“You Will Be Like God”: Fascination of Force and Social Conformism in Two War Episodes

Abstract

Recalling some historical episodes and philosophical reflections, this essay attempts to show how and why ordinary human beings turn into murderers. As proved by several psychological experiments, almost everyone, if put in a certain situation, can be easily convinced to act cruelly toward other people. This happens because everyone is somehow subject to conformism and to the fascination of power and force.