Sarah’s wedding. August 2007 Dear Jonathan, Sarah, Joshua and Christina, I love all of you so much. Have you ever read about the Milgram Experiment? I have the book. It’s crazy. In a nutshell, Yale University’s Stanley Milgram conducted a series of social experiments intended to measure ‘the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts conflicting with their personal conscience.’ Participants (average folks off the street) were led to believe they were assisting in a Yale sponsored study of some importance. They had to administer electric shocks to someone in another room. Gradually, under direct orders from a white coated Yale doctor, these shocks were increased to levels that would be fatal (if real.) Despite hearing exclamations of discomfort, screams and pleas for mercy; as the shock levels increased. Around 67% of the average folks followed orders. Despite being visibly shaken hearing the trauma they were causi...
