Mind & Psychology November 2, 2025 1 min read

The Lucifer Effect: Why Good People Turn Evil

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Philip Zimbardo Contributor

The Barrel, Not the Apple

We often ask “Who is the bad apple?” Zimbardo asks “What is the bad barrel?” If you put good people in a bad situation (unlimited power, anonymity, dehumanization), they will do evil things.

Heroism

The antidote is to recognize the situational forces. Heroes are everyday people who resist the situation. Most evil is not committed by psychopaths, but by ordinary people following orders.

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