“The Lucifer Effect” by Philip Zimbardo Essay (Critical Writing)

The Lucifer Effect written by Philip Zimbardo is considered to be the reflection of human psychological challenges covering creativeness, inner destruction, selfishness, cruelty, and heroism. The author managed to demonstrate the key conceptions of human nature describing the cases of personal corruptions and safeguards. The concept of heroism is brightly illustrated by Zimbardo as the central guide of the society providing the role model for human prosocial behavior.

In accordance with Phil Zimbardo’s theory, the concept of heroism is to be presented as an antidote to evil and light in the darkness people face. The analysis of the heroism vision presented by the author through the examples of contemporary leaders can be explained as high moral ground, being lost by modern politicians and rulers. Zimbardo demonstrated common goal of moving to ‘heroes in waiting’,

‘The banality of heroism means that we are all heroes in waiting.
It is a choice we may all be called upon to make
at some point in time.’ (Zimbardo, p. 488)

According to his psychology heroism is connected with social support and cannot exist without it; people celebrate courageous individuals’ heroic deeds without awareness of these people’s contribution to common welfare.

Personal understanding of heroism can be explained on the basis of individual’s achievements. The term ‘heroism’ in the society has been dissolved from the period of ancient prominent leaders and their serving to people. Nowadays heroism cannot be identified, as modern society lives in the atmosphere of lie and betrayal. Nevertheless, there can be the concept of personal heroism, when everyone overcomes fears and difficulties on their way to dreams and welfare of their family and close people.

Considering Zimbardo’s disclosure of the concept, it is necessary to underline his idea of drawing a line between heroic behavior and evil situations people usually face. He stress that heroes can be ordinary citizens acting in accordance with their moral norms and standards providing positive cultural contribution on metal level. In other words, people who feel guilty for evil behavior reach the stage of heroism performing the things they have to do.

Heroism supports the ideals of a community
and serves as an extraordinary guide, and it provides and
exemplary role model for prosocial behavior. (Zimbardo, 488)

His definition of heroism concept is based on our ordinary everyday life, rather than examples of true heroes described in fiction literature. The author determines different types of heroism, such as social risk type and physical risk one. So, the type of physical risk heroism is considered to be the result of a moment action or a snap decision, inserting the probability of death or injury. Social risk heroism is not considered to be as dramatic as the previous type, covering the actions made for the purpose of the society. Zimbardo illustrated a number of examples, such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, which can be described as true heroes of their time.

So, the analysis of The Lucifer Effect written by Philip Zimbardo demonstrated the author’s psychological vision of the heroism concept in people’s everyday life. He managed to provide a clear vision on contemporary ‘heroes’ of modern society through the typology and characteristics to be obtained by natural leaders. He proved that everyone could become a hero in his life, by overcoming fear and evil being the principle obstacles on the human path to light.

References

Zimbardo, Philip. The Lucifer Effect: Understanding how Good People Turn Evil. Random House. 2007.