Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Commencement Speaker


Before I could delete a communiqué about commencement 2013, I saw that Dr. Philip B. [sic] Zimbardo would be the commencement speaker. The announcement noted among other accomplishments Professor Zimbardo's " ... groundbreaking research, The Stanford Prison Experiment."

I suppose the Stanford Prison Experiment could be called "groundbreaking."  I should prefer "heartbreaking," but why quibble?  To refresh your recollection of that experiment, please see 

http://www.prisonexp.org/ and/or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZwfNs1pqG0.

I'd like to host a list of the best responses to this announcement.  Please reply to this posting, anonymously if you wish, with your response(s).


For example, you could respond with snark:   "Springing Bernie Madoff [or Jerry Sandusky or Charlie Manson -- suit your taste or lack thereof] for our commencement would be difficult."


Or you might note that "Dr. Zimbardo probably paid UPS to be rehabilitated as commencement speaker."


Or be sanguine: "It won't be boring."


Or turn a lemon into lemonade: "It's great to hear from an inadvertent founder of Human Subjects committees."



What is your response to Philip George Zimbardo's speaking at graduation this year?





9 comments:

Anonymous said...


PUGET SOUND -- 125 years

"To the depths!"

Anonymous said...

To be fair, we might assume that the university invited John Yoo and former Vice President Cheney first but were turned down. Maybe the speech will be called "enhanced commencement techniques."

Anonymous said...



I suppose Abu Ghraib was ground-breaking as well. Still, I do not expect Lynndie England to be UPS graduation speaker. I'm not sure why.

Anonymous said...


Next UPS will host John Jandali!

Anonymous said...




What a sendoff for our newest alums.


Faithful Commencer said...



Zimbardo has seemed to me to revel in notoreity. Deprive him of what he craves. Just look away. Ignore graduation. Walk away.

O. Canaada said...



Why not Zamboni?


Anonymous said...

So the committee selected a speaker almost no one will have heard of and those who have likely despise. Good work!

Anonymous said...

Perhaps his being present will instill the fear of Satan in all graduating seniors.

He published study on Lucifer? What is wrong with UPS now? -Whiteperson, 1988