Social Media Is a New Vector For Mass Psychogenic Illness 373
Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "There is an interesting read at the Atlantic where Laura Dimon writes that mass psychogenic illness, historically known as "mass hysteria"—is making a comeback and it appears that social media is a new vector for its spread. Mass hysteria such as the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693, the most widely recognized episode of mass hysteria in history, which ultimately saw the hanging deaths of 20 women, spreads through sight and sound, and historically, one person would have to be in the same room as somebody exhibiting symptoms to be at risk of 'catching' the illness. 'Not anymore,' says Robert Bartholomew, a sociologist who has studied over 600 cases of mass hysteria dating back to 1566, noting that social media — 'extensions of our eyes and ears' — speeds and extends the reach of mass hysteria. 'Epidemic hysterias that in earlier periods were self-limited in geography now have free and wide access to the globe in seconds,' says Bartholomew. 'It's a belief, that's the power here, and the technology just amplifies the belief, and helps it spread more readily.' In a recent case, nearly 20 students at a Western New York Junior-Senior High school began experiencing involuntary jerks and tics. Some believe that the Le Roy outbreak was a direct result of videos posted to YouTube by Lori Brownell, a girl with severe tics in Corinth, New York, 250 miles east of Le Roy. The story took off quickly, not just on the local and national news but on Facebook and autism blogs and sites devoted to mental health and environmental issues. Bartholomew warns that there is 'potential for a far greater or global episode, unless we quickly understand how social media is, for the first time, acting as the primary vector or agent of spread for conversion disorder.'"
Error in summary (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, 6 of the 20 people executed in Salem MA were men. And one of them (Giles Corey) wasn't even convicted, he just refused to plead and at the time torturing to force a plea was legal.
Re:People are dumb panicky animals (Score:5, Informative)
interesting. its like how religious people are not delusional because they have other people that believe what they believe. by all other standards, they would be considered delusional.
Re:People are dumb panicky animals (Score:2, Informative)
Except, by no valid standards would they be considered delusional. Dawkins pejorative book-naming choices, and the collection of parrots regurgitating that, is not a serious scientific decision.
The DSM provides us with a scientific one, perfectly suitable, and it only being challenged because atheists have a fixation on not retracting their clearly-false usage. If a belief is consistent with one's widespread cultural norms (and a "culture" requires more than a handful of people congregating on the Internet), they are no delusional. Period.
On many given issues, either Republicans or Democrats are factually incorrect. Their beliefs are false. However, neither are not delusional. Stop trying to special-case religion out of all other like circumstances of indeterminate human knowledge because of your personal axe you have to grind.
Re:Typical psychological mambo jambo. (Score:4, Informative)
While I think that's true for real disease in the biological sense, strange disease-like phenomena can arise from a confluence of seemingly unrelated factors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_Plague_of_1518 [wikipedia.org]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania [wikipedia.org]
And it raises the question if these phenomena spread like disease and harm like disease, should they be viewed any differently?
Re:People are dumb panicky animals (Score:5, Informative)
When you grow up, you will realize that your favorite musician is not 'objectively good', he or she is 'subjectively good'. In other words 'there is no accounting for taste'.
You might even stop arguing about who's the best band...It was 'The Sex Pistols'.
Re:Error in summary (Score:5, Informative)
That would be Giles Corey.
Honestly, by all accounts, he was kind of a stubborn asshole, though his final spiteful triumph has led to him being lionized. It's worth remembering though that he was fined for beating one of his indentured servants to death over a petty theft and is said to have tangled with the law several times afterwards. He was described as "a powerful brute of a man and feared by many in the village." He also attempted to throw his wife under the bus first.
His irascible personality and conflict with the Putnams is probably the main reason he was fingered as a witch in the first place. Probably any excuse to get rid of the miserable old coot.
Re:People are dumb panicky animals (Score:0, Informative)
nobody cares about your DSM definition. the rest of us are using the English language meaning of the word.
Re:People are dumb panicky animals (Score:5, Informative)