Only in America - Compliance (2012) Discussion

[–] RainyNightHouse 12 years ago

"PS - Instead of showing this in school, just spend more time in making children/teenagers more clever in general." -- Brilliant!!! So true. I don't think anyone in this country would believe someone over the phone is a cop, just because they say they are! I've only watched the beginning so far, but yeah, this would never happen where we live.

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[–] stoveystovepipes 12 years ago

I'm no lawyer or legal expert and am probably guilty of voluntarily being controlled by "authority" figures as much as anybody, but from the moment "Officer Daniels" said that they had surveillance video of the crime right from the git go in talking to Sandra, I thought how the hell do you have that??? If so it's YOUR job to send somebody over with a warrant to arrest this girl now or later at her house. BTW, what's your badge number Officer Daniels? Where is your search warrant? And why the hell am I being asked to do a job that you're supposed to do? And then the subsequent strip search, bend over to check the orifices, spanking, oral sex and/or rape combined with the worker's, manager's, and husband's credulity is just so over the top outrageous (imho) that I continually shook my head in disbelief. But maybe many people's behavior rationalization goes into weird places given those circumstances.

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[–] murad23 12 years ago

These kind of abuses from authority happen much more outside the US in places like the UK, Germany, Japan where people are much more blindly obedient to authority than in the US

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[–] johnny_amok 12 years ago

You've never been to Europe, have you? No one is blindly obedient to authority over here. Maybe some would've fallen for the "I'm a cop" piece, but when asked to strip-search someone you just know that something is wrong. You must be really really stupid to fall for that.

The wonderful US is most likely the place to look for stuff like that.
70 cases in 30 states if i recall correctly, right?

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[–] RedHead0186 12 years ago

Thank you for lumping all US citizens in together and making yourself (by association with other European citizens) superior. There are plenty of people, in countries around the world, that could/would fall for this, and plenty of people who wouldn't. I won't say it has nothing to do with nationality, because it could, but the basic need to please authority and the fear of authority is basic human nature. There have been plenty of psychological studies done on this. Yes, the manager should have questioned more what was going on, but by being put in a position of authority "wow, a police officer wants ME to help with this" they're more likely to blindly follow orders in order to please the authority figure and avoid punishment for disobeying. There are plenty of true-life examples of this, too-it's just human nature.

But saying that this is "typical American behavior" or whatever as some of you have done is just very off-putting. No, American is not perfect, but neither is any other country, and lumping all of its citizens together is just wrong.

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[–] murad23 12 years ago

I was born in Europe and lived there for half my life.
My geuss is you never were in Europe.

People are much more compliant there.

And as Le Monde noted when this film came out, there have been over 100 cases like this in Europe

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[–] johnny_amok 12 years ago

You guessed wrong. I was born in Europe (Austria) and am still living here, for full 33 years already and I have never even heard of anything like that happening to anyone around here. Maybe it's just Austria? But that would surprise me, since we're normally really stupid fools.

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[–] thedarkinside 10 years ago

Maybe it would help to do some research before making claims. This is a pretty common reaction for most people, to assume that nothing like this will ever happen to them or people they know. But, it does happen and none of it only happens in America.

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[–] kamas1 11 years ago

I agree, in the US when they ring callcentres, the first thing an agent would ask them for their credit card details. They oblige, but in the uk or Ireland they would tell you to *beep* off. We question authority and we use reason and common sense.

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[–] CarltonBanx 12 years ago

Re: murad23

Hello, first and foremost you can address me as Sir, or Officer Daniels. It appears you are (like millions of your countrymen), writing complete and utter b0ll0cks without much thought to its content, or meaning.

Under section 127 of the Communications Act, we'd like you to immediately board a plane to Heathrow, where officers will be waiting to give you a thorough good spanking. I'm afraid it's that, or a jolly good bumming from your fellow McDonalds colleagues in the shower.

We kindly await your Dumerican response.

Sincerely

UK

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[–] lwzupl 12 years ago

This movie just fueled the stereotype even more...

