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Original poster

To think Derren Brown's gone too far this time?

81 replies

Destinysdaughter · 12/01/2016 22:38

I don't know if anyone's just watched this but it was billed as an
' experiment in social compliance', where an adult is over time put in a situation where they feel they have no choice but to push a person off a building to save themselves from going to prison. It was very cleverly set up and thankfully the person they filmed didn't do it. But... Then they showed that they had done the exact same experiment with 3 other people who had done it! I was really shocked and think he's really gone too far, messing with people's heads and not considering the consequences for those individuals involved and traumatising them. Ok it may have been trying to show us not to comply but it's left a nasty taste in my mouth! Would love to know what other people think as it's left me a bit Shock

OP posts:
awfullyproper · 12/01/2016 22:43

I hated it. I wondered if they'd already signed a waiver, or whether they chose to agree to it being shown.
Horrible.

Hotpatootietimewarp · 12/01/2016 22:46

I personally really like derren brown and his experiments. I was sitting thinking I wouldn't do that but after his little speech at the end about social compliance it gave me pause for thought as he usually does. And interesting to see the other 3 went through with it

Original poster
Destinysdaughter · 12/01/2016 22:48

I agree! I wonder how it will affect the relationships and employment opportunities of the people that did it. Obviously they agreed for it to be filmed but if it had been me I'd have been so ashamed of myself that I wouldn't have agreed ( and hopefully wouldn't have done it in the first place!). Maybe people just wanted their 15 mins of fame or thought that cos it was Derren Brown it didn't matter somehow. These people committed murder!

OP posts:
Wardrobespierre · 12/01/2016 22:50

I very much doubt it all happened as we think. Or at all.

Just because Derren tells you it's real, you don't have to believe him. Isn't that his point?

Damselindestress · 12/01/2016 22:51

I read about that and it sounded awful so didn't watch it. It seems like it could have ongoing psychological and social consequences for the people involved. Very worrying.

Twinklefuck · 12/01/2016 22:52

I thought it was in bad taste at first but rethinking I think it's an important message in this day that you can be influenced so easily to do almost anything, but your actions are your own.

Original poster
Destinysdaughter · 12/01/2016 22:54

Yes, the three people who pushed the guy off the building could have been actors too, wouldn't surprise me, I do hope so!

( if not, then I despair for humanity..)

OP posts:
Hetty3838 · 12/01/2016 22:55

I thought it was fucking awful. What if they unexpectedly panicked and jumped off the roof? It's really sick.

BertrandRussell · 12/01/2016 22:56

Er- have you heard of this new profession everyone's talking about? It's called acting.

ThatsNotMyRabbit · 12/01/2016 22:57

What Wardrobespierre said.

A lot of what he does isn't how it appears.

Mebathiscold · 12/01/2016 22:57

Don't worry. They'll have been actors anyway!

Starbores · 12/01/2016 22:58

When was this on?

LilacSpunkMonkey · 12/01/2016 23:00

If you read any basic psychology books, or history books, you'll find lots of experiments carried out on 'obediance'. It's amazing and shocking what people will do in different situations.

Sounds like Derren doing his normal psychological experiments to me.

BertrandRussell · 12/01/2016 23:02

People can, will and do behave appalling ways with very little incentive.

Darren Brown is not daft enough to put anyone at any physical or psychological risk. Therefore actors.

Original poster
Destinysdaughter · 12/01/2016 23:05

I have no idea if they were actors or not, hopefully it will come out as I think it will be in the press a lot the next few days!

OP posts:
blueribbons · 12/01/2016 23:07

I think anyone applying to be part of the show must be aware of the type of thing that Derren Brown does - in previous shows he has made someone admit to murder, and has convinced someone that there's been a zombie apocalypse. They do seem to screen people quite rigorously beforehand, and it's all clearly closely controlled. Most importantly, the interviews with the participants afterwards always show them saying that it's been a positive experience and has taught them something very valuable about themselves. I think, as Derren says at the start of the programme, that especially in this day and age, as we lurch ever further right in our thinking and behaviour, that the message this programme gets across about social compliance and manipulation by authority is very important.

Original poster
Destinysdaughter · 12/01/2016 23:12

I agree about the message of the show being important and how easily we are manipulated, what I'm not ok with is showing people ( if indeed they were not actors), committing murder on national television just to prove a point.

OP posts:
UsedtobeFeckless · 12/01/2016 23:17

The participants know it's not real - how can they not? It's only murder if someone actually really dies in real life ...

shazzarooney99 · 12/01/2016 23:21

I diddnt watch it, but do you really think tv would allow them to kill people off? i dont think so!

Original poster
Destinysdaughter · 12/01/2016 23:25

This discussion will only make sense if you actually watched the show. The participants didn't know they were being filmed.

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funnybeanz · 12/01/2016 23:28

The guy in this show tonight was my fiance's best friend. He is totally fine for those worried that he's traumatised. He isn't an actor and didn't know it was a set up until right at the end. It was tough to watch but very interesting I thought!

Pancakeflipper · 12/01/2016 23:30

I hope they get therapy cos that would fuck my head up hoax or not. There's other ways to test compliance I could have turned off but I didn't, I had to know if poor Chris would push

clockbuscanada · 12/01/2016 23:53

I haven't seen it but what everyone's saying reminds me of the episode he did with the young woman and the car accident, which I found really harrowing to watch because of the deception and distress involved.

Italiangreyhound · 13/01/2016 00:08

Sounds utter shit and very dangerous. Can't quite believe they are allowed to run this type of things on TV.

Avonandice · 13/01/2016 00:16

Reminds me of a film with micheal douglas where his brother bought him a gift which ended up with michael douglas's character about to shoot his brother.

Cant remember what the film was called