Hacker News Reader

It’s in the article: “At the time, all these simulants were considered harmless to humans.“

Web developers A/B test content on users all the time. What’s the premise of doing so? That it can’t hurt them, right?

You only have to look at the Nuremburg trials for your answer here. We are social creatures, and following along with the "pack" (which includes following orders from authority) is a very powerful force.

Further, it's not just pack mentality but also the institutional and structural directive. The authority of your supervisor, and the greater authority of the institution and 'the good of the country'. Anarchists have been talking about these problems for a while.

Ever heard of the chain of command?