Milgram's Shock Experiement

“The social psychology of this century reveals a major lesson: often it is not so much the kind of person a man is as the kind of situation in which he finds himself that determines how he will act.” –Stanley Milgram, 1974

Recently I was informed of an amazing, if highly disturbing, experiment
created to test people’s willingness to obey figures of authority.

The way the human mind works has recently been facinating to me.  You can get a quick idea of the expereiment by watching the three part video series below.

Milgram started his experiments in 1961. The participants in the Milgram experiment were 40 men recruited using newspaper ads. In exchange for their participation, each person was paid $4.50.

Milgram developed an intimidating shock generator, with shock levels starting at 30 volts and increasing in 15-volt increments all the way up to 450 volts. The many switches were labeled with terms including “slight shock,” “moderate shock” and “danger: severe shock.” The final two switches were labeled simply with an ominous “XXX.”

Each participant took the role of a “teacher” who would then deliver a shock to the “student” every time an incorrect answer was produced. While the participant believed that he was delivering real shocks to the student, the student was actually an actor in the experiment who was simply pretending to be shocked.
As the experiment progressed, the participant would hear the learner plead to be released or even complain about a heart condition. Once the 300-volt level had been reached, the learner banged on the wall and demanded to be released. Beyond this point, the learner became completely silent and refused to answer any more questions. The experimenter then instructed the participant to treat this silence as an incorrect response and deliver a further shock.

Most participants asked the experimenter whether they should continue. The experimenter issued a series of commands to prod the participant along:

1. “Please continue.”
2. “The experiment requires that you continue.”
3. “It is absolutely essential that you continue.”
4. “You have no other choice, you must go on.”

The level of shock that the participant was willing to deliver was used as the measure of obedience. How far do you think that most participants were willing to go? When Milgram posed this question to a group of Yale University students, it was predicted that no more than 3 out of 100 participants would deliver the maximum shock.Shockingly (no pun intended!), over 65% of participants went to the very end. Of the 40 participants in the study, 26 delivered the maximum shocks. Only 14 stopped before reaching the highest levels. Many of the subjects became extremely agitated, frightened, and even angry at the experimenter. Yet they followed orders all the way to the end.

While Milgram’s research raised serious ethical questions about the use of human subjects in psychology experiments, his results have also been consistently replicated in further experiments. Thomas Blass (1999) reviewed further research on obedience and found that Milgram’s findings hold true in other experiments.
Why did so many of the participants in this experiment perform a seemingly sadistic act on the instruction of an authority figure? According to Milgram, there are a number of situational factors that can explain such high levels of obedience:

• The physical presence of an authority figure dramatically increased compliance.
• The fact that the study was sponsored by Yale (a trusted and authoritative academic institution) led many participants to believe that the experiment must be safe.
• The selection of teacher and learner status seemed random.
• Participants assumed that the experimenter was a competent
expert.
• The shocks were said to be painful, not dangerous.

Later experiments conducted by Milgram indicated that the presence of rebellious peers dramatically reduced obedience levels. When other people refused to go along with the experimenters orders, 36 out of 40 participants refused to deliver the maximum shocks.

I don’t know about you, but I’m really amazed by this.  What people will do when they’re told that they have to… I dunno. It’s some deep thinking for me over my summer break. What are YOUR thoughts on the subject?

Mmm, Sushi! (A History)

Happy Tuesday! I made sushi!

Today, you just get a picture and some history of sushi. But I promise you, in the near future you can expect more pictures… as well as more detailed instructions!

Sushi has been around for a surprisingly long period of time, although not in its present form. The history of sushi is an interesting tale of the evolution of a simple dish. What was to become sushi was first mentioned in China in the second century A.D. Originally, sushi arose out of a way of preserving food. Fish was placed in rice and allowed to ferment, which allowed an individual to keep the fish edible for some time. The rice was thrown away and the fish was eaten when needed or wanted. 



 

By the seventh century, had made its way to Japan, where seafood has historically been a staple. The Japanese, however, took the concept further and began to eat the rice with the fish.

Originally, the dish was prepared in much the same manner. In the early 17th century, however, Matsumoto Yoshiichi of Edo (now Tokyo) starting seasoning the rice with rice wine vinegar while making his ‘sushi’ for sale. This allowed the dish to be eaten immediately, instead of waiting the months it might normally take to prepare the ‘sushi.’

