The video discusses the phenomenon of mass hysteria, also known as mass psychogenic illness (MPI). The host shares several historical examples of MPI, including:
1. A group of nuns in a French convent who started meowing like cats in the Middle Ages.
2. A reported miracle in Fatima, Portugal in 1917, where thousands of people witnessed a strange light show in the sky, which was later attributed to MPI and mass hysteria.
3. A laughing epidemic in Tanzania in 1962, where hundreds of people, mostly schoolgirls, experienced uncontrolled laughter, fainting, and other symptoms.
4. The dancing plague of 1518 in Strasbourg, where hundreds of people danced uncontrollably in the streets, leading to the deaths of several participants.
The host notes that MPI is often triggered by stress, anxiety, and social influence, and can be spread through social contagion. The examples highlight the power of mass hysteria and the importance of understanding the psychological and social factors that contribute to it.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Mass hysteria is also known as mass psychogenic illness (MPI).
2. MPI occurs when a group of people start acting strangely for no discernible reason other than maybe a stressful environment.
3. There have been many documented cases of MPI throughout history.
4. In the Middle Ages, a group of nuns in a French convent started meowing like cats, and the behavior became integrated into their way of life.
5. In 1917, three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, reported seeing visions of the Virgin Mary, leading to a large gathering of people who witnessed a strange light show in the sky.
6. The event in Fatima was later concluded to be a combination of MPI and eye strain from staring at the sun.
7. In 1962, a girl in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) started laughing uncontrollably, and soon her classmates joined in, leading to a wave of laughter that lasted for several days.
8. The laughter epidemic in Tanganyika affected thousands of people, causing 13 schools to be shut down.
9. In 1518, a woman in Strasbourg started dancing uncontrollably in the streets, and soon hundreds of others joined in, leading to a dancing plague that lasted for months.
10. The dancing plague in Strasbourg was eventually stopped by banning public dancing and performing exorcism-like rituals on those affected.
11. Some historians believe that the dancing plague may have been caused by ergot poisoning from tainted bread.
12. Ergot is a fungus that can grow on rye and other grains, producing a toxin that can cause hallucinations and other symptoms.