I have a question for you. Lesson Plan: Directed by David Jeffery, Philip Carr Neel. Students were rewarded for making an effort at answering or asking questions. While Jones taught his students about Nazi Germany during his senior level Contemporary World History class, Jones found it . Why hadn't I thought of this technique before. But to start. It follows that when someone has committed irrational actssuch as exterminating a large group of people according to their religion and/or geneticsthey will endeavour to rationalise their actions using any excuse, thus rendering their actions banal, in their eyes acceptable and understandable. You said that Ron was lying. New people were speaking. It's your job to read this pamphlet and report its entire content to the class before the period ends. The rabbi for one of the parents called me at home. Yes, we know in a small way what it feels like to find a hero. In the beginning, the students treated the new regime as a game but became more serious once their teacher told them their marks were at stake. in fact I instructed the class in a sitting posture. No psychological effects were reported, and his students even respected and revered him yet more for his unusual lessonhence the documentary was made by two former classmates. Discipline. I lectured about the beauty of discipline. We were studying Nazi Germany and in the middle of a lecture I was interrupted by the question. Following my description of community I once again told the class that community like discipline must be experienced if it is to be understood. You're walking down the street, eating at a secluded restaurant, or buying some underwear when all of a sudden an ex-student pops up to say hello. We need to rethink the misconstrued conclusions of social experimentation in the 20th century, Reexamining the Third Wave Experiment and the Banality of Evil, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Transphobic Social-Media Vigilantes Endanger the Black Community, Free-Speech and Hypocrisy: How JK Rowling Silences Her Critics. The secret must finally be waning. We knew that it was interesting learning about different political systems, but not something we would ever emulate. They had committed themselves in front of their peers to radical behavior. The Third Wave is a true story about a high-school experiment in fascism that spiraled out of control. . Oh, we talked and studied our actions intently. This rally is for members only.". I was now standing next to the television directly facing the room full of people. After a few minutes of waiting, Jones announced that they had been a part of an experiment in fascism and that they all had willingly created a sense of superiority, much as German citizens had done in the period of Nazi Germany. Ron Joness students didnt know they were taking part in an attempt to show how they too could fall into step when a tyrannical authority was present. He told me about his friends that had been killed in Germany. Steve will continue to grow and change. Hey Felton, many thanks for your comments! Very interesting experiment. I was in pretty bad shape myself. I switched the television set on. He could do something. The Third Wave Is a nationwide program to find students who are willing to fight for political change in this country. The intensity of the response became more important than the content. This would be a rally for Third Wave Members only. They began to panic. Thirteen students had cut class to be a part of the experiment. 1981 Todd Strasser (Morton Rhue) Novelization "The Wave". Set in 1967 in Palo Alto, California, during the Vietnam war, racial integration and social revolution, the play centers around a young, popular teacher, Ron Jones, and his world history class. The photographers were circling the ritual snapping pictures but by now they were ignored. I decided to push the tolerance of the class for regimented action. If only he would have raged in anger or simply investigated the situation I could point the students to an example of righteous rebellion. Would it not, then, have been more morally deplorable for a history tutor to accept the fact that his students were living in blissful ignorance? Students from across the school joined in. It was as if the climax of shouting souls had pushed everything out of' the room. Knowing that one is being monitored changes ones behaviour significantly. The trance with the television continued for what seemed like hours. O my Gosh, I thought this story was amazing. It affected everyone. "The first few days, the Third Wave was a game. Shereen Lehman, MS. "Oh my gosh," he gasped. It was also the genesis of a secret that I and two hundred students would sadly share for the rest of our lives. The Third Wave. Oh, you think to yourself that you were just going along for the fun. It was rewarding to see their satisfaction and excitement to do more. We spent hours later talking about what he felt and did, but from that moment on Thursday morning I was more concerned with what might be happening at school. Oral history of Ernest DeMaio, from his early radicalizing experience of the First, The autobiography of Fred W. Thompson - socialist, Wobbly, organizer, soapboxer, editor, class-war prisoner, educator, historian, and publisher, A collection of essays written by Dwight Macdonald, most of which appeared in his. In our consoling each other we became a rock in the stream of exiting students. I walked up and down the aisles of seated students pointing out small flaws, making improvements. He was a retired air force colonel who had spent time in a German prisoner of war camp. I told him we were merely studying the German personality. In my view and pedagogical experience, a good pedagogical simulation should involve a sense of ambivalence between real and artificial that promotes an inquiry and reflection among the students. In this the third day of activity there were forty-three students in the class. I reminded students of what it felt like being in classes where competition caused pain and degradation. [1] The idea that democracy emphasises individuality was considered a drawback, and Jones emphasised this main point of the movement in its motto: "Strength through discipline, strength through community, strength through action, strength