Choices made in dayroom scene

As someone else has pointed out, the creepiest part of the film is the dayroom scenes. Here are a group of men who a unwittingly waiting for death. Are these men ordered not to talk to one another? I would think that being in a group like that for so long, most would simply congregate into discussion groups just to erase the boredom. I notice there were a lot of small TV sets and one pathetic fellow was actually sculpting clay at his station. Maybe if they were allowed to converse with each other they may have arrived at the real purpose of their limited existence. Even when Arthur Hamilton walked into the room, Charlie could not or would not welcome his friend. The company must rule with a iron fist.

There is no "off" position on the genius switch.