Dear Colleagues,
Last month, at the American Psychological Association annual convention in Washington, DC, I had the privilege of offering a five-minute “TED Talk” titled “On Conscience and Conviction as a Psychologist Today.” I was one of eight honorees as part of APA president Wendi Williams’s new “100 Psychologists Rising” initiative, and I am very grateful.
Over the past few weeks, colleagues have asked whether and where they can watch my brief presentation. As of this week, my talk is now part of APA’s post-convention “On Demand” programming. If you attended the convention, you can access the “100 Psychologists Rising” session here. My talk begins at the 10:20 mark, but I think the presentations by the other awardees — Alberta Arviso, Gilberte Bastien, Huong T. Diep, Irene Jacobs, Hareder T. McDowell, James McLeary, and Rahul Sharma — are all quite valuable and I recommend them highly.
However, I know that many of you did not attend the convention and are therefore unable to access the video directly. So, minus the bells and whistles of the APA stage and live audience, I’ve created an almost identical version — with the same slides — that can be watched above and here. I’ve also pasted the text of my brief remarks below.
Thanks in advance for your interest, and please share if you find it worthwhile!
In Solidarity and Community,
Roy Eidelson
TRANSCRIPT
Good morning, everyone. Well, I never imagined I’d be up here today. And it now makes me wonder: can I also become the starting shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies someday? More seriously, for years I’ve been a thorn in the side of APA’s leadership. So I am humbled by this honor, and truly grateful to President Wendi Williams and colleagues who’ve given me this opportunity.
Honestly, I cannot say my career path is one worth emulating. That’s because it took me decades to realize something I wish I had figured out much earlier: that introversion and self-doubt — along with the pursuit of professional success — are poor excuses for remaining on the sidelines when the world is falling apart for so many. That’s certainly true today, with the ascent of authoritarian leaders who seemingly enjoy the cruelty and humiliation they inflict on those they deem exploitable and disposable.
Eventually I discovered that professional growth comes in fits and starts, and that community is often where you can find your voice and purpose. I learned this first at Penn’s Solomon Asch Center where international colleagues opened my eyes to the horrors of militarism and oppression, and the challenges of peacebuilding. And then next, with dear companions at the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology where, for over a decade, we waged a campaign against psychologist involvement in war-on-terror abuses. And now, with newer friends and colleagues, many much younger, who are committed to speaking out against the dehumanization and genocide of the Palestinian people. For me, their courage and persistence are daily reminders that we can be heartbroken and hopeful at the same time.
These experiences have convinced me that our profession calls upon us to pursue justice, to cherish human dignity, and to support those whose voices have been muffled or silenced. And I believe psychological research, practice, and ethics all have something important to say about pretty much every outrage we face today, including the assaults on immigrants, on people of color, on LGBTQ+ communities, on reproductive rights, on academic freedom, on voting rights, and much more. For me, when it all seems overwhelming, I remind myself what experts on tyranny tell us: “Be outraged,” “Believe in truth,” “Be as courageous as you can be,” and “Do not obey in advance.”
Above all, I know we cannot afford to fall into the trap of feeling helpless. That’s what authoritarian forces want. At times like these, I believe those of us less burdened by personal or career perils must embrace the heightened responsibilities that come with our privilege. As individuals, we can’t do everything. But we can all do something, and perhaps — certainly myself included — something more than what we’re doing now. So, I encourage you to identify the area that concerns you most, or where you believe you can make the biggest difference, or where you think your participation is most urgently needed.
Professional associations and other civil society organizations have an essential role to play here. We give these groups power, privileges, and the public trust. In exchange, we count on them to oppose government abuses. When they fall short, history shows it can have dire consequences.
My message certainly isn’t new. Over forty years ago, psychologist Carolyn Payton wrote an essay titled “Who Must Do the Hard Things?” She argued that psychology as a science devoid of social responsibilities will lead to our profession’s demise. Her answer to the question “Who must do the hard things?” was “Those who can.” And she followed up with another question: “Who must do the impossible things?” Her answer: “Those who care.”
I’ll conclude with this. My late father-in-law — of blessed memory — was a prisoner at the Dachau concentration camp. Much later in his life, when asked how he survived, he explained that he always believed that once the world found out, rescue was inevitable. Today, I believe we must become the ones we’re waiting for. And this too: Never again is now, and for all people. Thank you.