I guess it would make sense for the prisoner reports to be a psyop in the way that far too much attention is given to the aspects of the prisoner's crimes that are the least deserving of it. Milgram is an institution with judgements based on its creator's observations of Japanese society, a society that really doesn't want to be criticized, lest the ones in charge of running it are threatened with actually having to consider the people in its care as people. The context for a crime exists only within the perpetrator, failing that it exists within their family or peers. Because they're presented with objective, certain words, and effectively end off the stories of each of their prisoners, the audience is encouraged to take the reports as objective fact. Even when there's contradiction, you just have to believe in the institution, right? Even if there are so many errors that Milgram makes over the course of the three trials, it's you have, so it can't be wrong.

















