At some level, whether it be our teachers, leaders, or simply the local government, most of us are obedient. According to Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram, “Obedience is as fundamental an element in the structure of social life as can be pointed out” (631). Without obedience, society would lack order and be full of chaos. Authority helps society function; obeying that authority ensures stability. But at what point does obedience cross the line between beneficial and harmful? Obedience becomes dangerous when it is harmful to oneself or others. A classic example of dangerous obedience is demonstrated by Nazi official Adolf Eichmann. During his war crimes trial, Eichmann proclaimed his innocence. He blamed his superiors and said he was simply following orders: orders that included sending millions of people to extermination camps and ultimately killing them. In their separate writings on obedience, Milgram and the psychoanalyst Erich Fromm both compare Eichmann to the ordinary person, someone in whom we can all recognize ourselves. While he may not be the ideal person to be equated with, Eichmann's submission to authority is understandable: had he refused his orders, he would most likely have been arrested or killed, then replaced by someone willing to carry out commands. So it is quite likely that those millions of people would still have been executed, with or without Eichmann's obedience. Obedience is also seen by many as the path of least resistance; it's not that mentally demanding to follow someone's orders. Assuming authority figures know what's best for everyone, it's easier to do what we're told than to have to think for ourselves. But once we stop thinking for ourselves and start following orders recklessly… middle of paper… out of greed, then humanity will no longer have a chance to progress. In her article “Group Minds,” author Doris Lessing's overall thesis is that humanity is “now in possession of a great deal of factual information about ourselves, but we do not use it to improve our institutions and therefore our lives” (653). By not using everything we have learned throughout history, we are doing ourselves and others a great injustice. Not all authority is corrupt, so obedience is not always a bad thing. Following moral and just authorities will allow society to continue to function for many generations to come. Standing up for what we believe in is one of the main reasons why civilization has been able to advance over the years. There is a good chance that continuing to obey corrupt people and losing one's backbone will eventually lead to the destruction of humanity.