This exploration of Milgram's experiments in the context of modern authoritarianism is absolutley powerful! The connection between the agentic state and systemic violence, where people become instruments executing orders without personal responsability, is exactly what we need to understand about obedience to authority today. Sending good vibes!
I believe that we experience stages of cognitive development and stages of moral development. Unfortunately, moral development is harder to achieve. We often get stuck in a law and order stage and fail to develop more altruistic, see holistic and inclusive level of seeing the good outside our own tribe and our responsibility for making honorable choices.
I grew up in that part of the country - lucky for everyone that ICE outsiders are just being bird-dogged in an urban area. If it were more rural, proven hostile strangers might have been met with a shotgun blast or two, no questions asked. That would result in a real mess, considering that these ICE cherubs have the imprimatur of our Washington officialdom. Don't scapegoat just Trump, the others in both parties are enablers.
What will melt ICE? Is there enough heat by now, or must there be more tragedy?
As matters are moving, support of the GOP and its paladin may melt with the snow in spring, but November is far away. Will replacements be any better? Is anybody learning, at least from experience if not from principle?
I have confidence in eventual US common sense. "Americans will always do the right thing, after they've tried everything else" - attributed to Winston Churchill. The problem is, there are still more bad things to try.
This exploration of Milgram's experiments in the context of modern authoritarianism is absolutley powerful! The connection between the agentic state and systemic violence, where people become instruments executing orders without personal responsability, is exactly what we need to understand about obedience to authority today. Sending good vibes!
I believe that we experience stages of cognitive development and stages of moral development. Unfortunately, moral development is harder to achieve. We often get stuck in a law and order stage and fail to develop more altruistic, see holistic and inclusive level of seeing the good outside our own tribe and our responsibility for making honorable choices.
This appeared in the New Hampshire Bulletin:
https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2026/01/14/repub/in-the-car-with-the-minneapolis-community-patrols-working-to-disrupt-ice-operations/
It raises questions.
I grew up in that part of the country - lucky for everyone that ICE outsiders are just being bird-dogged in an urban area. If it were more rural, proven hostile strangers might have been met with a shotgun blast or two, no questions asked. That would result in a real mess, considering that these ICE cherubs have the imprimatur of our Washington officialdom. Don't scapegoat just Trump, the others in both parties are enablers.
What will melt ICE? Is there enough heat by now, or must there be more tragedy?
As matters are moving, support of the GOP and its paladin may melt with the snow in spring, but November is far away. Will replacements be any better? Is anybody learning, at least from experience if not from principle?
I have confidence in eventual US common sense. "Americans will always do the right thing, after they've tried everything else" - attributed to Winston Churchill. The problem is, there are still more bad things to try.