This docuseries adequately demonstrated the concept of cognitive dissonance and the mind's attempt to be rid of the ensuing discomfort by making justifications for the choices that cause the dissonance. Once the unwittingly coerced sexual abuser makes the decision to go along with the strip search, their mind subconsciously begins to justify their actions, which are clearly wrong to any observer. It is a slippery slope and, the further along they go on that slope, the greater the attempt to assuage the cognitive dissonance. This is how easy it is to influence some people and the perpetrator of the calls wielded it to devastating effect the moment they took the bait.
It is no coincidence that the calls ceased after David Stewart was arrested and subsequently found not guilty. If he was not the person making those calls, there would have been further victims as the perpetrator would have felt even more emboldened that the wrong person was blamed. Stewart got off scot-free thanks to his solicitor who placed the emphasis on police bias while conveniently ignoring that attorneys are far from impartial themselves. Many have been wrongly incarcerated and even put to death due to some DAs' ambition to get results and promotions.
The calls continued undeterred for 10 years due to the fast food restaurants' desire to avoid potential litigation. It is true that MacDonald's could have alerted their restaurants about the hoax calls that they had received when it became obvious that it was not an isolated incident. But they would have opened themselves to litigation regardless. While I am not defending the corporation's behaviour, no other restaurant did the right thing because of the litigious atmosphere in the United States.
It is no coincidence that the calls ceased after David Stewart was arrested and subsequently found not guilty. If he was not the person making those calls, there would have been further victims as the perpetrator would have felt even more emboldened that the wrong person was blamed. Stewart got off scot-free thanks to his solicitor who placed the emphasis on police bias while conveniently ignoring that attorneys are far from impartial themselves. Many have been wrongly incarcerated and even put to death due to some DAs' ambition to get results and promotions.
The calls continued undeterred for 10 years due to the fast food restaurants' desire to avoid potential litigation. It is true that MacDonald's could have alerted their restaurants about the hoax calls that they had received when it became obvious that it was not an isolated incident. But they would have opened themselves to litigation regardless. While I am not defending the corporation's behaviour, no other restaurant did the right thing because of the litigious atmosphere in the United States.
