Comments on: 5 Psychological Experiments That Explain the Modern World

By: Nonoyurbeeswax

Nonoyurbeeswax — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 18:39:06 +0000

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. …We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. …In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.” – Edward Bernays, nephew of Freud, considered the father of both adverting and propaganda, author of 1928 book Propaganda

By: Esse Quam Videri

Esse Quam Videri — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 04:02:49 +0000

I like to think I would act differently. I’ve always gone against the grain and not been afraid to be different. In the last two years I have not conformed one iota and it’s actually been quite difficult and taxing. But seeing these really makes me wonder how far I’d be willing to do this.

By: mik

mik — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 16:53:06 +0000

In reply to Anna G.

“We have a free choice if we choose to be free!”

This is circular reasoning.

You can believe whatever you want, but in philosophy there is no clear answer on existence of free will. I believe the question is undecidable.

By: Anna G

Anna G — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 21:16:44 +0000

In reply to mik. By saying this you make yourself conformed to these limited choices! We have a free choice if we choose to be free! Read Viktor Frankl Man's Search for Meaning

By: DavidW

DavidW — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 20:50:38 +0000

In reply to Terry.

Critical race theory (CRT) is a permanent universal application of this “experiment”. Of course the purpose of CRT is not to teach that racism is wrong but rather to invoke the reactions that the children subjects in the Elliot class described – anger, despondence and passivity. That is, to permanently utilize race (replaceable with gender/orientation or ethnicity or other differences) to divide, weaponize and control the population.

By: mik

mik — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 11:14:47 +0000

In reply to -CO. Freud and most of western thought is too much focused on individual. I agree, "....who we are comes as much from within as without...". Self-made individual doesn't exist. Bringing consciousness in this debate is redundant. I think it just complicates things. It helps little to explain how is it possible that under specific circumstances in Milgram's experiment 90% went to the end. Maybe it could be helpful to explain why 10% were able to resist.

By: mik

mik — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:48:53 +0000

In reply to Ian G. Belief in virtually unlimited choice goes hand in hand with belief in free will. It is not certain we have free will. A fore mentioned experiments show our choices are limited.

By: Terry

Terry — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 04:57:02 +0000

Here is a description of a similar “experiment” carried out by an elementary school teacher, Jane Elliot on her all-white Iowa students to teach them to guard against racism:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/lesson-of-a-lifetime-72754306/

By: NixonScraypes

NixonScraypes — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:51:03 +0000

In reply to Hillary Adrian Han. Hah! My thoughts entirely. Watch them squirm.[spoiler title=" "]