Maintaining Hope 1
Running head: MAINTAINING HOPE
Maintaining Hope in the Face of Evil
Geri Miller
Appalachian StateUniversity
Geri Miller, Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling, Appalachian StateUniversity. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Geri Miller, Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling, Edwin Duncan Hall, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608 (e-mail: ).
Maintaining Hope 1
Abstract
P.G. Zimbardo (2001) and M.E.P. Seligman (in an interview with Carpenter, 2001) discuss evil and hope in response to the September 11, 2001, disaster. The implications for counseling are presented with an emphasis on how counselors can maintain hope for themselves and their clients in the face of evil.
Maintaining Hope 1
“Maintaining Hope in the Face of Evil” is my review of two articles published in the Monitor, a publication of the American Psychological Association: “Opposing Terrorism by Understanding the Human Capacity for Evil” by Zimbardo (2001) and “Amid the Despair, there is Hope,” an interview with Martin E.P. Seligman by Carpenter (2001). My response, both to the content of these articles and my own personal and professional experiences as an American Red Cross volunteer at Ground Zero, explores the need to maintain hope in the face of evil and the implications this presents for professional counselors.
ARTICLE REVIEWS
Zimbardo
In his article on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack, Zimbardo (2001) stressed the need to understand the core of the hatred expressed toward the United States in order to intervene effectively regarding terrorism. He begins his article by describing how attacks on the U.S. symbols of business (WorldTradeCenter) and military (Pentagon) caused Americans to experience terror and possibly changed how we live. He continued by describing the terrorists and their terrorist attack on the United States.
Zimbardo (2001) depicted the terrorists as "educated, well-trained, blindly obedient to authority, totally dedicated to a religious-cultural ideology, living in a time zone of present fatalism, with few possessions and nothing to lose except sacrificing their lives for a higher cause" (p. 49). He labeled the terrorist attack as a “creative evil” (p. 49) whereby humans used their intelligence to be destructive and violent towards others—an attack that bound people together in their hatred toward the United States and its allies. He stressed that we must not minimize the evil but recognize it as a well-organized, carefully planned attack in terms of connections, resources, and knowledge used to carry it out.
Zimbardo argued that we cannot call this act “senseless violence” because: (a) the act was purposeful and intentional and (b) it was not random but indicated involved, significant, intellectual reasoning. To prevent such attacks in the future, he believed we need to see the violence for what it was: purposeful, intentional, organized, and guided by intelligence. He recommended that in addition to understanding “who” was behind the attacks that we also understand “what” was behind them, especially regarding to the hatred of the United States embedded in the ideas, politics, and social structure of the terrorists. He believes that such understanding is critical if we are to prevent and intervene in future attacks.
Zimbardo's recommendation for understanding the presence of this evil was that we explore it beyond disposition (e.g., the evil being present in individuals such as Hitler) and expand it to situations that facilitate the birth and existence of evil. Understanding evil from a situational view can help us comprehend how basically good people can be involved in evil behavior. He also stated that we need a deeper understanding of the hatred toward the United States and democracy to effectively and appropriately respond to such hatred.
In terms of understanding how ordinary people can be involved in evil acts, Zimbardo (2001) reported that research has examined people involved in harmful activity, and cited studies done by Milgram, Bandura, Steiner, and himself. In reference to this research, he recommends that we examine and understand the tactics of mind control used to involve people in evil acts, as well as the “dark side of religion” (p. 50) whereby religious values are distorted to encourage and support evil actions. Finally, Zimbardo warned us against revenge in general:
We cannot allow that transfer of hostility to develop because it fuels the cycle of
violence started by the terrorists. Terrorists create terror; terror creates fear and
anger; fear and anger create aggression and aggression against citizens of different
ethnicity or religion creates racism and, in turn, new forms of terrorism. (p. 50)
In closing, Zimbardo (2001) suggested that we need to “hang on” to our value of human life to remain aligned with the force of goodness so that we can “oppose evil with tolerance, compassion, justice, and love” (p. 50). He stressed that we need to align with heroism rather than terrorism. He encouraged us to be heroes with our families and communities by responding to the needs of others in a meaningful fashion.
Seligman
In an interview with a Monitor reporter, Martin E. P. Seligman, past-president of the American Psychological Association, described some aspects of the September 11th disaster that can give us hope. Carpenter (2001) describes Seligman's perspective of three hopeful characteristics in response to the disaster. Seligman began his three-part description of hope by outlining the characteristics of the post-Vietnam generation in the United States. He stated that he believes this generation has focused on being economically successful and secure rather than viewing itself as vulnerable and connected with the rest of the human race. This perspective—one that did not incorporate vulnerability to forces such as terrorism—resulted in a denial of the impact of terrorism on us, an isolationist attitude toward the rest of the world, and a discounting of the significance of the reactions of others in the world to the United States that range on a continuum from dislike to hatred.
