A Few Good Men By Erich Fromm - 1403 Words

Studying obedience to authority most often reveals human nature repugnantly; however, it teaches society individual capability and, thus, it can prevent unethical actions. In the film, A Few Good Men, Col. Nathan R. Jessup, the commanding officer at Guantanamo Bay Cuba orders a â€Å"code red† – an unsanctioned disciplinary action against Pfc. William T. Santiago. Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson and Pfc. Louden Downey, two U.S. Marines, are the fellow platoon members that implement the code red, and Lt. Daniel Kaffee defends Dawson and Downey in court. Erich Fromm, author of â€Å"Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem,† and a social psychologist analyzes the origins of obedience and disobedience as well as different kinds of obedience†¦show more content†¦Fromm would say Jessup benefits by receiving obedience to the order, whereas Dawson and Downey gain no benefit. In addition, Kelman and Hamilton cite that killing a human being, according to the Uniform Code of Military justice Article 118, is unlawful and without excuse when intended â€Å"to inflict great bodily harm† (Kelman and Hamilton 135). Therefore, Kelman and Hamilton logically explain the ordered code red planned to provide Santiago with discipline by inflicting injuries. Not only was it an unethical command, but it was dictated by an authority who was irrational. Jerry M. Burger, professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, and author of â€Å"Conformity and Obedience† recognizes that the military would soon cease to function if their officers stopped obeying authority (Burger). If Dawson and Downey disobeyed, a chain reaction could have occurred resulting in a culture in which orders are no longer followed. Furthermore, Burger continues and explains that â€Å"in the name of ‘following orders’† people violate common ethical grounds. Fromm would likely refer back to humanistic conscience, meaning that despite following ord ers, one is aware of when an action causes destruction of life (Fromm 126). Fromm identifies why one should not listen to irrational authority on a human moral basis, whereas Kelman and Hamilton analyze it from a lawful point of view. Both American Military law and the Geneva Convention directly forbid killing of this kind (Kelman and HamiltonShow MoreRelatedA Few Good Men By Erich Fromm1546 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the motion picture â€Å"A Few Good Men† it obscures the inquiry whether disobedience or obedience is the rational distinction and at what instant does following the orders turn into blind obedience and submission? Furthermore, the movie complicates this theme by establishing military culture where disobedience to a higher power invokes dire repercussions. One example in the motion picture is when United States Marines Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private Louden Downey where instructed by theirRead MoreA Few Good Men By Erich Fromm1404 Words   |  6 Pag esIn the movie A Few Good Men, there is a large overlying problem in how Dawson and Downey succumb to blindly following their superior’s crude moral values. In his article â€Å"Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem,† Erich Fromm studies the acts of obedience and the subsequent disobedience from a psychological standpoint. He begins by attesting disobedience to the beginning of true human life and obedience to the lingering doom that humans faced during the cold war. He continues to furtherRead MoreA Few Good Men By Erich Fromm And Stanley Milgram1214 Words   |  5 PagesThe movie, A Few Good Men, is the story of how two marines go on trial for the murder of another marine. The movie then unfolds into an emotional drama which dives deep into conspiracy and the psychodynamics of following orders. A Few Good Men was a critically acclaimed movie and was nominated for multiple Academy Awards. Similarly, authors Erich Fromm and Stanley Milgram, wrote essays th at explored the morals behind obedience, and how disobedience of immoral commands can bring betterment to othersRead MoreEssay about The Abuse of Power in the Military1186 Words   |  5 PagesA Few Good Men is a movie that adequately causes debate among renowned professors, philosophers, and psychoanalysts. The film demonstrates multiple qualities of commands and power in the military, specifically the Marines. A Few Good Men has an early distinguishable gender distinction, where women are subordinate to men, despite being higher in rank. Marines use a punishment known as a Code Red to discipline any soldier who fails to comply with any and all given orders. Philip G. Zimbardo is a professorRead MoreObedience and Disobedience in A Few Good Man1594 Words   |  7 Pagesfilm A Few Good Men. Two soldiers caught in the middle of right and wrong will keep there hope and loyalty high as they wish for the best. Will the instigator of it all be pressured through his own anger to reveal t he truth? Rob Reiner presents Col. Nathan R. Jessep as having an exaggerated self opinion while using his power for evil, based on dispositional factors. Lt. Daniel Kaffee uses his Harvard law education to represent two Marines who are being charged for murder in the movie A Few Good MenRead MoreObedience And Its Effect On Society2278 Words   |  10 Pagesbeen the root of numerous atrocities and serves as a reminder that obedience can lead to humanity’s downfall. Themes of obedience are studied in many articles and experiments. Two prominent examples, Stanley Milgram, a social psychologist, and Erich Fromm, a psychoanalyst, both wrote about their beliefs as to why humans are so prone to obey. The nature of human obedience derives its potency from consistent habituating, protection, and a deeply ingrained human characteristic. One of the reasons whyRead MoreObedience Is Not A Bad Thing Essay1420 Words   |  6 Pagesobedience and disobedience serve a purpose, from positive control through obedience, to denying control to avoid being influenced to do something immoral. Erich Fromm, Doris Lessing, and Stanley Milgram reveal how the effects of obedience can be negative and how hard it can be to disobey. Obedience can be catastrophic; during the holocaust, many men obeyed orders only to find they were puppets in an evil scheme. However, thriving obedience in the human species is a cause of the need to please, a difficultyRead MoreObedience Is Not A Bad Thing Essay1465 Words   |  6 Pagesobedience and disobedience serve a purpose, from positive control through obedience, to denying control to avoid being influenced to do something immoral. Erich Fromm, Doris Lessing, and Stanley Milgram reveal how the effects of obedience can be negative and how hard it can be to disobey. Obedience can be catastrophic; duri ng the holocaust, many men obeyed orders only to find they were puppets in an evil scheme. However, thriving obedience in the human species is a cause of the need to please, a difficultyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie A Few Good Men Essay1555 Words   |  7 PagesConsequences of Obedience Late one night, two Marines, Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey carried out a â€Å"code red† on Private First Class William Santiago that ultimately resulted in Santiago’s death. 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