The unsettling lessons from the Milgram experiment on authority
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The man strapped to the chair is crying out in agony.
His cries stem from the intense electric shocks surging through him. As you watch him writhe in pain, your heart races.
Even though you are not experiencing the shocks, you feel your face go pale and a wave of nausea wash over you. You’re digging your nails deep into your palm, causing blood to drip to the floor.
Through the haze of confusion and disbelief, a nervous chuckle escapes you, recalling how he mentioned just an hour ago that he had a weak heart.
Why isn’t anyone intervening?
As the man’s pleading eyes seek your help, you silently wish for the ordeal to end. He should be fine as long as no one triggers the shock button again. But the reality is… the one pressing the button is you.
You cast a worried glance at the third individual present, clad in a crisp white lab coat and glasses. He regards you with an impassive expression and nods. Your heart sinks: it’s time for another shock. Your finger hesitantly hovers over the shock button.
Will you press it?
The findings from this controversial experiment imply that even if you consider yourself a rational, ethical individual… You likely would.
The Milgram Experiment:
This study sought to address a critical question with profound implications for humanity.
Just a few decades prior, the Nuremberg trials were underway. Unspeakable atrocities had been committed during WWII, where systematic violence and murder were inflicted upon millions of innocent lives, pushing human cruelty to chilling extremes.
Those condemned for executing the heinous orders of the Nazi regime often fell back on a singular defense. It’s a well-known justification you’ve likely heard before.
“We had no choice. We were merely following orders.”
This defense was prevalent during the trials and continues to be invoked today by those in uniform accused of atrocities.
Authority. This defense attem