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[–] CarltonBanx 12 years ago

murad23 is the stereotype.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] murad23 12 years ago

Longitudinal studies by groups such as Pew Research show Europeans are more likely to hold stereotypes than Americans, including racial stereotypes

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[–] murad23 12 years ago

Re Falsh gordon,
Face it people in Europe do this even more often

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[–] CarltonBanx 12 years ago

Re: murad23

Just had a cheeky w**k to Olympus Has Fallen.

//

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[–] manuhack99 12 years ago

I live in Europe, and I traveled all over Europe, especially in Germany, and I can assure you this wouldn't have happened even in the most remote town in Germany. The level of average intelligence, IQ and common sense are much higher than in the US.

The movie was actually very good (acting and subject), illustrating the crass stupidity of many people in the US who would follow straight-up a figure of authority to almost any level, but absolutely enraging because of how blindly and without question someone would do what someone else said - even if the cop (assuming he was real) would stand next to you and ask you to spank someone.. I can't even go on...

You also mention Japan.. that country is one of the most cultured countries in the world and the average man intelligence level is quite a lot higher as well.

This really, just as the title's first message, could probably happen "Only in America", USA more specifically, not even in the poorer countries in the South..
I think it must be terrible to live among people like that... We were making fun in Europe for decades about the huge manuals (hundreds of pages for electronics especially) that companies started making because of stupid cases that have happened in the USA - a few examples of short warnings (we don't have these):

On Sears hair dryer: Do not use while sleeping.
On Sainsbury's peanuts: Warning: Contains nuts.
On a chain saw: Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals.
In a microwave oven manual: Do not use for drying pets.
On a TV remote: Not Dishwasher safe.
On a mattress: Do not attempt to swallow.

:)))) incredible... and this could only be in the USA, with rare exceptions from mentally retarded people in other places... there must be something in the water :))))

... still, please understand I'm not trying to be offensive... there are intelligent people as well in the States... just not too many unfortunately, and that's a fact.

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[–] Simulacrum7 12 years ago

Right, because we all know Germans are above doing bad things just because they are ordered to . . .

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 12 years ago

Right, because we all know Germans are above doing bad things just because they are ordered to . . .

That was my exact reaction to the OP, and the post that claimed that nobody in Germany would ever do such things.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

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[–] nj2 10 years ago

Actually, this is nearly unthinkable in Germany. Laws for protection of employees are very strict here, you cannot just search them, nor fire them on the spot (though stealing is one of the rare exceptions, but even these frequently end up in court). Authority of persons higher up is very much reduced compared to the US.
Exactly because we have experience with what a wrong sense of compliance can do, there is protection in place against it.

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[–] genxkid1968 12 years ago

Good one!! Amen! I'm reading all this America bashing...when this is a MOVIE!

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] jim-anderson-238-608184 12 years ago

"... still, please understand I'm not trying to be offensive... there are intelligent people as well in the States... just not too many unfortunately, and that's a fact."

You were offensive, that was your intention, and you don't know what a fact is. There are over 300 million people in the U.S. This British conversation about how idiots can only come from the United States is pretty ironic.

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[–] fredpatch-1 12 years ago

"On Sainsbury's peanuts: Warning: Contains nuts." Sorry mate, Sainsbury's is a UK chain. No stores in the U.S. Try to do a little homework before insulting us Yanks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainsbury%27s

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[–] Empyre_of_Dyrt 12 years ago

I can assure you this wouldn't have happened even in the most remote town in Germany.

6 million Jews might disagree.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] NovaIncognito 12 years ago

Are you serious? Do you know how many things in Europe, including Germany, I actually remember quite a few more examples from Germany than most other nations, like signs out in PUBLIC that have been put there by your government for the safety of the average citizen (not like the things you listed, where private corporations are just practicing liability risk control, and there happened to be a few stupid ones - and maybe you were the idiot for believing they were real, just for your racist amusement?) that have been photographed and shown on television shows over here in the US for amusement? "Don't put baby in washing machine" and things like that. LOL. It was terrific. And you attacking the US. Wow. Hows that Euro doing by the way?

Sorry, no animals in the discussion hall. You have to dismount your high horse to participate.

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[–] sal-319-538820 12 years ago

oh my god that was freakin' hilarious! True. No Sainsbury's here but still hilarious none the less. That being said, and in all seriousness, there are stupid people everywhere!!! Why is it necessary to nationalize stupidity?

