Ethics for Magical People: Individuals and Groupthink: Sources (4 of 4)

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Works Used:

Center for Ethics and Business, “Resolving an Ethical Dilemma,” Loyola Marymount University,  2009, http://www.lmu.edu/Page27945.aspx.

Charterted Institute of Management Accountants, “Ethical Dilemmas: What would you do?,” CIMA Global, http://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/Professional%20ethics%20docs/dilemmas%20FINAL.pdf .

Cook, Karen and Robin Cooper, “The Rape of Nanking: Analyzing Events From a Sociological Perspective,” Stanford University, 2000, http://www.stanford.edu/~kcook/intro.html.

Hrafn, “Weaving Wyrd,” blog, http://weavingwyrd.com/.

Kaldera, Raven, “Wyrdwalkers: Techniques of Northern-Tradition Shamanism,” Asphodel Press: Hubbardston, MA, 2006.

Mcleod, S. A., Simply Psychology - Articles for Students: Lawrence Kohlberg,” 2007, www.simplypsychology.org/.

Straker, David, “Changing Minds,” Changingminds.org, http://changingminds.org/index.htm.

Wodening, Swain, “Musings on Theodism and Germanic Heathenry in General,” blog, http://swainwodening.wordpress.com/.

Wong, Alan, “Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development,” Blessed to be a Blessing, 2000, http://www.vtaide.com/blessing/Kohlberg.htm.

---, “Working in Groups,” University of Pittsburgh, 2007, http://www.speaking.pitt.edu/student/groups .

Wren , “Teachers (Part 4): Teachers and Magical Ethics,” The Witches’ Voice, 2000 http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usfl&c=basics&id=2886.

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon , “Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard,” Franklin Lakes: New Page Books, 2004.

Ethics for Magical People: Individuals and Groupthink (3 of 4)

John does not have the same ethical dilemma as Heather’s. In his mind, the spell is simply a “get caught spell.” Also he wants to be on good terms with both her and the Silver Stars. According to the “Stages of Moral Development,” developed by the psychologist Lawrence Kohberg, John is probably at Level Two: Conventional Morality. At this stage, people will conform to the norms of society at large. Within Level Two are two stages: Stage Three: the “good boy or good girl” focused on being “nice” and keeping relationships, and Stage Four: the desire to maintain the social order. John wants to belong to the group, follow the Wiccan Rede, and be friends of Heather. Therefore John decided not to support Heather against the group, but also did not to denigrate her choice of interpretation.

Heather has to decide whether continuing a friendship with John will affect her ethical decision. Heather has to accept that he will stay home and not do the spell. Because Heather feels that John does not support her against the group, she probably needs to distance herself from him. Since John does value her friendship, he will give her that space. Her parting from John should not be done in anger but in respect for his decision.

Life in my neighborhood became intolerable, after one of the gang members committed murder. Although his mother maintained her son’s innocence, he was convicted and sent to prison. At that point, the neighbors decided to evict her since she allowed the gang to stay in her home.  The situation became difficult for me since everyone knew I had called the police, but still spoke to the mother. I was neutral about the mother since I was neither her judge nor jury. The mother knew that I worked with the civil authorities, but still greeted me. Eventually, the gang was broken up and the mother moved to be closer to her son in prison.

For several years, my neighbors did not speak with me. I made my choices knowing that my neighbors would shun me. It hurt but at least I could live with myself since I did what I thought was morally correct. For me, there were no absolutes in ethics, only what I could live with.

I had to consider the consequences of my actions beyond myself. Divination was a way to understand those consequences and to prepare for them. Heather, by walking away from the group, will face the consequences of isolation from both the group and her friend John. Heather will remain true to her interpretation of the Rede.

Ethics for Magical People: Individuals and Groupthink (2 of 4)

However, Heather interpreted the group’s spell to stop “The Shooter” (the serial killer) to be a curse. Disturbed, she objected to doing it. In response, the group told her to “lighten up” and stop being a “fluffy bunny.” Though upset himself, John interpreted the spell as only capturing “The Shooter.”

