Do You Care? The Heroism of the Tissue Test

It seems that one of the most talked-about words in Israel in the past year since October seventh is 'heroism.'

Hundreds of soldiers who gave their lives for the sanctity of the people and the land, and who sacrificed their lives, as well as reservists who left their families, wives, and children and rushed to the battlefield, set a new and almost unreachable bar for all of us for inspirational behavior and stepping outside oneself to give for the common good.

One of my favorite examples every time I give a talk in front of students is the character of Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov, who was a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Union's air defense forces.

Petrov gained fame when he decided on September 26, 1983, to ignore an alert about a missile attack from the United States, deviating from the accepted orders, on the grounds that it was a false alarm. Imagine the impossible situation Petrov was in: he sits alone at night in front of the screen, when suddenly the red alert lights begin to flash and the siren wails.

Petrov, who was trained for this very moment throughout his military service, found himself facing the dilemma of his life:

The alert lights essentially announce the launch of nuclear ballistic missiles from Washington to Moscow. He must press the red button to launch Russian nuclear missiles toward the United States. By doing so, Petrov knows he would start World War III with his own hands, causing tens of millions of deaths.

On the other hand, it might be a mistake... what exactly is he supposed to do

And even if it's a mistake, who's exactly ensuring him that he won’t pay for it with his career, having violated the very clear and explicit orders from the Russian army, not exactly known for cutting corners?

Petrov decides to go with his inner voice, and not press the red button, even at the risk and sacrifice of his personal career, not to mention risking his life. Humanity was saved. And not metaphorically.

Every time I ask the students in a talk how many of them would press the red button and how many would act like Petrov, I am amazed at the number of people who apologetically tell me that, based on their personal self-awareness, they would probably press the red button even at the cost of tens of millions of human lives.

After all, their personal lives are more important to them...

However, once, when I gave a talk, one of the students asked me: "Tell me, you're giving us big examples. But picking up a piece of tissue in the hallway, or ensuring that all the chairs are down so the cleaner can have an easier time, isn't that heroism?"

I was astounded by this boy. After the talk, I approached him and asked him: "Tell me, where did you come up with that? You are absolutely right!"

And then I couldn't help but recall another boy I met in the hallway of the hostel where I was giving a seminar, and I decided to conduct the 'Tissue Test.'

The Tissue Test is a test where you place a piece of tissue on the floor, and wait to see which of the students will come and pick it up. Usually, the chances are that you'll see student after student just passing over the piece and ignoring it.

So, I placed the tissue, and watched to see which of the boys—who had just heard a talk on social solidarity—would ignore the tissue, and who would bend down to pick it up.

After five minutes I noticed one student who stopped, looked, bent down, and picked up the tissue.

I quickly approached him and asked him: "Tell me, what happened that you stopped and picked up the tissue?"

The student looked at me and said: "Maybe for you it's just a piece of tissue. For me, it's the pain and tears of my grandmother, who used to clean until late hours, and every time she'd return home she would sigh from the pain in her back, because of snotty students who didn’t care if an old woman had to bend down."

At the end of the talk, by the way, another student approached me and said he actually knows the 'Tissue Test,' and that once he put it at the beginning of the day in our teachers' lounge.

At the end of the day he came in and took it out. Turns out even there no one bothered to pick it up.

Not even me.

In memory of Eliezer HaCohen Botzer, may he rest in peace, singer, creator, and a man of truth.