment. I have never experienced anything like the conditions we are currently experiencing, the conjuncture created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recognition of the systemic racism that has been rendered visible under these conditions because of the disproportionate deaths in Black and Latinx communities. And this is a moment I don’t know whether I ever expected to experience.”
- In other words, these recent tragedies have been effective in shining a clear light on Systemic Evil in our nation !
- The time to engage our positive response systems is NOW !
Responding to Warning signs
WARM UP MUSIC - SANTANA
“CHANGE YOUR EVIL WAYS”
WHAT IS EVIL?Evil is the exercise of Power to intentionally:
‣ HARM (psychologically)
‣ HURT (physically)
‣DESTROY (mortally), and
‣ COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY (via genocide by nations)
In social, economical and political structures: allowing Fraud, Corruption, Bullying, Discrimination- Sexist, Ageist, & Racist
3 TYPES OF EVILINDIVIDUAL- Personal disposition- “bad apples”
SITUATIONAL- Social and physical environment-
The “bad barrel”
SYSTEMIC- Organizational influences, political, economic, cultural, and legal- “bad barrel makers”
-Poverty- Genocide- Slave labor
- Sex trafficking - And Evil of Inaction: Climate Change
Disaster Indifference(promoted by U.S.President TRUMP!)
Systemic Evil Worldwide
TWO VERY DANGEROUS QUESTIONS:
1. Would You electrocute an innocent stranger if an Authority asked you toact against your conscience?
2. Could the Holocaust occur again–
in America?
THE START OF THE SITUATIONAL EVIL
YES/ YES - The shocking answers by Stanley Milgram in 1962
He conducted the first research that "quantified Evil” by measuring the degree to which an average person would deliver painful/ lethalshocks to an innocent stranger on the orders of an authority figure.
MILGRAM AND I WERE CLASSMATES AT JAMES MONROE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE
BRONX, CLASS OF 1949-1950!
LISTEN TO MILGRAM’S MORAL REASON FOR THIS RESEARCH ON BLIND OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY…
The experimenter as The Authoritydirects the “Teacher” how to shock his
student- who verbally dissents, but behaviorally obeys
The “Learner” getting strapped into the electric chair
apparatus-he is the confederate of the
researcher
40 PSYCHIATRISTS PREDICTED ONLY 1% OF ALL AMERICANS WOULD SHOCK UP AT 450 VOLTS——WRONG!!! 65% WENT ALL THE WAY!
MILGRAM’S SHOCK BOX
ALL EVIL BEGINS WITH 15 VOLTS, FOR JEWS FORCED TO WEAR A YELLOW STAR
INITIALLY- THEN CONDITIONS WORSENED
NEXT, A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF
SITUATIONAL EVIL THAT I CREATED
WITH MY ASSISTANTS!
Participants answered this ad
75 applicants took personality tests, and
interviews.
The 24 most normal and healthy were chosen
and randomly assigned as prisoners or guards.
Prisoners wore smocks and were assigned number ID’s instead of names
Initial menial tasks escalate daily to more humiliating and
degrading…
Prisoners were often stripped named, sexually taunted, and
sexually degraded
First prisoner 8612 broke down from extreme stress reactions in 36 hours, and was released—
then abuse by guards worsened daily until 5 prisoners had to be released
I ended the study after only 6 days (was supposed to be 2 weeks)!! It had spun out of
control!
SPE AS A NEW HOLLYWOOD MOVIE
What type of Prisoner would You be?
What type of Guard would You be?
What kind of Staff member would You be?What is happening today in America’s
real prisons ?
Let’s pause to reflect
AMERICA’S MASS INCARCERATION– THEN & NOW▸1971 – 358,000 CITIZENS IMPRISONED
▸2020 -- 2.3 MILLION CITIZENS IMPRISONED !
▸60 % are People of Color
▸75% of all imprisoned for drug offenses are People of Color
▸$ costs-- $182 BILLION ANNUALLY !!
ZIMBARDO REBUTTAL TO SPE CRITICS▸Over many decades there have been numerous
challenges to the validity and authenticity of the Stanford Prison Experiment.