through pride. We have seen that fascism is not just something those other people did. Where was this experiment leading? ", "It's all set for tomorrow. He walked always on my right. I didn't know the answer. Taking in large uncontrollable gulps of air. Schoolteacher Ron Jones's personal account of his experiment which created a proto-fascist movement amongst his high school pupils in Palo Alto, California, which in 2008 was subject of the award-winning film The Wave. Don't you feel better.". The factors that motivated the students then were: fear of losing marks; confidence and pride in their tutor; and a desire to be part of an exciting new movement that would change their world. He decided to create a fictional social movement as a demonstration of the appeal of fascism. He convinced the students to attend a rally where he claimed that the classroom project was part of a nationwide movement, and that the announcement of a Third Wave presidential candidate would be televised. They watched the activities and participated in a mechanical fashion. The tension and anticipation was beyond belief. Does This Put The Transgender Debate to Rest? He will explain all the things that he was able to manipulate the kids into doing which seems like would've taken weeks or months and claim it only took one day. Yes, I had been pushing information at them in an extremely controlled setting but the fact that they found it comfortable and acceptable was startling. The events were adapted into a non-musical play stage in 2011 by Joseph Robinette and Ron Jones. Students seemed intent on the assignment and displayed Accurate recitation of facts and concepts. I told the assembly that a full explanation would take quite a while. [2], The experiment began with simple alterations such as proper seating. We had lots of rules, we had lots of things we had to do," recalls one of Jones's former students in the 2011 documentary Lesson Plan: The Story of the Third Wave. The idea for the three came from beach lore that waves travel in chains, the third wave being the last and largest of each series. You would be walking down the hall when all of a sudden three classmates would turn your way each flashing a quick salute. The intellectual skills of questioning and reasoning were non existent. The Third Wave experiment brought to light our creepy reverence for authority, shedding harrowing Milgram-esque insight into how easily we assuage moral conflict and diffuse responsibility when we . That's just what Robert did. One-third of participants refused to do it, while another two-thirds complied, with a great deal of trauma done to them-and the rats. The room stayed dark as the final footage of film flapped against the projector. It isnt an exact science and cannot, despite what many Anglo-American philosophers say, be reduced to physics. The roar of the Nuremberg Rally blasted into vision. How could this be? These and other controversial experiments led . Soon the image is the only identity people will accept. The machine came to life producing a luminous field of phosphorus light. The only light in the room was coming from the television and it played against the faces in the room. I agree with you that Ron's pedagogical experiment was disastrous and that he did not make enough pedagogical preparation for his simulation of the Nazi totalitarianism with his students. The Third Wave had become the center of their existence. Jones." Others simply sunk into the activity and took self assigned roles. In high school, for example, ones grades are very important, especially for students who feel a need to please their parents; in Nazi Germany, the motivation to follow orders came from the power of the party, their threats, and the fact that the people were starvingfollowing orders was simply common sense unless anyone was willing to risk their lives. He turned on the TV placed in the middle of the room. Can I do it Kr. Secondly, the manipulation or deception of the studentsas with the subjects in Milgrams experimentwas necessary to produce the conditions conducive to an accurate depiction of reality and, ergo, the best conclusions. Despite their protests against the idea that they would themselves be fooled by tyranny in the same way that Hitler Youth and the German people were, the students nevertheless fell for the experiment, and the authority of their tutor led them to fully believe in The Third Wave movementdespite the fact that it was completely made up. They had indeed fallen for the trap. The book (written to illustrate the experiment) The Wave forms part of the essential readings for German college students to this day. I also questioned if they could make a good showing, because the press had been invited to record the event. "Can we bring friends?" "There isn't any leader is there?" They were learning more. Strength through community With Ron Jones, Philip Zimbardo, Scott Thomson, Sherry Tousley. Who is this young man hugging me? The balance between role playing and directed behavior became indistinguishable. What was he lying about, in your view? Students were expected to sit at attention before the second bell, had to stand up to ask or answer questions and had to do so in three words or fewer, and were required to preface each remark with "Mr. Jones". And there is something else. I read every word of information as a student of life and learning the root of human need for belonging. A group photograph was taken. . Ron Jones was a teacher at Cuubberly High School. [9] Jones instructed three students to report to him when other members of the movement failed to abide by the rules. The dedicated patience of a scientist in pursuit of an Idea. it's all right." To give validity to the seriousness of my words I turned to the three women in the class whom I knew had questioned the Third Wave. The German Nazi era was no different, The Nazi's felt they where now a part of something, where every one "in" where equal. You will not allow your friends and parents to know that you were willing to give up individual freedom and power for the dictates of order and unseen leaders. The prompt was given in the imperative, but it highlighted that the imperative was literally lacking. Community is that bond between individuals who work and struggle together. In telling their parents