In the early 19th century, a man by the name of Hanaya Yohei conceived a major change in the production and presentation of his sushi. No longer wrapping the fish in rice, he placed a piece of fresh fish on top of an oblong shaped piece of seasoned rice. Today, we call this style ‘nigiri sushi’ (finger sushi) or “edomae sushi” (from Edo, the name of Tokyo at the time) and is now the common way of eating Japanese sushi.

At that time, sushi was served from sushi stalls on the street and was meant to be a snack or quick bite to eat on the go. Served from his stall, this was not only the first of the real ‘fast food’ sushi, but quickly became wildly popular. From his home in Edo, this style of serving sushi rapidly spread throughout Japan, aided by the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, as many people lost their homes and businesses and moved from Tokyo.

And the rest is delicious history. ^^.

Ellie Goulding - My Newest LOVE!

So first of all, she's absolutly beautiful.

Oh yeah, I guess she can sing, too.

I first came across her whilst listening to Bassnectar's remixes of her song "Lights" and the Jakwob dubstep remix of "Starry Eyed." I'm really into techno and dubstep and all those genres at the moment. Any way. Enjoy them below.



So then I was all like, I should look up the songs before they were remixed. And I did. And my heart suddenly fell for this beautiful woman!

I simply cannot get enough of this woman! What artists have YOU recently fallen in love with?

Lady Gaga's "Judas" - Too Far? (Part One)

Lady Gaga's new song, "Judas" was turning heads before the music video even came out - but with these lyrics, who could look away?

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Judas! Juda-as Judas! Juda-as
Judas! Juda-as Judas! GAGA

When he comes to me, I am ready
I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs
Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain
Even after three times, he betrays me

I'll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown

I'm just a Holy Fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But still I'm in love with Judas, baby
I'm just a Holy Fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But still I'm in love with Judas, baby

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Judas! Juda-as Judas! Juda-as
Judas! Juda-as Judas! GAGA

I couldn't love a man so purely
Even prophets forgave his crooked way
I've learned love is like a brick you can
Build a house or sink a dead body

I'll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown

I'm just a Holy Fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But still I'm in love with Judas, baby
I'm just a Holy Fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But still I'm in love with Judas, baby

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

In the most Biblical sense,
I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offenced,
Or wear an ear condom next time

I wanna love you,
But something's pulling me away from you
Jesus is my virtue,
And Judas is the demon I cling to
I cling to

I'm just a Holy Fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But still I'm in love with Judas, baby
I'm just a Holy Fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But still I'm in love with Judas, baby

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Ohohohoh
I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Judas! Juda-as Judas! Juda-as
Judas! Juda-as Judas! GAGA

 

According to the blog, Wizbang Pop!, we should all be offended by this new song (which, by the way, I fell even DEEPER in love with after I saw the music video!) for a number of reasons. From Wizbang Pop!'s article; 

Exhibit 2:
The song is more self-serving than it is offensive pontification. It’s clear from the lyrics that Lady Gaga knows the story of Judas—who was the apostle that betrayed Jesus and handed him over to the Jewish authorities, culminating in his Christ’s death. However, the song as a whole isn’t about Judas at all–it’s about Lady Gaga. Although the first verse clearly establishes that Gaga (Can you call someone by their last name if that last name is made up?) is in love with a Judas-type person–perhaps a former lover or backstabbing friend. But the rest of the lyrics seem to focus on Gaga’s lame obsession with a person who lies to her and treats her badly. 

Exhibit 3:
Lastly, if there was any doubt that the song wasn’t some type of anti-Christian rant, why does she throw in this lyric at the end of the bridge?:
Jesus is my virtue
Judas is the demon I cling to

Clearly, the song isn’t about loving Judas more than God. In fact, in this lyric, she affirms her Christian belief, acknowledging Christ as her redeemer and calling Judas a demon. She’s just complaining that she can’t rip herself away from an obviously destructive relationship. *sheds an ironic tear*

Well at least they don't beat around the bush at all! I for one totally disagree with their reasoning... and they haven't even gotten into the religious bit yet! So let's tackle their reasoning, shall we?