▸For those of you interested, here is a link to my detailed (19 page) rebuttal to each of them.
▸ ----
▸https://www.prisonexp.org/response
MY LUCIFER EFFECT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX NATURE
OF EVIL
LET US ENGAGE SYSTEMS BY BECOMING
EVERYDAY HEROES!
OUR THESE OUR ONLY HEROES?
SO WHAT IS A HERO?A. Acts on behalf of others in need , or in defense of
moral causes, and engages against unjust systems
B. Aware of risks to life, to finances, or to career
C. Usually modest and humble, who usually disown the hero label
THE COURAGE TO ENGAGE EVIL SYSTEMS IS AT THE CORE OF HEROIC ACTION
DEMOCRATIZE: Anyone can be a hero
DEMYSTIFY: No special inner qualities are essential, or specific family background
DIFFUSE: Away from solo heroes to team or Ensemble Heroes, working in safe, supportive community networks of Caring
ENGAGE: Heroes collaborate to create community alliances of prosocial systemic engagement
PROMOTING A NEW CONCEPTION OF HEROISM AND SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENT
ENGAGING SYSTEMS! “SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENT” – This happens through the
lens of caring attention, compassion and thoughtfulness.
A SYSTEMS ENGAGED person is attentive to their surroundings, focused on helping others and is passionate about the wellbeing of their community.
A SYSTEMS ENGAGED person is passionate to learn about the inner workings of their own mind, as well as the interpersonal dynamics of groups and systems.
In order to be capable of effectively ENGAGING SYSTEMS such a person needs to be resilient, supported by a commitment to practicing self-care, as well as other-care.
Effective SYSTEMS ENGAGEMENT works best when we contribute to the development of communities of care; in such communitys conditions to safely give and receive compassion are created.
INSPIRING HEROES TO ENGAGE SYSTEMS!
▸ Heroes are usually Ordinary, Everyday people whose Actions in challenging situations are EXTRAORDINARY
▸ Heroism creates a positiveRipple Effect on others, and then it
spreads throughout the world
▸ Listen to BARAK OBAMA’S views ON HEROESAND SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENT
REAL LIFE HEROES ENGAGE SYSTEMS
REAL LIFE HEROES ENGAGE SYSTEMS
ROSA PARKSSeamstress in Atlanta Georgia; worked for white ladies.First Lady of Civil Rights in the United States.
Refused to give up her bus seat to a white man, arrested, protested.
She helped start thecivil rights movement of desegregation of buses and trains in America.
(Nov. 1955)
She became prisoner of the state #7053
REAL LIFE HEROES ENGAGE SYSTEMS
IRENA SENDLER▸ Saved 2,500 Jewish children from
death by helping them escape from the Warsaw Ghetto, that Nazis erected to contain hundreds of thousands Jews – to starve most to death.
▸ She created a “Hero Network” of 20 people to smuggle children out to safety (via an underground sewer).
▸Now, more than 10,000 descendants of these survivors owe their life to this Polish hero.
▸ That’s a powerful Ripple Effect!
MY REAL LIFE HERO
CHRISTINA MASLACH▸Christina Maslach, August 18, 1971; after seeing guards abuse
prisoners told me:
▸ “It’s terrible what YOU are doing to those boys.”
▸We had just started dating, she added: “YOU have changed; I don’t want to to continue our relationship if this is the real YOU.”
▸She forced Me to acknowledge the cruelty and inhumanity that I had allowed when playing My Role as The Prison Superintendent.
▸That negative prison situation had changed even ME- for the worse!
▸ Let’s now meet her and listen to her Challenge me.
HOW DID I DEAL WITH THIS HEROIC CHALLENGER?
WE WERE MARRIED THE NEXT YEAR IN THE STANFORD CHAPEL !AUGUST WILL BE OUR 48TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
THE AMAZING NEW YORK SUBWAY HERO
▸WESLEY AUTREY
WESLEY AUTREY, IMPULSIVE HERO
NYC WISE SUBWAY HERO: CHAD LINDSEY▸Two weeks later, a similar event reoccurred, with a man
falling unconscious on the subway tracks!
