Remember, the program was focused on two lawyers and how they responded to the incredible situation in which they found themselves. Col. Denson opted for a more just approach to the prosecution and also obviously gave himself completely to the effort. Col. Bates overcame the fatigue of 240 straight days in combat and the psychological barrier of switching from mercilessly killing German soldiers to defending those accused of being engaged in a common design to perpetrate horrors and atrocities that shocked the world to the point of saying (but unfortunately not accomplishing), “Never again.” Col. Bates also had to overcome the adversity of having Col. Denson, with far more training and far better credentials, as the lawyer on the other side.

To a group of lawyers, the fact that these two men were able to step up and perform so admirably, and apparently with a real sense of justice, was awe-inspiring. The setting in one of the most discussed examples of human evil simply added to the emotional impact of the presentation, but it was not the evil that induced awe.

In this article, you are coming at persuation and self-change from a different angle - that in discussions of dark, dismal, horrific events, when shown how survivors prosper and elevate themselves in such situations, the audience gets to a level of awe and deep emotional openness that makes them open to change.

Very interesting. Do you think this is the same reaction that people may have when they’re told or shown something scary? Or is what you write about quite different? When people experience fear people, do they also become open to then experiencing life changing events?

Remember there’s that one study about a guy hiking over a thin, wiry, air-hanging bridge and he sees some woman crossing the bridge from the other side, and when asked to describe her later, he remembers her as incredibly attractive. Related?

Best,
S.