Review: Pleasure in Cruelty
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 27, 2014
What do witch hunts, lynch mobs, the persecution of Jews, and the Amanda Knox trial have in common? Quite a lot, according to Donald Preston. In Trial By Fury, Preston examines the reasons why "some human beings devote enormous effort to attacking people who have done nothing to them personally." The answer lies in a psychological concept called, "third-party punishment" which evolved as a way to create social cohesion and to improve a community's chances for survival. However when the third party is irrational, the punishment is often unjust. Add the anonymity and convenience of the internet to the mix and the savagery of the attacks can be sadistic--such is the case in Amanda Knox's trial, according to Preston. A revealing and sobering look at why some humans find pleasure in cruelty, Trial By Fury is highly recommended.