Study Finds People Will Torture If Ordered
By Wyatt Earp | December 20, 2008
The same study also found that Mr. Blond will torture someone if not ordered to do so.
Actually, Mr. Blond said he would torture a person if they looked at him funny, chewed food with their mouth open, or were seen watching “The View.”
Um, Mr. Blond has issues.
WASHINGTON – Some things never change. Scientists said on Friday they had replicated an experiment in which people obediently delivered painful shocks to others if encouraged to do so by authority figures.
Seventy percent of volunteers continued to administer electrical shocks — or at least they believed they were doing so — even after an actor claimed they were painful, Jerry Burger of Santa Clara University in California found.
“What we found is validation of the same argument — if you put people into certain situations, they will act in surprising, and maybe often even disturbing, ways,” Burger said in a telephone interview. “This research is still relevant.”
Burger was replicating an experiment published in 1961 by Yale University professor Stanley Milgram, in which volunteers were asked to deliver electric “shocks” to other people if they answered certain questions incorrectly. (H/T - )
Eh, so people will torture others if ordered. What’s the big deal? I make a lot of you read this blog, and if that isn’t the perfect example of day-to-day cruel and unusual torture, then I don’t know what is.
Topics: Snarkasm |
December 20th, 2008 at 5:19 am
I wouldn’t. I just wouldn’t. I’d be tempted, but I just don’t tihink I could. Heck, I don’t even like to step on bugs (roaches excepted).
December 20th, 2008 at 5:33 am
Is that the same as the little voice that tells me to kick your butt? Just wondering.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Ky person - I could, but I’m kind of a jerk.
RT - No, this is a bit different.
December 20th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
They said under the right circumstances. While I wouldn’t torture someone just because an “authority figure” I have to wonder about the term “right circumstances.” Am I made to believe that this torture has a beneficial medical effect on the person? Will something really unpleasant happen to those I love, if I don’t do this. Is is someone who really deserves to have the h*** shocked out of them, like Carrot Top or Rosie O’Donald? I don’t have enough information to decide how I would react.
December 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Marvin - Carrot Top. Yeah, he deserves some shockage!