Milgram experiments

I know that the results shocked (bad word choice...) everyone, but are they really that shocking?

It seems there are two views of externally derived morality. In the extreme view, we could say that kids derive all sense of morality by observing authority figures in their lives that they trust and deem to be morally capable (e.g parents). In the milder sense, kids at least rely on external authority figures to learn how to interpret their innate moral conscience. Either way, authority figures play an important role in the development of morality. Also, external moral development relies a lot on guilt. Moral culpability relies on the existence of choice.

Given those two observations (and the fact that I know they are true from my experiences killing rats, something I only find manageable because people I trust are doing it and because I feel like I don't have a choice), I think the Milgram results are not that surprising. First, the ethos of the authority figure is pretty strong. Even if the people feel innately as if they are doing something wrong, they are taught to defer their own moral judgments to more authoritative sources. Thus it makes sense that they defer moral judgment to the experimenter even while feeling very uncomfortable with the situation. Second, they are relieved of moral responsibility. Even if no one is forcing them to deliver the shocks, the situation in which the person with authority is giving commands relieves the subject of moral responsibility, which I think is essential in moral decision making and blame-laying.

The last point is disturbing to me... it means people act morally because of how it affects them rather than how it affects those involved. That's not really how I conceptualize morality. But I'm willing to admit it's a major factor.

Anyway, I seem to be in a minority that isn't surprised by the Milgram results. The one result that did suprise me was that a significant portion of people went to the maximum voltage even in the situation in which thay had to hold the victims hand to the device. I know the proximity effect decreased the strength of the result, but I think it didn't decrease it nearly enough. I think that proximity, in my opinion, should wipe away the effect of authority and the displacement of moral responsibility. But apparently not. So that much surprised me.