The Third Wave Experiment Explained | The Study That Proves We Were All Born Evil

Summary

This video explores the chilling results of Ron Jones' 'Third Wave' experiment, designed to demonstrate the dangers of discrimination and fascism. Jones, a teacher, creates a movement among his students, mimicking the rise of Nazi ideology. In just five days, the students become immersed in the experiment, adopting extreme behaviors like loyalty, exclusion, and surveillance, with the group expanding rapidly. Jones halts the experiment before it escalates into violence, revealing the terrifying normalcy of fascist behavior. The video serves as a powerful reminder of how easily individuals can fall into oppressive systems, drawing parallels with historical atrocities.

Takeaways

• 😀 The script highlights the theme of discrimination and its historical impact, specifically referencing the atrocities of the Holocaust.
• 😀 It discusses Ron Jones' experiment, 'The Third Wave,' designed to demonstrate how easily people can adopt fascist behaviors.
• 😀 The experiment started with a focus on discipline and conformity, eventually growing into a dangerous movement within just five days.
• 😀 Jones used Wagnerian music, straightened desks, and strict rules to establish a sense of power and control over the students.
• 😀 Initially, Jones believed the experiment would fail, but instead, it quickly gained momentum, and students began to follow the rules unconditionally.
• 😀 The movement's influence spread beyond the classroom as students outside joined, leading to a rapid expansion of the group.
• 😀 Students were given 'strength' through various slogans like 'Strength Through Discipline,' 'Strength Through Community,' and 'Strength Through Action.'
• 😀 The rules required students to salute each other like Nazis, report any disloyalty, and engage in actions to grow the movement, including creating propaganda.
• 😀 As the group expanded, paranoia, betrayal, and secrecy grew among the students, mimicking the authoritarian behavior of fascist regimes.
• 😀 On the fifth day, Jones had to end the experiment when he learned of a plot to physically harm students who were skeptical of the movement, fearing it was becoming dangerously real.
• 😀 The experiment concluded with Jones revealing to the students that the Third Wave was not real, shocking them with the realization of how easily they could have become fascists.
• 😀 The takeaway from the experiment echoed Hannah Arendt's conclusion: most of the perpetrators in the Nazi regime were not inherently evil, but 'terribly and terrifyingly normal.'

Q & A

What was the purpose of Ron Jones' Third Wave experiment?

The purpose of the Third Wave experiment was to demonstrate how easily people can be influenced into fascist and discriminatory behavior, similar to how the Nazis rose to power. Jones aimed to show his students how a regime like the Nazis could manipulate ordinary individuals into following harmful ideologies.

How did Ron Jones initiate the experiment in his classroom?

Jones initiated the experiment by playing Wagnerian music as the students entered, rearranging their desks, and writing 'Strength Through Discipline' on the blackboard. He introduced rules like sitting upright and greeting him in unison, and promised an 'A' for full participation in the experiment.

What was the significance of the phrase 'Strength Through Discipline'?

The phrase 'Strength Through Discipline' was meant to instill a sense of order and unity among the students. It was a key slogan of the Third Wave, mirroring the propaganda tactics used by fascist regimes like Nazi Germany to promote control and obedience.

What role did the Nazi-like salute play in the experiment?

The Nazi-like salute played a critical role in the experiment as it symbolized allegiance to the Third Wave. Students were required to salute each other whenever they met, and this created a sense of belonging while also encouraging conformity and the exclusion of outsiders.

How did the Third Wave movement grow beyond the classroom?

The Third Wave movement grew rapidly beyond the classroom as students from other parts of the school noticed the new behaviors and joined the movement. By the third day, nearly 200 students were involved, and banners, armbands, and membership cards were created to spread the movement across the school.

What actions did Ron Jones take to maintain control of the Third Wave?

Jones maintained control by assigning students roles like secret police to report rule-breakers. He also created a system of rewards and punishments, and used fear and loyalty to keep the students in line, with consequences for those who were caught betraying the movement.

Why did Ron Jones have to end the experiment?

Jones ended the experiment after learning that students were planning violent actions, including beating up skeptical members. The situation had escalated to the point where some students were being exiled for questioning the experiment, and it became clear that the movement could turn dangerous.

What was the students' reaction when they learned that the Third Wave was not real?

The students were horrified when they learned that the Third Wave was a fabricated experiment. Jones revealed that they had unknowingly played out a fascist transition, and many students realized how easily they had been manipulated into authoritarian behavior.

How did the Third Wave experiment mirror the behaviors of the Nazi regime?

The Third Wave experiment mirrored the behaviors of the Nazi regime by demonstrating how ordinary individuals could be manipulated into participating in an oppressive system. The experiment showed how a sense of belonging, strict discipline, and fear of betrayal can lead to conformity and, eventually, dehumanization.

What was the broader lesson Ron Jones hoped his students would learn from the experiment?

The broader lesson Jones hoped to convey was that ordinary people are capable of committing harmful acts when they are part of a collective that emphasizes discipline, exclusion, and loyalty. The experiment aimed to show how easily fascism could take root in a society, even among seemingly normal individuals.