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[–] lotdw-1 12 years ago

Yes, nothing bad ever happened from Germans blindly following authority. Certainly not 6 million things.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] mpop314 12 years ago

Germans were convinced to invade the rest of Europe and run concentration camps by a guy who started out as one of those crazy people shouting on a street corner, but you don't think they could be talked into spanking one teenage girl????

This could happen in ANY country, and examples of this on a larger scale have happened throughout history all over the world.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Paddy_Jony 12 years ago

haha those warnings were hilarious

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Kartoffelkongen 12 years ago

We'll that's really the point of the movie isn't it? People like to think to themselves that this never could have happened where they live, and that they've would have reacted differentely and so on. But that fact is, that it's extremely easy to be misled by someone who knows excactly what to say, espescially when you think that person is an authority figure. It seems really implausible when you watch it in a movie, knowing it's a hoax, but when taken out of a controlled environment, people tend to do things they never thought possible - especially when under a lot of stress like the main carachter was.

I think pretty much everyone could have been misled by this sort of hoax, under the right circumstances. It's pretty naive to think otherwise, and to say "this could only happen in America" is downright stupid.

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[–] Parker700 12 years ago

We'll that's really the point of the movie isn't it? People like to think to themselves that this never could have happened where they live, and that they've would have reacted differentely and so on. But that fact is, that it's extremely easy to be misled by someone who knows excactly what to say, espescially when you think that person is an authority figure.

Yes and people don't realize that the population in the US. is large. I take it people in the States couldn't believe anyone could be that dumb either and walked out.

However it happened over a vast expanse of territory and the perp played the numbers game. He called reams of people, until he found someone who was ripe for the duping. I'm not sure how long it took him to get 70 victims.

So people's incredulity is understandable; this is the exception rather than the rule for this kind of situation. But I have heard of studies re group think and the findings are shocking.

People also need to be aware of groups like Scientology where people find themselves behaving in despicable ways they never thought they would. It's a global phenomena, not confined to the U.S. Think of St Hill Manor in Mid Sussex, England, a major Scientology base.

The cat's in the bag, and the bag's in the river

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[–] MrBook_ 12 years ago

There were 70 cases in the U.S. because it was all the same guy doing it. Also, I'm pretty sure no police in the world operate "over the phone"; they certainly don't in the U.S.

I would imagine he could find people he could successfully snare in any country, but the U.S. would probably lead the way as we're trained from a young age to be unquestioning of authority figures. Sadly, it looks like the rest of the world is starting to follow our example, starting with the U.K. Hell in a handbasket, everybody!

I like pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast food.

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[–] e25171971 12 years ago

What? An intelligent post from someone who...understands things?! My my, I am taken aback!

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[–] cool_splash1 11 years ago

Yes, but the point is there are more chains than that. Who knows how many he called that either called the regional manager, the kid asked to go to jail, the manager said no to any searches, asked the cop to come in, he couldn't get the call in because of people making orders (which does happen) or any number of things. I'm sure he just called a bunch of restaurants until someone went along and those are the stories that we know of.

What pisses me off is that McDonalds who had to have known about these incidents didn't send warnings to managers that this was going on.

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[–] eekmonique 12 years ago

Well I don't believe that Americans are less bright than other nationalities on average, nor do I believe that Americans are temperamentally more servile. But I still think that these cases are much, much more likely to happen in America, just because Americans seem to me to be much more afraid of their police than are people in other western countries, due to the militarizing of police forces and steady loss of constitutional protections. Also Americans are much more terrified of losing their jobs than people would be in other countries, because they can be fired very easily, and unemployment and poverty are more difficult and humiliating in the U.S. than elsewhere. People like the restaurant manager in the movie are terrified of being fired in a country of "at will" employment and not being able to find another job. They are also very scared of getting in the wrong with a police officer and being arrested themselves and getting a criminal record that will follow them forever. So they will do anything, even if it's outrageous, to keep on the right side of the authorities and make sure that it's another person in trouble rather than themselves. It's pretty sad to see, especially in a country that supposedly started out as a society of fearless, independent freethinkers.

