How Violent are You? - BBC Horizon

What makes ordinary people commit extreme acts of violence?

In a thought-provoking and disturbing journey, Michael Portillo investigates one of the darker sides of human nature. He discovers what it is like to inflict pain and is driven to the edge of violence himself in an extreme sleep deprivation study.

He meets men for whom violence has become an addiction and ultimately discovers that each of us could be inherently more violent than we think, and watches a replication of one of the most controversial studies in history, the Milgram study. Will study participants be willing to administer a seemingly lethal electric shock to someone they think is an innocent bystander?

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Science & Technology

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• Horizon
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• Violent
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[Redflowers9]

@Ticklytinker fuck you too

...though, that's not a personal attack, I actually applaud the thinking it through thing.

[Ticklytinker]

@Redflowers9 I'm always baffled and slightly scared of responses and attitudes like yours...if everybody was like you, nothing would get done.

...though, that's not a personal attack, i actually applaud the thinking it through thing.

[cunt3d]

That 19 year old chick in that electro shock experiment was ICE COLD.

[Redflowers9]

@Ticklytinker Yes. Yes. I wouldn't because I would have to understand 100% why I needed to hurt/kill this person in order to help society without any alternative and I doubt that I would understand within a reasonable time frame exactly why. Survive and be happy? Survive, yes. Be happy? Well, I guess you have to ask yourself whether you'd be happy living with what you've done. I personally wouldn't want to live with the thought of killing someone without knowing exactly why I did. Thanks.

[Ticklytinker]

@Redflowers9 No, i think it's good to question shit, regardless of who tells you what.

We can't live in a world were we nod along, lapping up whatever shit 'The Man' says and believing it wholeheartedly.

But in regards to this situation, with the advancement of society etc...yeh, i'd do it.

But i still think my point is valid, the world is split into two groups and we've got to realise that to win (for lack of a better word) we have to do some necessary evils.

[Redflowers9]

@Ticklytinker oooh generalisation... Of course I make important decisions but I need time to think about it.. because I'm not stupid and I'm not the type that just do it because a priest, a doctor, a businessman, a policeman... etc told me too.

"winning"? oh dear lol

[Ticklytinker]

@SadDepressedClown I'd argue against that.

We'll see wars escalate in the coming centuries.

[Ticklytinker]

@Redflowers9 The world is always split into two camps when it comes to shit like this.

You have the people who would do it vs the people who wouldn't.

...who do you think would win?

[Redflowers9]

@Ticklytinker I don't care what it's called, I need time to think if I'm not comfortable with it and it's a good attitude to have. I don't care what authority says to me, I'll do what I feel okay about doing and that's not electrocuting someone. I would have a suspicion about why such action needs to happen and I would ask for time to think about it and whether or not I can look into it and understand what it's really about... and if not, then I don't do it. It's just consideration.

[Ticklytinker]

@Redflowers9 The ends justify the means.

In something like this, which is just experimentation, i don't have a problem with it. Obviously, if it came down to something like 'Hey, kids, we're killing a bunch of [insert minority here]! Join in! It'll help society!' then i'd draw the line.

It's a fine line, yes, but a line all the same. I'm not stupid enough to think that eradicating a race/gender/sexuality will help, but i'm not naive enough to think that bad things DON'T have to happen.

[Redflowers9]

@Ticklytinker Yeah and you're happy to be the one to hurt someone for societies 'advancement' are you? No second thoughts? Just jump right in there and do it?

That's the kinda people I'm talking about, you know the type that listen to their leaders and go and colonise and enslave other people in the name of jesus (in the name of the person who told them that little story).

No time out to actually think about what you are doing? No? Well, I think that's bollocks.

[SadDepressedClown]

@Ticklytinker

They will allways look for reasons to justify there barbaric actions.

Though in reality there is no reason.

[Ticklytinker]

@gusto1978 ...some people are just ahead of the curve HASHTAG FILM REFERENCE!

[Ticklytinker]

@Redflowers9 No, no.

I would've continued if i was told that it was an important Scientific experiment.

If it was groundbreaking and important then i would continue, 'cos one man/woman's life is nothing compared to society/civilisations advancement.

[Ticklytinker]

@SadDepressedClown Not for no reason. ...for pleasure/necessity.

[SadDepressedClown]

Humans kill for no reason while animals for survival

[rerevisionist]

See nukelies dot com - we have a section on Jewish fake experiments - such as the Milgram fake.

[lexsoOr]

5:00 bitch slapping much?

[Usernamesarebunk420]

It's good too know the (what sounds to me) scotsman is the one of the 3 bunch who said "Sounds a little bit like the nazi's in second war germany, It wasn't me saying too do it." But in the situation he was in there are better ways to conduct this memory test, and he decided to refuse. Nice to know those who know history know some of those dilemmas people should stop before it continues on.

[AudioBetaDelta]

This isn't very helpful for me, but still fascinating to watch

[Redflowers9]

I'm not boasting but I just wouldn't of done that. I give myself time to think about things in till I'm sure of what I want to do. If someone told me to keep increasing the level of voltage regardless... I would demand time to think or otherwise I wouldn't follow through. Not to mention that it's just pretty daft to take part in an experiment which involves a risk of seriously harming someone. Yeah, they're right though... most of us just live to impress and pretend to be normal like sheep.

[DurexDurpaneu2]

True strength in a person comes from controlling the animal within(the blood thirsty animal) Hence forth why martial artists are such good fighters and almost all of them embrace and follow a code honor.

[Mrchagrilled]

that experiment helped to prove that germany, the people were not somehow different to other europeons, and that violence is capable in anyone.

most people (from the original experiment), when asked, said that they had gained a positive experience from the experiment, in knowing violence isnt the confines of madmen.

[gusto1978]

w are still savages. under the right or wrong circumstances we all become wild beasts.

[BloodyLisBeth]

I don't know about you,people,but I sympathised more the "professional" hooligan,than those who went to finalize the"scientific" experiment.that obeissance was really,dreadfully scary...