The Stanford Prison Experiment was conducted a month before I was born, in August '71. The psychologists created a "prison" in the basement of the Psych Building and drafted 24 volunteers. Some became prisoners, some guards. These were normal college guys. It's amazing to see how within 6 days they completely became their roles. In such a short time the prisoners forgot about the experiment and started losing their identities; they came to believe that they really were their prison numbers. The slide show ends with a post-study discussion, and there is RealVideo of a meeting between one of the prisoners and one of the guards.

It reminds me of something Timothy Leary said in his book Info-Psychology about Charles Manson. Manson had spent his entire life in completely authoritarian situations...from a troubled homelife to juvenile hall, to prison. Then, at 28, when he'd spent most of his life behind bars of some kind or other, he was released. Free. What happens when the slave becomes his own master?

And another thing: isn't it weird that experiments like this are no longer allowed but "reality" games like Survivor are? (found via boingboing)

An online cartoon strip. Funny. Read.

Adam Foley has written a satirical article about how way too many people I know feel about being shut out of Phish NYE tix.

Remember Adam Curry, the MTV VJ with the hair? He was their standard rocker vj from 1987-1995. Well, he's been involved with the internet for a long time now. When I lived in Boulder in '94 I remember reading that MTV was suing him for domain rights. He's got a weblog in which he records some of his experiences with rockers. Check out the last two paragraphs in this one about Ozzy.

If you thought the old Superfriends cartoon was cool, apparently you were way wrong.

And if that's not enough for you to waste valuable paper-writing and Diablo-playing time, then check out this Foolprood Guide to Making Any Woman Your Platonic Friend.

Wired's main story this month is an article on real bionic eyes!

Slate has an interesting article that I don't quite agree with called "How Deadheads Ruined the Grateful Dead."