• As for exhibit 2. Sure, it's a "self-serving" song. So what if Lady Gaga used the story of Judas to explain how she feels about her life? I see nowhere in the song that Gaga is "lamely" obsessed with a former, violent lover. Sometimes we are drawn to people we have a violent past with. Perhaps the only people who can fully appricate the lyrics to this song are those who have had a stuggle of the same kind.
• Exhibit 3 - well. Did the blogger ever consider that perhaps this song is about Gaga's stuggle with God (as she was raised a Catholic)? I know sometimes I yearn to be closer to God, but the sins of the world pull me away. Remember that Judas betrayed Jesus for silver - money. If money isn't a sin of the world, tell me what is?

The point is, from my (Catholic) standpoint, I love the lyrics to the song. And according to Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic Leauge, " if anyone thinks the Catholic League is going to go ballistic over Lady Gaga’s latest contribution, they haven’t a clue about what really constitutes anti-Catholicism."

Stay tuned for part two - where I'll attempt to pick apart the video!

“Homeschooled To Harvard” – Why It Does (And Doesn’t!) Matter

Although this story does not surprise me one bit, I suppose I should at least touch on it. You can read the full story here.
The basic synopsis of the story:

A few days ago, Dakota Root achieved her lifelong dream. She was accepted at both Harvard and Stanford. She was also accepted at Columbia, Penn, Brown, Duke, Chicago, Cal-Berkeley, USC and several more of the elite schools in America, an unheard of record for a home-school kid.

Okay. Here comes my rant.

I’m happy for Ms. Root, I really am. But I’m not at all pleased with the tone of her father’s article.
Here’s where my toothache started.

 I often noted that Dakota and her parents were aiming for her acceptance at either Harvard or Stanford and would accept nothing less.

Translated into English: “Your education was worth nothing if you are not accepted into a top college."

I understand that there are many home-educated children who are geniuses. But not all of us are. Not all of us wish to spend all of our extra time at the kitchen table discussing politics.

The article is slightly redeemed here;

Dakota Root proves it doesn’t take a state certified teacher, or a teachers union, or a village to raise a child- it only takes two loving parents who give a damn. One home-schooled girl has driven a stake through the heart of the public school education sham. “Homeschool to Harvard” is a powerful story that every parent should be allowed to offer their children.

He’s right, kind of. It does take teachers – but not the school kind. Anyone in your path can teach you something, even if it’s how not to live. But a child’s success doesn’t have to be measured by which college they were accepted to.

I, as an example, had no interest in Harvard. I only had SMWC in my crosshairs. I was accepted, yes. But if I had been turned down, would it have made my school career less remarkable? It is not fair to home-educated students who simply cannot achieve these same things to say that his daughter proves that homeschooling works. Every child who was taught at home proves that it works when they carry on a conversation with an adult… without saying “like” or “um” every three words.

Anyway. Congrats again to Dakota. I wish her success in her fencing career and her studies. I’m sure that she will make the home-educated community proud, just as many others have done, are doing, and will do in the future, whether they aspire to Harvard or not!

BBC Booklist

Prepare to be shocked at how many books I have read! >:) I love literature, obviously. But my favorite books isn't even listed! ANYWAY. I've bolded the ones that I have read, and put into italics the ones I've started.

Have you read more than 6 of these books? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here…

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series –
5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens (one of my favorites. :D)
11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch – George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
34 Emma – Jane Austen
35 Persuasion – Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne
41 Animal Farm – George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel
52 Dune – Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses – James Joyce   I think I need help with this one!  Or maybe a few years...
76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal – Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession – AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchel
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

So... how many have YOU read? :)

Welcome Home (:

Welcome to my newest internet adventure, "A Homeschooler in College." You can learn all about me on my "About Me" page (cleverly named, of course!), but here's a quick overview of me, written in the third person for kicks.

The author, Margy, currently lives in a small mid - western town named for its Jewish founder. She likes horses, music and chocolate, but dislikes war, coffee and math. She aspires to a career working with Thoroughbreds.

She attends a small Catholic college in the middle of nowhere, where she spends her time singing and riding horses. She does not believe that her life can get much better.

Please pronounce her name "Marg EE", not "Mar GEE".

That's me.

So what will you find here? Everything, of course. Rants. Assigments. Musings. Music. Photography. Poetry. Who knows... whatever comes out of my mind on a daily basis. Enjoy it. I know I will.