After listening to the podcast the host states from Stanley’s theory, how it is context that can shape our behaviors. From the experiment, it is clear that most people are understanding of their actions. According to the podcast, “Stanley Milgram ran about 20 different iterations of this study over a span of several years.” The host states most volunteers showed great discomfort when “administering” the shocks but continued with the experiment. “More than half went all the way to 450 volts even when the screams from the next room went silent…” There is a sense of conformity within the experiment, where many volunteers experience a moral dilemma. Many are discomforted by the screams of the test subject yet many press forward simply because they are told to. One can draw a parallel observation between the experiment and Stanley’s childhood during WWII. Many people were forced to do as they were told, with consequences of death if they rebelled. The entire experiment also brings forth the idea that our perceptions can present great amounts of bias. Later on in the podcast, the idea of “egocentric bias” is mentioned. This is when people are so enveloped with their own views that it is difficult for them to see how an interaction will feel like with other people.
Looking back a couple years, I think of a few moments in which I said something to someone without thinking of the impact it would have. There would be times my best friend would tell me something with great interest and enthusiasm, and I would sometimes reply with rather stale comments. Even though it seemed inconsequential and small to me at the time, it made more sense to me as time went on. They later admitted to me that whenever I would reply in a stale manner, it made them feel a bit unnoticed or unappreciated. From it I realized that even the most seemingly trivial things in my eyes, can mean a lot to others; not everyone has the same perceptions as me.
I agree with your points. I also think many underestimate how the influence of a power structure in our daily lives. People often selfishly obey figures perceived with more power than them, such as bosses or teachers, because of the consequences that could come along with it, even if they are not as extreme as death.
To address your example, I also agree that interactions could be more or less trivial depending on the circumstances. This thought is something that pops in my head from time to time; so I constantly try to give my best on every exchange, so that interactions can feel meaningful for every party involved, including myself.