Page - 44 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 04/01

44 | Hessel J. Zondag www.jrfm.eu 2018, 4/1, 35–46 to-one relationship between a certain social-psychological profile and morally desirable behaviour, between autonomy and acting humanely, between sensi- tivity to social pressure and a readiness to commit murder. The experiments shown in the movie were used in explanations of the geno- cide carried out during the Second World War. Yet there is also much which is not explained by these experiments. We do not know about the personalities of those who refused to kill (only a few military men refused to participate in the executions). What were the life experiences of those who proved more, or less, susceptible to social pressure? Those who killed were not robots, responding as if machines, as Abram De Swaan demonstrated in his work on genocide.14 Draw- ing from Milgram’s obedience experiments, De Swaan concludes that we are not able to explain who might make an unwilling, indifferent or willing execu- tioner, or in other words, who might react with resignation, aversion or delight at the thought of killing. Our ignorance should not be read as a reproach of ex- perimental social psychology, which has brought us new insight into the forces active in social situations in various forms. In these studies, however, everything that suggests “conformity” is regarded as an evil. But is conformity always evil? Conformity is firmly rooted in the human spe- cies and has brought great advantages.15 Humans are basically social beings and they must rely on co-operation with others to survive. They must therefore continually orient themselves on their fellow humans. We have good reason to look again at the bystander effect. The experiments show how strongly the demeanour of others influences one’s own behaviour. For those who are scepti- cal, these experiments merely illustrate human docility or – more cynically – the human inclination to servitude. These experiments also demonstrate, however, how people rely on the opinions and actions of others in creating their own views and in determining their own actions. They show that people strive for consensus and co-operation, a co-operation they need if they are to survive. Conformity has powerful positive functions. Some people are unbearable both for themselves and for others, if they are not limited by some conformity. Conformity certainly does not always end in disaster, and non-conformity, in turn, does not guarantee a good result. This reading is neglected in Das radikal Böse. Admittedly, we might wonder if it is fair to demand the director relate both sides: a documentary that lack a clear perspective because it wishes to discuss everything loses its power. Yet what would have been the message of Das radikal Böse if the documen- tary had dealt with Anders Breivik? In July 2011 Breivik carried out an attack in which he killed 77 people. Breivik was a lone wolf. He did not kill in the service 14 De Swaan 2014. 15 Coultas/Van Leeuwen 2015.