▸Having learned about Wesley Autrey’s daring deed,
▸A bystander jumped down to the tracks, lifted the fallen body to the side of the platform, yelled for help, 2 men assisted the victim up to the platform.
▸When the subway train arrived, Heroic Chad Lindsey went on his way to work!
▸ “All’s well that ends well” -- Wisely!
WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT PEOPLE IN BECOMING MORE RESILIENT AND TO ACTIVELY
AND HEROICALLY ENGAGE SYSTEMS?
ZIMBARDO SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
‣ Building resilience skills that will support us in coping with the harsh waves of life’s realities
‣ Shifting the social norm from passive compliance to pro-social action
‣ Training to put our best selves forward in service to humanity
‣ Embodying and representing ideals to which we can all aspire
ZIMBARDO SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENT {ZSE}OUR TRAINING MODULES
- Eight modules, comprised of video lectures, elaborated with text materials, online resources and applied weekly practices.
- The ZSE program supports therapists and others in the helping professions who seek Continuing Education Units, as well as organizations who seek opportunities for applied science-based Diversity and Inclusion Training.
- The ZSE program also benefits students, teachers, managers and all individuals who are interested in resilience building, and in effective applied ways to understand and engage systems, and social justice issues.
ZIMBARDO SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENTTRAINING CONTENT
‣ Active listening skills, connecting and building social networks.
‣ Values awareness, following our inner compass.
‣ Learning to pause, reflect and engage with mindfulness.
‣ Moving from Fixed to Growth mindset, being all that we can be.
‣ We will learn about ways to cultivate these social connections and resilience skills, possible obstacles to doing so, and methods to overcome these obstacles effectively.
‣ We will learn how our external environment can pressure us tothink and feel in distressing ways, and how to avoid conformingto unjust authority and remain resilient while engaging systems!
ZIMBARDO SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENTTRAINING CONTENT –> SOCIO-CENTRIC
‣ Situational Awareness, understanding and engaging situational forces.
‣ Social Conformity, avoiding submission to unjust authority.
‣ The Bystander Effect, being helpful to others, even when it is difficult to do so.
‣ Prejudice and Discrimination, deepening our understanding of inequalities in our nation and taking concrete actions to address social/ racial injustices.
‣ Misattributions and Stereotype Threat, learning how we might misinterpret our lived reality, and practicing proven methods to overcome threat-based interpretations of events.
‣ Courage! Cultivating the strength to embody your best, Ideal Self!
FOCUS OF TODAY …
Learning about the Bystander Effect -- (((
(One Example of our lessons)
What is it?
What psychological barriers cause it?
How can we overcome those barriers?
Imagine this…
PERSONAL ACTIVITIES
‣ Recognize Bystander situations in your own life.
‣ Identify common Barriers to helpful actions and learn to overcome them.
‣ Practice responding mindfully and wisely to unclear situations and emergencies.
‣ Make a personal plan for responding safely and effectively in Future bystander situations.
HOW CAN YOU BEGIN TO INSPIRE HEROISM?
HIP IS A SAN FRANCICO BASED NON- PROFIT ORGANIZATION
THAT TRAINS STUDENTS TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS
We offer interactive lessons that use a multimedia approach to teach people how we can improve our outcomes and
those of other people through knowledge of how our brain works for or against us in challenging or ambiguous
situations.
What we do as educators
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
APPLY THESE LESSONSBY TRAINING IN SYSTEMIC ENGAGEMENT!
- We can all get stuck in a fixed mindset belief about our limited ability to grow our resilience and to make a difference in our world. That is an understandable, but wrong-headed human experience.
- This gathering is an invitation for you to cultivate your Growth Mindset and choose to build your resilience, towards learning about systemic realities and becoming a Dynamic Agent of Prosocial Changes.
- We invite you to become an active participant in our new program; The Zimbardo Systemic Engagement !
DR. Z THANKS YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND CARING!
CONTACT US HERE: [email protected]
WWW.HEROICIMAGINATION.ORGGET INVOLVED AND SUPPORT OUR HERO PROJECTS!
AUDIENCEQ & A
