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From: liberte@uiucdcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sci
Subject: Re: Theatrical Hypnotism and Santa Claus
Message-ID: <97400002@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Dec-84 00:31:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.97400002
Posted: Tue Dec 25 00:31:00 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Dec-84 02:12:16 EST
References: <3115@utah-cs.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:utah-cs:-311500:uiucdcs:97400002:000:2328
Nf-From: uiucdcs!liberte    Dec 11 23:31:00 1984


/* Written 11:24 am  Nov 27, 1984 by nazgul@apollo in uiucdcs:net.sci */
I don't know about 'Raveen', but I saw Russ Burgess when I was in school
(Bates College, ME), and I can guarantee that he was not using actors.
Bates isn't a large school, and I knew most all of the people that he
put under, and I spoke to them afterwards.  They were DEFINITELY hypnotized.
...
/* End of text from uiucdcs:net.sci */


From the description, I also saw the Russ Bergess show - twice.  It was
entertaining.  And I agree, in this case, it was hypnosis.  (I dont
understand how people can not believe hypnotism is possible.  ESP, I can
understand - it's not "accepted" yet.)

My reason for writing is that I wish to warn people of the danger of
hypnosis.  I am not talking about the "against your will" problem.
It is easy to imagine that even a "sober" person can be convinced to
do something that would be against their will if they gave it a
second thought.

But hypnosis is more that just being convinced to do someone else's will.  It
is a state of mind where you, I submit, give up your body to some extent for
the hypnotist's use.  The deeper the hypnosis, the less control you have
over your body.  I realize this appears to be a dualistic view of the
mind-body relationship.  It is more complex than that.

Furthermore, once you have been hypnotized by another person and return to
a non-hypnotic state, there remains a psychic connection between you and 
the hypnotist as well as a susceptibility to future hypnosis.  This could
be used beneficially, and it usually is benign, but I wouldnt risk it
in any case.

Many preachers (and perhaps teachers) are using hypnotic methods unknowingly
to instill their message.  TV has hypnotic effects.  I believe the general
American populace is more susceptible to hypnosis, if not mildly hypnotized,
as a result.

The danger:  Some politically powerful person could easily manipulate the
people through the media for not so nice ends.  Sound familiar?  Let's not
get into it here.

Before you flame, let me qualify my comments.  I dont KNOW these things
are true.  But do you KNOW they are not possible?  YOU have to find out.
(Groooan)


Daniel LaLiberte          (ihnp4!uiucdcs!liberte)
U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Computer Science
{moderation in all things - including moderation}