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[–] babybird-imdb 12 years ago

The points you make about losing your job in America vs. other Westernized countries is one that I hadn't considered before. It's one of the unmentioned and ignored dark sides of not providing a better safety net to our own fellow citizens.

Your other point about Americans fear of our law enforcement officials is one that frightens me, because those of us in my country who are the most virulently anti-government are also those who are the most vigorously authoritarian and given to supporting tradition. It sets us up to be the next "Nazi Germany" (in quotes because I'm not conflating America to Nazi Germany-- but only to the horrific results of the Nazi's tactics and policies) if we're not careful and don't wake up to the path many of our people are walking down. Most of our citizens who are the most prone to fall for something like what Hitler did are too busy looking for the same words and names to show up, ignorant that the groups and policies themselves are separate from what allowed the atrocities to occur, and it had a lot more to do with the structure of society at the time and the mechanisms employed by Hitler's cohorts. That's what makes us especially vulnerable in the U.S. today.

Thanks for your comment, it was thought provoking and insightful.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] mrtron81 12 years ago

Wow yet another non-American using a message board to insult Americans. I bet you'd never say this to any American to his face.

A couple of points. The police in the USA do NOT operate like this either. That's the whole point of the hoax. They'd never call someone to ask them to do a strip search for them, but a few people might just believe it.

How do you know something like this hasn't happened in your precious UK?

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[–] stokesy1012002 12 years ago

I have said it to many Americans before actually! I am glad and proud that I’m British just as much as you’re proud to be American I presume. I just can’t stand Americans that’s all. I have my reasons but not about to get into a slagging match on here, I would tell you to your face but it’s a long swim. But it wouldn’t do much harm for 80% of Americans to swim over here though and then swim back of course lol

Take care xXx

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[–] SaveMeJeebus 12 years ago

No, no, please make the swim. Everyone here will be grateful.

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[–] mantrhax 12 years ago

wow do u have some pretty stupid people over there, dont you ?

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[–] stokesy1012002 12 years ago

Was you aiming that at me for writing the first message or was you aiming that at the Americans, or maybe you was aiming it at the UK?

Either way it was not in English, a few words needed to be jumbled around a bit more for it to make sense, here let me help you. See below: -

wow you do have some pretty stupid people over there, dont you?
or
wow do you have some pretty stupid people over there?

Simon

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[–] seifer999 12 years ago

"Was you aiming that at me for writing the first message or was you aiming that at the Americans, or maybe you was aiming it at the UK?

Either way it was not in English,"

Neither was your post! The word is "WERE" Mr. Genius brit!

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[–] rxr06 12 years ago

At least, Americans have enough sense of humour to make movies like this one or like the well-known MARRIED WITH CHILDREN.

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[–] robert-blau 12 years ago

There was a series of incidents in Germany (and possibly elsewhere)in which a man called up a number of woman and claimed to be a public health doctor. He told them they had been exposed to some contagious disease for which they needed treatment. The treatment consisted of them checking into a hotel room, taking their clothes off, and lying on the bed so that he could come in and have intercourse with them while wearing a mask to disguise his identity. Numerous women voluntarily complied. Look it up. Then there was a guy who "sold" the Eiffel Tower . . . TWICE. Then there were all the people who "just followed orders" under Hitler and Stalin. So hardly "Only in America".

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[–] thebucketrider 12 years ago

Thread starter, I'm not especially interested in the reasons behind your overall distaste of Americans but I am curious to know why you say the American police operate over the phone. Is there some precedent we should be aware of?

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[–] at7000 12 years ago

"I just can’t stand Americans that’s all." Brilliant.

Are you retarded by any chance? Your lumping of all Americans into one pile betrays your idiocy. I'm American by birth but also have close family in Britain.

There are idiots from every country. Yes, many Americans are obnoxious people and quite ignorant, but I would say this would also apply to any country, including Britain.

Have you ever actually traveled the States? And met common folk, just struggling to make a living? Working class folk? If you did, you would be forced to eat your words. There are many fine and decent Americans so don't judge matters based upon what you see in the media and might have experienced with our belligerent, obnoxious, tourists.