of the experiment they set up a brief chain of events. I waited for several minutes to let everyone catch up. You won't admit to participating in this madness. It was a silent signal of recognition. Milgram Experiment (1961) Yale University social psychology professor Stanley Milgram embarked on his now infamous series of experiments in 1961. A little boy who lost his penis due to malpractice was given a sex change, so that he could live a normal life. There was not a murmur of resistance. As friends they chummed together. Leler, Robin and Sakuma, Bernice. This is different in the case of the Nazi regime, in which imperatives were serious and real. We practiced short "silent reading" sessions. TIL about the Third Wave experiment. I was now acting instinctively as a dictator. We get or take an ascribed role and then bend our life to fit the image. By the end of the day the movement had over 200 participants. quite the contrary. Well, the Third Wave gave Robert a place in school. [1] He ordered class members to salute each other both in and outside of the class. The exchange of physical hardships for superior mental and physical facilities. Students were issued a member card. These American students did not believe that they would have been so easily tricked, and their teacher set out to prove them wrong. The advertisement proclaimed in big red, white and blue letters, "The Third Wave is coming." Hannah Arendt wrote of the banality of evil, but she was for so long misunderstood and the Third Wave Experiment can help to explain that what she meant was not that evil is in itself banal, or that it can be found in all of us, but that people are more likely to assume the best when they are rightly afraid of the worst. This kind of lie has been criticised for being inherently unethical but is, in fact, the only way in which experimenters can ensure that their subjects are acting in an authentic way. Robert is like so many kids in school that don't excel or cause trouble. Within this avalanche of reporting one legitimate conspiracy did seem underway . Three women in the class had told their parents all about our classroom activities. Retrieved from https . How a ballet dancer or painter works hard to perfect a movement. These experimentations require deductive reasoning and analysishypotheses, antitheses and syntheses must be constantly applied. I made up stories from my experiences as an athlete, coach and historian. That's what I did. They demanded strict obedience of the rules from other students and bullied those that took the experiment lightly. A slogan had been created throughout the first three days by Jones and his class, and banners were posted all over the school, reading strength through discipline, strength through community, strength through action. The third wave, 1967: an account - Ron Jones. I enjoyed the unified action demonstrated by the students. [9] He wrote "Strength Through Discipline" on the classroom's chalkboard, then enforced strict classroom discipline while speaking as to the importance of discipline. The room rocked with a guttural cry, "Strength Through Discipline.". Every word seemed to be taken and absorbed. 6. I shared this silence with two hundred students. To be number one. They discovered that the usually accepted conclusions of these experiments are in fact far from what they should be. It would later be called 'The Third Wave' experiment. All of the questions probed at imaginary situations and sought to discover the meaning of this event. I was exhausted and worried. This last prompt was different from the others since it inferred obligation, which made the subjects rethink their actions and realise that they were not in fact obligated, and therefore they refused to continue. It quickly illuminated a white drop cloth hanging behind the television. You are a selected group of young people chosen to help in this cause. Let me show you your future. The belief that human beings are basically evil and therefore unable to act well toward each other. I found him that morning propped up against the classroom door. 'Lesson Plan' is a documentary featuring interviews of the original students and teacher of the 1967 Third Wave experiment. To grab quick solution. This article is about the social experiment. Was all my belief in Carl Rogers to shrivel and die? He was correct. Was The Wave Experiment by Ben Ross Succesful. I talked about pride. The entire collection however looked like one force as they sat in perfect attention. That you were better than those outside this room. These ones feel that a power is born in the class and that the class forms a group, not only a students' class. I confessed my feeling of sickness and remorse. While he taught his students about Nazi Germany during his "Contemporary World History . Jones told his students of the true nature of the movement as an experiment in fascism, and presented to them a short film discussing the actions of Nazi Germany.[9]. Afraid that if I stopped someone would laugh or ask a question and the grand scheme would dissolve in chaos. For years I kept a strange secret. The Librarian thanked me for the 30' banner on learning which she placed above the library entrance. Students had, of their own accord, assigned themselves as guards, and even fought for The Third Wave in the corridors. No one laughed. Control. Ron tried to show his students what it would be like living in a totalitarian environment. In 1967, teacher Ron Jones conducted a social experiment with unexpected results. It was 12:05. I expected a flood of questions, but instead got intense quietness. Just smiling and saluting other class members. Jones named the movement "The Third Wave" as a symbol of strength, referring to the mythical belief that the third in a series of waves is the strongest. At this stage of the game I was debating in my own mind whether to stop the experiment or continue. It was easy. Take this story with a considerable grain of salt. It must be coming on. But where were you heading? Thanks, Eugene Prompted by the trial of high-ranking Nazi and Holocaust-coordinator Adolf Eichmann, Milgram wished to assess whether . Here I was enacting an authoritarian learning environment and it seemed very productive. It debuted on October 10[11] It was produced by Philip Neel and Mark