Fake TV Game Show 'Tortures' Man, Shocks France

[EthanLeeVita]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124838091

France is reeling from a documentary about a psychological experiment disguised as a game show. Researchers staged a fictitious reality show to see how far people would go in obeying authority, especially if television reinforces that authority.

[CJS]

Maybe some one from my age group can answer this. Any one remember a similar experiment where college kids were used to create a fake jail / prison ... some guards some prisoners ? I don't think it is the same Milgram experiment that is talked of in this article.

And Yes .. society seems doomed if we can't get past our own humanity.

[EthanLeeVita]

Not in your age group, but I do recall reading of an experiment, in southern california I believe, with volunteers as prisoners and guards.

Edit: Was it this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_study

[CJS]

That's the one .

[MaineShark]

Of course, this is the classic example.

What it all boils down to is that the average "man on the street" out there has been so brainwashed that he will torture you to death if ordered to do so by an "authority figure."

Joe