Devolving into groupthink, the Silver Stars regarded their curse spell to be morally correct. When Heather confronted them with her qualms, they dismissed her as being silly. Since the group does not support her ethics, should Heather stay knowing that her objections are being ignored? Should she leave and let them suffer the consequences of their actions? What can Heather morally live with?

When facing an ethical dilemma, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) advises their students to do a three step process. First ask, “What are the consequences of each act? What are the benefits and harms for each? How will they play out over the long and short-term?” Second, analyze each action. “How do they measure up against various moral principles?”  Finally, make a decision that you can live with.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) tells their members to map out the dilemma to decide what action to take. CIMA advises that they should resolve the dilemma as quickly as possible since longer the delay, the greater the repercussions will be.  The CIMA suggests asking yourself: “How would I feel if I saw this in a newspaper?”

Since Heather is probably a Wiccan, her guiding principles would be the “Wiccan Rede” (“’An it harm none, do as you will.”), and the “Law of Threefold Return” (“Whatever energy we put out into the world shall return to us multiplied three times.”). If she stays with her group, she tacitly supports their actions. Since she believes that they are in violation of the “Wiccan Rede,” Heather has already voiced her objections. Adding to Heather’s dilemma is the “Law of Threefold Return.” If Heather remains, she will experience the curse’s effect. To be true to the Rede, Heather will have to leave Silver Stars.

There are two Neo-Pagan ethics which I considered in my own dilemma. The first is “Natural Law:” “Actions have consequences. What we choose will expand beyond ourselves.” The second is the Norse concept of Wyrd (soul and fate). Our choices will add to or subtract from the Well of Wyrd. What we do with others will weave our Wyrd into theirs. Therefore together, our fates are intertwined unless we deliberately unravel the threads.

In my case, I had woven my wyrd with that of my neighbors’. With that in mind, I had to choose what to do next. Instead of berating my neighbors for their passivity, I called the police when I felt in danger. My neighbors thought that I was “asking for it,” but the gang ignored me. I felt resistance from my neighbors for “endangering everyone by calling the police.” For me, “Natural Law” meant doing something to keep my home safe. My wyrd would suffer if I did nothing. Also, I did divination to see what if anything my Gods wanted me to do.

Ethics for Magical People: Individuals and Groupthink (1of 4)

Often a test of ethics will come from membership in a group, whether at the workplace, home, or school. Each group has its own personality, derived from the combination of people in it. By sharing their goals and identities, people, in return, receive a feeling of security and comfort from the group. However, there will be times when what a person thinks is right runs counter to what the group wants.

Some groups can work to the detriment of the individual. Psychologist and researcher Beatrice Schultz wrote, “A group can hold power over us if we find it attractive enough to want to be a member.” When this develops, “groupthink” among the members will often occur, unless the members encourage nonconformity. Without any debate, group members will often coalesce into a tight unit. As it becomes incapable of making moral judgments, the decision making ability of the group deteriorates.

The University of Pittsburg’s student site on the dynamics of small groups lists several symptoms of groupthink. “The group overestimates its power. Often times a group can believe that their cause is right and that nothing can go wrong with their plan.” Moreover, groupthink leads to an extraordinary degree of over-optimism and risk taking by the group. Groupthink pressures the individuals to conform, and discourages them from having doubts. Silence then becomes consent.

Contributing to groupthink is the “Phenomenon of Group Polarization,” which is “people in groups become more extreme in their point of view.” The “Risky Shift Phenomenon” states that “In the group, they are likely to make riskier decisions as the shared risk makes the individual risk less.” Because of this, “decisional stress” may occur. When a group is forced to make an important decision, the individuals within the group will feel insecure. Therefore the group members will reduce their stress by making decisions quickly with as little dissension as possible.