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[–] RedHead0186 12 years ago

What is it exactly that you have against Americans in general? If you're going to lump the entire country into one group, I'm curious to know what that over-arching quality/characteristic is that annoys you so much.

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[–] stokesy1012002 12 years ago

I don't need to explain anything to you. I have my reasons and can't be arsed to write any more on this post!

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[–] RedHead0186 12 years ago

No, you certainly don't need to explain yourself to anyone, but if you're going to come on a public message board and make a blanket statement like that you have to at least think that someone's going to ask what your reasoning is.

For what it's worth, I was sincerely asking, not trying to be snarky. Sounds like you got a little bothered by what some people were writing, and while I don't necessarily agree with your generic sweeping statement, I wasn't trying to create more drama, just ask a question.

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[–] Empyre_of_Dyrt 12 years ago

Why bother? He's a simple hater...emphasis on simple.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] beautifullass 12 years ago

Probably someone managed to sell him the London Bridge!

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[–] The_Editor_of_Milk 12 years ago

I'm English and I have to say I agree with you re. the anti American stuff you see on message boards. It's not only getting tedious but its also becoming cliched now. I guess having been to the U.S several times and having some good American friends gives me a different perspective but even if I didn't have those friends I'd find better use of my time than to get all keyboard warrior about it.

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[–] IKEA_Riot 12 years ago

It's beyond tedious, it really is.

You don't have to know any Americans to see through this sort of manure. I don't know any Americans (if you discount Spiro Agnew's repeated attempts to channel me through tea leaves).

OP simply follows the herd in a post about a film whose main theme is, wait for it, the dangers of following the herd.

You couldn't make it up.

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[–] suduct 12 years ago

Well I do know many Americans and I cannot say a single one of them would commit these crimes, yes, crimes, stupidity is not a valid excuse for committing these horrific acts.

I read there was about 70 of these calls were the person who answered complied, how many 1000's (I would hope) were there in which the person who answered the phone did not? I read this was based on a true story and assumed heinous embellishment on the part of the creators, after reading about the true events I find very little, if anything was embellished, hence my disgust.

Some people in this thread use fear as a reason for people allowing this to happen, fear of loss of job or prosecution. I am simply appalled that any person would violate another in this way for any reason that could be made apparent over the phone. EVEN IF THEY WERE THERE IN PERSON, nothing short of holding a gun to your head should be able to make a person do this.

Back on the subject of americans, while I do know many, I had believed a large portion were generally ignorant and gullible, among other things (many valid reasons for someone to assume this) this simply affirms my beliefs.

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[–] evalina06 12 years ago

The real problem in the US is the issue that there are many corrupt individuals in law enforcement and it's not so far off from being a police state in the country. Many people - innocent individuals - are violated by law enforcement, jailed and imprisoned, set up, and otherwise illegally and unethically victimized. Of course by no means is all law enforcement like that, but overall there are so many at this point that it has caused citizens to feel excessively intimidated by police officers (and others in authority) and therefore willing to do whatever they say - even when they legally don't have to or shouldn't. Many don't know their rights and the process of the law, but even if they did and even for those that do - there are corrupt officials who completely disregard those things. It just sets a mentality of fear and forced compliance over most people. Sad too, because there is a similar act towards government in general. In the past, so many people would have called out and stood against such corruption at large, but the courage, honor, bravery, and strength of those generations are mostly long dead and buried. So this is one of the things that resulted from it: weak, intimidated, fearful, complacent people.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] b530 12 years ago

Yet another bitter Brit. Instead of worrying about Americans, worry about your own country and it also doesnt hurt if you brush your teeth and take showers once in a while. Thanks.

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[–] b530 12 years ago

Yet another bitter Brit. Instead of worrying about Americans, worry about your own country and it also doesnt hurt if you brush your teeth and take showers once in a while. Thanks.

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[–] little_joost 12 years ago

OP is right... I'm from the Netherlands, and we don't even see the police as something scary or as something that is in charge. This wouldn't work in the Netherlands. Sorry Americans, but it seems you people are more used to the police abusing its power than in here. When we would hear you have to strip search the girl we be like: wtf, go get a life you stupid prank caller.

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