Seligman believed that the recent recognition by Americans of vulnerability, our comprehension of the numerous possible avenues for terrorist attacks, and acknowledgement and recognition of a presence of extreme religious fundamentalism may result in the United States seriously addressing the threat of terrorism. Such a firm commitment to the prevention and intervention of terrorist attacks is our first hope because this commitment would result in the world becoming a safer place.
The second hope, from Seligman's perspective, was a redefinition of heroism. The shift from defining celebrities and athletes as our heroes to acknowledging the heroism of individuals such rescue workers and firefighters can result in a shift in values. The redefinition can strengthen critical, core values related to human existence and life, superceding those values that are superficial in nature.
The third hope lies with mental health professionals. Although Seligman believed that it is important for Americans to understand the hatred towards us and the reasons behind the attack, he thought that such understanding would take time. In the interim, he perceives mental health professionals as a source of hope for our country. The hope is that mental health professionals can play a role in encouraging a sense of national unity and purpose, thereby providing Americans with a consciousness of connectedness and stability.
IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELORS
This article is influenced by my experiences as a Red Cross Disaster Mental Health (DMH) counselor in New York City. I briefly describe these experiences here so the reader can understand how they influenced my perception of the articles reviewed.
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, I was in New York City as a DMH volunteer for two Red Cross assignment periods, once over Thanksgiving and once over Christmas. Each assignment period was approximately 2 weeks, with 12-hour days. I was assigned to Pier 94 off the Hudson River, a site that provided resources to people impacted by the September 11 disaster. During the first period, I worked in the area that dealt with more urgent and immediate problems: Clients affected by the disaster received services from the Red Cross and other state and federal agencies in response to multiple needs of daily living. The second assignment involved work on the same site that had a quieter, subdued atmosphere, and clients were family members who had lost someone at the WorldTradeCenter. Multiple forms of aid were provided to family members. One unique service I participated in was the offering of an urn containing ashes from the WorldTradeCenter and an American flag. Both experiences at Pier 94 were very moving and powerful.
This was my first assignment as a DMH counselor volunteer and my first trip to New York City. It was an honor to have gone twice to serve my country and the wonderful humanitarian organization of the Red Cross. These words are not used lightly. I believe myself blessed to have witnessed such goodness in response to the evil of the attack on the United States. I read the following story, which I had written after a long week as a volunteer, to my graduate students in an attempt to help them understand the experience of the disaster in New York City:
Imagine you are going to work, and for some reason you're late because your son or daughter is giving you trouble, or you had a fight with your partner, or you overslept. Whatever it is, it is an accident you are late or you just don't work at that time of day. You turn on the TV or you are at work and you begin to see and feel planes crash into your workplace. First, you think it is debris and then you realize these are people, your friends, boss, acquaintances jumping out of the building to their death and you wonder why they are wearing black boots and then you realize their feet are on fire. You become covered with dust, have trouble breathing, you see a wall of plaster, dirt, a huge one chasing you and you run and you run and you run because if you go in the building you could die. You wonder if you should go in the building and try to save someone or if you should save yourself. You can't use a phone to call anyone because the phones don't work, so you can't tell anyone you are alive or find out how they are. You are alone and you walk for hours to get home and you don't know what to do, and you feel numb and then you begin to shake and cry. Then, later it hits you. You don't have a job anymore, maybe not a place to live, and some or all of your work friends are dead and you have to ask for assistance and you have never done that before and it is hard to do, but you have no choice. Then add to all of this that you may be gay or lesbian, but not “out.” Who can you talk to about the grief over the loss of your loved one, or you are here illegally and have no papers, no social security number, do not speak the language, what then? How complicated it all becomes. And maybe old memories of trauma come back and you have trouble sleeping, trouble with depression or anxiety, or a plane goes overhead and you jump.
Or maybe you are a family member who has no story to tell of the loss of your loved one. An incredible emptiness exists because you have been robbed of your story of grief: everyone knows your story (“Two planes crashed into two towers and my ______was killed.”) All you can add to the story is the floor on which they worked or that they happened to be in the building, but you have no body, nothing.
