002: Milgram Revisited

In 1961, Stanley Milgram conducted a series of psychological experiments that would become as infamous as they were influential. The question at their core was simple: How far will people go in obeying an authority figure, even when their actions cause harm to another person?

Fast forward to today, and in this fragment, "Milgram Revisited," we reimagine this experiment in the digital age. This fragment of our series places the player in a similar position of power, with a button that when pressed, inflicts "pain" on a scripted character that reacts with distressing human-like responses, until its pain level reaches its maximum level at 20, after which it no longer responds. It is dead.

But this isn't just an exploration of obedience; it's a reflection on the distance technology puts between us and the consequences of our actions. In a world where online interactions can turn hostile with little thought for the person on the other side, "Milgram Revisited" holds up a mirror to the player's own capacity for disassociation.

We push the boundaries further by scripting our digital character to beg for mercy, to plead, to rationalize, and to bargain. These behaviors are designed to invoke empathy, to remind the player of their connection to other beings, even digital constructs. The question is no longer just about obedience to authority but also about our relationship with the artificial agents that are becoming an ever-increasing part of our daily lives.

This fragment offers no rewards, no points, no advancement for 'winning.' The only reward is self-knowledge—a potentially uncomfortable revelation of the player's own values and boundaries. The game's "win" condition is subjective, a question left to each player: Can you reconcile your actions within the game with your self-perception and ethics?

But should you try to play the game a second time and change your actions, you come to discover that it is also an exploration of ourselves. Of the acceptance of our actions and the harm we have done to others. The pain we inflict on others remains long after the initial injury. Under the best of circumstances, it fades over time. But it will never completely disappear.

This fragment is dedicated to recent friends whom I have lost. I am sorry. I cannot make the pain go away. I can only stop pressing the button. Forgive me.