This podcast was quite interesting. It really shows how much we think about ourselves from a day to day basis, and how even though we’re not all egotistical, everyone still sees the world from their own view. The podcast argues the point that we have a greater impact on others than we truly think, by providing analysis on how people will typically follow an order, even though it may make them uncomfortable. This is because it is more uncomfortable to say “no” to the person asking.

In the podcast, Vannessa Bohns tells the story of how she tried to conduct a survey at Penn Station. It felt incredibly awkward for her, as she knew of the pressure she was putting on these people, and how uncomfortable they felt. This is an example of how asking people questions puts a lot of pressure on them, and how it could affect yourself as well. The podcast gives another example in the Holocaust- they claim that not all Nazis could’ve been inherently bad; they could’ve been following orders. Even if some of them knew what they were doing was inhumane, they still went through with it because it would be harder to say no in the current environment. This is how people can be impacted in a very negative way to do things they wouldn’t usually.

Although it’s been a while since this happened, I understand this whenever a homeless person asks me for money. They ask for a dollar, and I may not want to or be able to give it to them. This impacts me, as it makes me feel bad for them, in turn making me feel like a bad person. This exercise tells me that asking certain questions to people may make them feel uncomfortable or stressed, even when that wasn’t my intention.