Firstly, nothing has disappeared.

Secondly, it is a non-sequitur way to establish an argument about one thing by trying to attack and divert the argument elsewhere to something irrelevant… What have any of my written up self-hypnosis processes got to do with Derren Browns TV show? Or with coercion?

Thirdly, the other means of illustrating your point are contentious at best. Do the KGB and CIA now employ the mind control techniques for their own benefit as a result of these projects? Where is the fruit of these so-called projects (they are popular notions amongst conspiracy theorists only) being used as a result of having 20 departments working on them?

There is none.

Ok, I hear what you say… What you omit to say is how.

What I have done within my blog posting here is to give empirical evidence and research findings that have been scrutinsed and peer reviewed to show that what Derren’s show was attempting to prove, was in fact a fallacy and that the idea of using hypnosis this way is massively flawed and incorrect.

This was a TV show.

Do you watch Ghost Hunters and start believing in Ghosts because you saw it on television? “Ha! Ghost Hunters really ridicules the common thoughts of ghost sceptics and non-believers.”

Do you watch sci-fi TV shows and believe in aliens?

Do you watch Eastenders and believe that every residential square in London is a hotbed of infedelity, murder and crime? I agree that some may suggest this a true depiction 😉

I hear what you are saying, but how did a TV show truly prove that what was being depicted was a true reflection of hypnosis being able to do this? I think I have provided evidence to disprove such and that was the point of my blog.

Best wishes, Adam.

ps. Do you have to call yourself “the one”? If you want anonymity, couldn’t you just call yourself a fake name? Having a serious conversation with someone going under the guise of ‘the one’ is a bit odd.

Hello nameless one,

I never ever delete any valid comments or contributions to discussions and certainly would not get rid of anything because they contradict my own opinions. I welcome and thoroughly enjoy the debate and stimulus and certainly do not think my thoughts are the only correct ones. I always advise everyone to be able to understand all angles of any philosophy and debate and actively encourage it.

Your comment may well have got deleted with the hundreds of spam comments our filters disallow each day and though I try to wade through them each day to pick out any errors or mistakes, I may well miss the odd valid, genuine comment from time to time. The only other times we’ll delete comments are if they cause offence or are insulting – we want all discussion and debate here to be done in a courteous and respectful manner.

Please do resubmit your comment and as long as it is not spam, and contributes to the discussion without causing offence, it’ll get accepted readily. I’d love to discuss it and look forward to reading any differing opinion.

Best wishes, Adam.

Best 1

Thanks for that contribution Matt, you make some very valid points as usual. Best wishes, A.

I agree with the idea that its more compliance and context that generate the behaviours. As well as the power dynamics between hypnotist and subject.

I recommend anyone who was never seen it to search for the video footage of the Milgrim experiment, it is incredibly fascinating. Adam, If i remember rightly was it not influenced by the idea that in Nazi Germany thousands of German soldiers were carrying out atrocities that were outside of the realms of their ‘usual’ behaviours? The study effectively shows that people almost become ‘brainwashed’ when the power dynamic shifts enough in one direction. ‘Increase to 2000V’ is almost the same thing as saying ‘you will now find that you cannot bend your arm’. The reaction from the participant almost shows some kind disengagement of responsibility for themselves and their actions.Weirdly that sounds similar to what Neo-dissociation theories argue. I believe however that it is entirely social behaviour.

Thanks for another fascinating article Mr E.

Matt

Hi Frank,

I think whether hypnosis is present or not, there is a chance people will do what other people suggest if they trust that person, no? What’s more, anyone holding a gun, no matter how much they have been hypnotised, know that the gun is a gun and what it is capable of. Drugs, religion, manipulation and severe negative emotion (and various other things too) would all probably help this (‘this’ being to criminally act in a way that they would not usually do i.e. Shoot another person) to happen a lot more effectively than by using hypnosis. I understand and see where your train of thought is going with this, but there is no evidence to support what you suggest and I would answer this by simply repeating what I have already mentioned in the blog entry.

Best wishes, A.

With regard to my first question, by “tranced out” I meant that the individual could allow the hypnotist to induce a trance in the same way that any subject might allow the hypnotist to lead.

I was imagining a scenario in which he subject trusted the hypnotist, wanted to comply, did not believe there was any danger, and thus yielded to the hypnotist’s suggestions. So when instructed to fire a gun at someone, he may do so without believing he will do harm.

Your comments about amnesia are especially interesting. Do you think one could induce amnestic states similar to the one Derren brown induced with the visual (poke-a-dot) cue?

Frank