The Turn of the Screw

Remember when you were a kid and saw “thumbscrew torture” for the first time in some late-night horror film? It was the coolest. To inflict so much pain with so little effort—just a tiny turn of the screw and intense wailing would ensue. How cool was that?—horrifying as well.

Although using thumbscrews in the fine art of torture is an effective way to create excruciating pain quickly and effortlessly, turning a screw slowly to avoid notice is also an effective way to make a point. This idea is similar to the slow boil of a certain amphibian we are often reminded of. There is a difference though. Boiling frogs is a preferred practice used when you expect the frog to be totally oblivious to your efforts to cook him until death. The turn of the screw is effective in slowly educating your subject to complete compliance by slowly taking away freedoms, ease, comfort, and expectation in such a way that the subject notices, but is not struck with exceptional concern.