Breaking the Wall of Blind Obedience

I recently came across a talk by Emilia Casper, called “Breaking the Wall of Blind Obedience.”

I resonate and completely agree with her message, and I encourage everyone to support her work and buy her book „Just Following Orders: Atrocities and the Brain Science of Obedience„. It feels crucial right now, in a time when many European countries inside NATO seem more focused on preparing for war than building paths toward negotiation and peace.

As a kid, I always valued freedom. I never liked being told what to do, and I often ran away from obedience, even when it cost me something. It meant fighting with my family, disagreeing with teachers, sometimes losing jobs. But even then, I felt that real strength comes from questioning, not from simply following orders. Emilia’s research reminded me of that. She explaines how our brains change when we obey authority. When people “just follow orders,” they actually feel less empathy, less guilt, and less moral responsibility. She interviewed former genocide perpetrators in places like Rwanda and Cambodia, and many of them said the same thing: “I was just following orders.” Yet she also met rescuers who were ordinary people who made the brave choice to help others, even when it was dangerous. What made them different was compassion and moral clarity. They didn’t let obedience silence their conscience.

I couldn’t help but think of people like Julian Assange, who is being punished for exposing truths that powerful governments wanted hidden. Or voices like George Carlin, who spent his life calling out hypocrisy and blind conformity in our culture. Or Osho, who reminded us that real spirituality begins with awareness and rebellion against conditioning. Even The Duran channel, with its open discussions about geopolitics, multipolarity, and Western narratives, continues to challenge the one-sided stories we are constantly fed. All of them, in different ways, are fighting the same battle against blind obedience which is the same mental programming that tells us to stay quiet, to comply, to not think for ourselves.

Her talk reminded me of the idea I had around 10 years ago. I look around and see how obedience still rules our societies. On my LinkedIn feed, I’ve seen people proudly discussing investments in killer drones (especially the owners of such companies who use any reasons to justify their production of weapons) or how to strengthen military enlistment programs in countries like Germany (I saw many flyers in train stations across the country, e.g., in München this summer, where they portray „happy“ soldiers and invite people to join them) and Romania. Very few talk about peace, understanding, or how to build bridges with others. It feels like we’ve forgotten what empathy really means. I believe part of this comes from the shifting world order. The United States is losing the dominance it once had, and a new multipolar world is forming through the BRICS countries. This is a natural and necessary evolution. But instead of embracing it and cooperating, many Western powers react with fear and aggression, clinging to the illusion of control. It’s sad, because this could be a moment for balance, not escalation. That’s why Emilia Casper’s message is so relevant, because is not only about neuroscience or history, it’s about awareness. Blind obedience is dangerous because it creates wars, injustices, and suffering while awareness, empathy, and courage can create peace. I really hope more people listen to her message, read her book, and think deeply about how easily we can lose our humanity when we stop questioning. We need to choose freedom, compassion, and understanding over fear and obedience, and never „just follow orders“.