Question F

Blue vs. Brown 

The Eye of the Storm

Conducting this experiment in 2011 would be highly unethical. However, in 1970 the world was a different place. Children were raised differently. This experiment was not only effective in raising children’s awareness of racism, but it helped them to become aware of hierarchy. Students were able to achieve a feeling of power that they might not have had before. Whether it was right or wrong, it did teach a lesson.  The addition of having the “lower race” wear a collar so they will be easily distinguished from others, added another stigmatism to the children. The suggestion from a child to use a ruler to keep the brown eyed children in line, shows that they were making assumptions that the brown eyed children would become out of hand due to their level in society. The blue eyed children were able to for see the need for discipline based on their prior knowledge of how blacks in their society were treated. Also, many blacks were marching and protesting, in non-violent and violent ways against whites during this time.

Do they ends justify the means? Watching some of the children's faces during this experiment was very difficult. Many were about to cry, while others seemed to glow with power. But, after watching the follow up interviews from the adults I was pleasantly surprised to hear their insights and reactions to how they grew from their experience. As adults they were now using their experiences to raise their own children with their eyes open to all different colors.