I have had experiences with groupthink. At one time, a gang took up residence in my garden condo complex. Because they believed that the police were ineffective, my neighbors were reluctant to call the m. Moreover, they also did not want to be a target for the gang. Furthermore, my neighbors thought that I was insane for wanting to go to the police to stop the gang. I was caught between keeping the social order and having relations with my neighbors.

In the case history of Heather and John, their Neo-Pagan group, the Silver Stars, was in the habit of casting spells. Their spells usually focused on “the greater good” such as ending wars or obtaining social justice. This gave the group a sense of moral righteousness. Recently, the Silver Stars decided to end the reign of terror of a serial killer in their area by doing a group spell.

Ethics for Magical People: Performing Magic (3 of 4)

In the case history of Janet and the Odd Woman, Janet had reached a nadir in her life when a friend suggested consulting a fortune teller. Janet surmised that with all her bad luck that she was under some sort of a curse. After showing Janet the evidence of such a curse, the Odd Woman (the fortune teller) confirmed her worst fears.

Following many consultations, Janet handed the Odd Woman all her money wrapped in a bundle of newspapers. To rid Janet of the curse, the Odd Woman had to cleanse Janet’s money. (According to the Illinois Police, the Bunco artist convinces her victim that his money is at the root of the curse.) Whilst cleaning Janet’s money, the Old Woman fell to the floor. According to her, Janet’s curse was so severe that it forced her down. Following that, she hands the cleansed money to Janet, who then pays the Odd Woman.

After Janet gives her package of cleansed money to a police detective, they discover that it contains only a stack of paper. When she fell, the Odd Woman switched the packages. According to the NABI, after Janet discovered the trick, the Odd Woman would either disappear or threaten to place another curse on her.

To convince Janet of the existence of her curse, the Odd Woman used several types of performance magic. First, she used mentalism to demonstrate that she possessed special powers. To do this, the Odd Woman did a cold reading, thereby convincing Janet that she understood what was happening in Janet’s life.

To demonstrate the severity of the curse, the Odd Woman used table magic. With slight-of-hand, she hid a capsule of blood and hair in her hand, whilst passing an egg over Janet’s body. Smashing the capsule with the egg, the Odd Woman produced hair and pus. She used another slight-of-hand trick when she fell on the floor and switched packages, whilst cleansing Janet’s money.

The other type of magic that the Odd Woman performed was a theatrical séance by simulating contact with various spirits. To further impress Janet, the Odd Woman performed a ritual to speak with several Archangels. These theatrical séances set the stage to for Janet’s belief in the Odd Woman’s supernatural abilities.

Robert Carroll points out that since people do suspend their disbelief, they can be duped into regarding that a mentalist’s act as real. Alain Nu notes that the audience has insufficient experience to judge the credibility of a mentalist’s illusions. Nu says that a credible mentalist will have a disclaimer for his audience. For example, Nu refers to what he does as “ESP – Especially Sensitive Powers.”

In the case of Uri Geller, Carroll says that he is a stage magician (mentalist) who went too far. Since the 1970s, Geller has demonstrated various psychic powers such as bending spoons. Because Geller claims that he has special ESP powers, he charges people for his services to find oil deposits and other things. Carroll views Geller as a “flim-flam artist,” since he bilks gullible people of their money. Meanwhile, James Randi, a stage magician, proved that Geller is a fraud. Randi says that Geller gives other magicians a bad name, since Geller presents his illusions as truth.

Stage magicians create illusions as a part of sacred theater to have the audience ponder new ideas. They urge their audience to visualize other possibilities. Like theater, stage magicians provide an avenue for people to consider the mysteries of life. By bending spoons as entertainment, Alain Nu hopes to entice people to explore fringe science.

Meanwhile, the Odd Woman and Uri Geller create illusions for their own ends. They use their talents for venial purposes – greed and dishonesty. Instead of uplifting people, they endeavor to keep their victims entrapped in faulty belief systems. The Odd Woman and Geller use their magic to shrink people’s worlds, and to shut down their curiosity.