Comments on: Hypnosis show volunteer sues over psychological damage http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/hypnosis-show-volunteer-sues-over.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Gerardhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/hypnosis-show-volunteer-sues-over.html#comment-75630 Gerard Thu, 31 May 2007 02:44:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/hypnosis-show-volunteer-sues-over-psychological-damage.html#comment-75630 "you can't sell people on the idea that is a powerful tool and then plausibly discount the possibility of harm."<br/><br/>The "hypnosis" used in stage performances is more akin to social pressure to perform as expected. "Confessing" to being a showman isn't, I think, problem for stage hypnotists. “you can’t sell people on the idea that is a powerful tool and then plausibly discount the possibility of harm.”

The “hypnosis” used in stage performances is more akin to social pressure to perform as expected. “Confessing” to being a showman isn’t, I think, problem for stage hypnotists.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/05/hypnosis-show-volunteer-sues-over.html#comment-75623 Anonymous Thu, 31 May 2007 01:56:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/05/hypnosis-show-volunteer-sues-over-psychological-damage.html#comment-75623 You can't sell people on the idea that is a powerful tool and then plausibly discount the possibility of harm.<br/><br/>That is apparent whether you believe it to have be a powerful tool in manipulating human behavior, or a mere stage trick only as dramatic as the imagination of the persons involved. <br/><br/>Did hypnosis "cause" the behavior? Or was he only taking advantage of the social sanction of what was believed to be an altered state to unleash some infantile aggression with the luxury of externalizing blame? If the hypnotist claims the latter, then he confesses to being merely a showman. You can’t sell people on the idea that is a powerful tool and then plausibly discount the possibility of harm.

That is apparent whether you believe it to have be a powerful tool in manipulating human behavior, or a mere stage trick only as dramatic as the imagination of the persons involved.

Did hypnosis “cause” the behavior? Or was he only taking advantage of the social sanction of what was believed to be an altered state to unleash some infantile aggression with the luxury of externalizing blame? If the hypnotist claims the latter, then he confesses to being merely a showman.

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