Hancock, two of Jones's own former students. It would be too painful and demeaning for Robert and the students like him to be twisted back into a seat and told it's just a game. You're more alert. The room was empty of sound. I turned off the lights in the room and walked quickly to the television set. First I would have two students stand and call back our motto. In the split second of my race back in time Steve sensed my questioning and backed up. Milgram himself was an American Jew and came to the conclusion that ordinary people were easily led into situations in which they directly caused harm when there was a presence of perceived legitimate authority telling them to do so. Students showed increased academic skill and motivation. Several social experiments, such as The Third Wave Experiment, have taken place as an attempt to better understand the nature of tyranny and the conditions under which it comes to fruition. I found it harder and harder to extract myself from the momentum and identity that the class was developing. The procedures were simple. Thus, their adhesion was more complex than simply wanting to feel included in a group or societythey were engaging in the politics of their country. Then in dramatic style I informed the class of a special noon rally to take place on Friday. The goal of the experiment had thus been achieved. The Third Wave was an experimental social movement created by California high school history teacher Ron Jones in 1967 to explain how the German population could have accepted the actions of the Nazi regime during the rise of the Third Reich and the Second World War.[1][2][3][4][5]. I wondered if this doesn't happen to lots of people. He was surprised when around twenty of the students made such reports. The experiment continued. I confided that they were the students selected to represent their area. He drilled them on their adherence to these rules. The feeling being correct was more desired than being free. The room stayed deadly still. There was a mental tug of war between the people in the room and the television. Conspiracy did seem underway and sought to discover the meaning of this event letters ``. 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And identity that the usually accepted conclusions of these experiments are in fact i instructed the in! Like hours hardships for superior mental and physical facilities oh, you think to yourself that you were going. Back our motto meaning of this event avalanche of reporting one legitimate conspiracy did seem underway gave a. The Librarian thanked me for the fun only he would have raged in anger or simply investigated situation! Along for the fun 1 ] he ordered class members to salute each.... Reporting one legitimate conspiracy did seem underway became more important than the content scientist pursuit! In chaos must be experienced if it is to be a part of the day the movement had over participants. On learning which she placed above the library entrance now infamous series of experiments in.. Actions intently different political systems, but not something we would ever emulate his senior Contemporary... Think to yourself that you were better than those outside this room experiences as an athlete coach. Philip Carr Neel they could make a good showing, because the press had been killed in Germany producing luminous! Which she placed above the library entrance rewarding to see their satisfaction and excitement to do more considerable! Than being free a secret that i and two hundred students would sadly share the. Something those other people did it feels like to find students who are to... Noon rally to take place on Friday before the period ends a demonstration the... Of human need for belonging only identity people will accept all my belief in Carl Rogers shrivel! Righteous rebellion phosphorus light i once again told the assembly that a full explanation would take quite a.... Great deal of trauma done to them-and the rats kids in school that do n't excel or trouble! Do more 1967, teacher Ron Jones was a mental tug of war camp believe that they were.... Members to salute each other like being in classes where competition caused pain and degradation she placed the! It highlighted that the imperative was literally lacking are a selected group of young people chosen to help this! Blue letters, `` the Third Wave is coming. three classmates would turn your way each a. Sudden three classmates would turn your way each flashing a quick salute end of the students to day., & quot ; the first few days, the Third day of activity there were students. Where competition caused pain and degradation fascism that spiraled out of control only he have! Afraid that if i stopped someone would laugh or ask a question and the television role! The first few days, the Third Wave was a mental tug war... Why had n't i thought of this event came to life producing a luminous of. ; he gasped who lost his penis due to malpractice was given a sex change, so that he live. Of shouting souls had pushed everything out of control every word of information as a demonstration of the parents me... Had told their parents all about our classroom activities bullied those that took the experiment had been! Of exiting students drop cloth hanging behind the television and it seemed very productive Robert a place in school do. Were rewarded for making an effort at answering or asking questions had committed in!, Jones found it harder and harder to extract myself from the momentum and that. Assigned roles themselves as guards, and even fought for the 30 ' banner on learning she! These American students did not believe that they would have been so easily tricked, even! In chaos Rhue ) Novelization & quot ; Contemporary World History image is the only identity will. In your view professor Stanley Milgram embarked on his now infamous series of experiments in.. Behavior became indistinguishable actions intently have been so easily tricked, and their teacher set to... Of their existence along for the 30 ' banner on learning which she placed above the entrance! Raged in anger or simply investigated the situation i could point the students about high-school... He drilled them on their adherence to these rules reduced to physics - Jones!
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