Because of these personal experiences as a disaster volunteer, I believe that what was done to the United States on September 11, 2001, was evil. I do not shy away from Zimbardo's use of the word evil as some counselors might. No one will every hear me call it anything but an evil act. My deep sense of conviction comes from my two experiences at Ground Zero. Both times I was cold and could not get warm even though it was not cold weather. And both times I wept deeply. Prior to visiting Ground Zero, there were times in my life and in the lives of my clients that I sensed or experienced the presence of evil. But at Ground Zero, I felt immersed in the wake of evil. On my first trip I told my husband, “I never thought I would visit a war zone in my own country.”
Our use of the word evil depends on how we define it. It is defined in this article as that which causes pain and suffering. An awareness of our definition can help us, as professional counselors, to assess the extent of the sense of presence of evil within our clients and their lives. Has our client experienced pain and suffering at the hands of a perpetrator who takes pleasure in the action or feels no remorse for such actions? Alternatively, have our clients participated in evil acts that have harmed others? By acknowledging the presence of evil, we can assist our clients in recognizing it in themselves and others, thereby allowing us to hold each other accountable for such behavior. Zimbardo's assertion that we need to look at the purpose of the evil and the intellect behind it is an excellent one. An awareness of the presence and intent of evil can not only assist our clients in determining how to effectively address the scars that the evil has left on them but also assist them to effectively respond to the force of evil in the present moment.
Zimbardo's suggestion for looking at evil from a dispositional perspective is illustrated in the following story:
A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: “Inside of
me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The
mean dog fights the good dog all the time.” When asked which dog wins, he reflected for
a moment and replied, “The one I feed the most.” (Native American Folk Tale)
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As in this story, we need to understand, through further research and study, what feeds and encourages evil. In particular, the dynamics of mind control and the distortion of religious belief and values used to encourage the presence of suffering need to be studied in more depth. As Seligman cautioned us, however, this may be a lengthy process and in the interim, in the case of September 11, we may need to look at how to encourage a sense of national unity and purpose. As I have repeatedly told my students since the disaster, “There are many ways to be brave in the United States right now.”
In the process of seeing and understanding evil, it is important to heed Zimbardo's warning against revenge. One of the saddest moments for me at Pier 94 was when a client in a crowded lobby fearfully whispered to me, “I am Muslim.” I knew that client had to be careful— even as a survivor of the disaster in the presence of other survivors—about publicly admitting his religion for fear of retribution. My own response as a volunteer with the American Red Cross came out of my need to take nonviolent action in response to the evil of the attack.
Zimbardo's suggestion that we hang on to our value of human life as a way to anchor ourselves in the force of goodness is also critical. In my volunteer work, I was impressed by the bravery of the survivors (each of whom had a difficult story) in asking for help—emotionally, spiritually, financially, physically—or requesting an urn containing ashes from the World Trade Center, the only remembrance of their loved one. I came to appreciate life even more, because after almost every tragic story the survivor would say to me with gratitude, “But, Geri, I am alive.” Repeatedly hearing that in a twelve-hour day imbedded a life appreciation in my bone marrow. It is a life appreciation that can hold us in check from evil actions towards others.
Finally, Zimbardo's encouragement to us to be heroes is also reflected in my volunteer experience. A significant part of what sustained me through the long days on site, as well as the days that followed them, was the goodness I saw in response to evil. In terms of The United States, I saw a country full of generous, loving people reaching out through various organizations to help other people. I saw Red Cross volunteers willing to leave their families, friends, loved ones, pets, jobs, to help others for 2- to 3- week periods, 12 to 14 hours a day, 6 days a week; many returning for a second or third assignment. I watched them in their patience, kindness, and compassion with strangers- some not always easy to help. I watched them volunteer their time over the holidays without complaint. I watched them, as Seligman might say, attempt to make the world a safer place.
Seligman stated that this disaster made Americans see themselves as more vulnerable and connected to others in the world. I remember a client asking me, “What did I do to make this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?” and my response, “You were simply alive in New York going to work. It could have been me as easily as you.”
When I began to see each volunteer as the top of a pyramid, the goodness washed over me like a massive wave. Although maybe most or all of us in the U.S. wanted to help in New York City or WashingtonD.C., only some of us were able to do so. Each volunteer was supported—as in a pyramid—by many others who took care of our children, our pets, our jobs, all the responsibilities we left behind when we volunteered. Each volunteer and each person who supported a volunteer in their work was the hero Zimbardo encouraged us to be and the heroes Seligman described as based in core values - values such as compassion, integrity, and self-sacrifice.