Friday's Social Experiment

sjenkins02 — 2017-01-31 19:06:23 UTC

Last Friday, we conducted a social experiment in the form of a game. The scenario was that we were stuck on a deserted island and some got to "live" and some did not. Caroline and Josh were chosen as our leaders.Caroline first asked us questions about what we would bring to the island. After we said what we would bring, Caroline either said you are not safe, or you may be safe.Those who did not get a "you may be safe" from Caroline after 2 rounds were exiled to the corner of the room to be "eaten by wolves". Then the rest went through 2 more rounds and the people who were in the safe zone went to the other side of the class. Those who did not make it joined those who were "eaten by the wolves".

When Caroline told me I was not safe, I was distraught because some people after had gotten the "you may be safe" from Caroline. This unknowing how to get into the safe zone was very infuriating after each round I did not get the "you may be safe" from Caroline. I felt very anxious and sad in the end of the second round when I realized almost everyone had gotten the flow of how to be chosen except me. When I was exiled to the corner I felt really belittled by everyone else. One, because I had to sit apart from everyone else, and two, I thought that the only reason why I did not get in was because I looked different or said something different from everyone else. This could relate to the real world and social experiments because people of a different skin color or religion could feel like how I felt when I was not treated like everyone else. I felt like so many different people in the world, I felt left out.

After I had been exiled to the other side of the room, I started to think what might have been flowing through those people's minds that had been chosen. Were they asking themselves why were they chosen, or did they know why they were chosen. If I was chosen I would definitely be asking myself those questions. I would feel great that I was somehow the one chosen and I would feel ahead of the pack. I would feel like I was special and I had something that the people who were not chosen did not have. This relates to the real world because people in the real world feel great about themselves for different things. Some feel ahead of the pack because they were smarter than a lot of other people, or that they could do something only some people can. They could also feel good about themselves for doing bad things. They could feel good about themselves because the media is awarding them for belittling another race or religion to make themselves feel better about themselves.

When the whole game was over I realized how people were chosen or not chosen. In the first 2 rounds, those who were chosen were chosen because they said they would bring something that had a double consonant in it, like "butter" or "kitten". Then in the last round, those who were in the safe zone were only chosen because they had sweatshirts on, when the rest of the people only had zip-up coats on. I related that stupid requirement to real life because there are some places still today that only one race or religion can go to. There are some places where all but one religion or race can go to. Stupid requirements like the sweatshirt and the zip-up jacket are requirements the media and our friends put on us to try to make us "normal". This social experiment really showed me how people who are not a part of the "dominant race" or the "dominant religion" feel like. They feel dishonored and left out from the social norm.

Social Experiment by Sofia Jenkins

Friday's Social Experiment