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R1986
Starter Member
Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 55
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 Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject: Public Hypnosis |
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What are everyone's views of public hypnosis? I don't know much about the actual science behind it but mostly it seems like a kind of parlor trick that actually cheapens the actual science of hypnosis.
Do any of you have stories to share about seeing/partaking in public hypnosis? I've never participated or seen anything done in person but I've heard stories regarding it as frighteningly convincing to laughably bad. |
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Paddy Landau
Site Moderator
Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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Stage hypnosis is real. Bear in mind that the volunteers have "self-selected" themselves as being of the more susceptible types, which helps the show.
I don't think it "cheapens" hypnosis. If anything, it shows just how powerful hypnosis can be.
Paddy |
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brandon05
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Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 74
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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| I have only seen this done on TV. I am somewhat surprised that you don't think that it doesn't cheapen it somewhat. The only reason I say that is because when I have seen it done on tv they are usually making the people do something funny. I guess it does show what hypnosis can do though. |
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katharina
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Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Posts: 61
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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| brandon05 wrote: | | I have only seen this done on TV. I am somewhat surprised that you don't think that it doesn't cheapen it somewhat. The only reason I say that is because when I have seen it done on tv they are usually making the people do something funny. I guess it does show what hypnosis can do though. |
Not only that, but I think a large majority of people assume that the "volunteer" is part of the act to begin with so... well, that would indeed be a form of cheapening, wouldn't it? There are many people in need of the real help that hypnosis can bring, but watching stage shows is not going to give them the "gee, maybe this would help me" warm fuzzies. It needs to be taken seriously. |
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Paddy Landau
Site Moderator
Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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| katharina wrote: | | There are many people in need of the real help that hypnosis can bring, but watching stage shows is not going to give them the "gee, maybe this would help me" warm fuzzies. It needs to be taken seriously. |
Hmm...
Several hypnotherapists got into the business only after seeing stage hypnosis.
And, a number of clients gone to hypnotherapists thanks to having seen the power of hypnosis on stage.
So, I guess it works both ways.
In the UK, Paul McKenna made his fame through stage hypnosis, yet now he is popularising (on TV) the power of hypnosis for therapy.
Paddy |
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katharina
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Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Posts: 61
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Paddy Landau wrote: | In the UK, Paul McKenna made his fame through stage hypnosis, yet now he is popularising (on TV) the power of hypnosis for therapy.
Paddy |
I think various posters are using the term in different ways, Paddy. I'm sure there are respectable shows, but what I mentioned personally is the type of thing like someone else mentioned... the travesty of "oh, here's a volunteer! When I count to three, you will flap your arms and act like a chicken." That's what comes to mind for me when I hear "stage show" in this field. Then the "volunteer" begawks around the stage until fingers snap and suddenly "where am I?!" It's always the same. |
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princess2008
Starter Member
Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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I do agree with you Katharina, the second I hear 'public hypnosis' or 'stage hypnosis' I automatically recall watching people being hypnotised and the end result with them doing something funny or even ridiculous.
Just to say also that Paul McKenna is fantastic and I love watching him, I used to watch his show often and it never ceases to amaze me the power of hypnosis. |
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katharina
Starter Member
Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Posts: 61
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| princess2008 wrote: | I do agree with you Katharina, the second I hear 'public hypnosis' or 'stage hypnosis' I automatically recall watching people being hypnotised and the end result with them doing something funny or even ridiculous.
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Yes... it's just gotten a bad rap, that's all. In *those* kinds of shows, what percentage of the "volunteers" do you think are part of the originally planned script? |
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finster
Starter Member
Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:58 am Post subject: |
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| I myself have also only seen it done on tv also. I also don't think I could go into the hipnotic trance they show on tv.I do think my mind can be swayed to believe some things .But only if I have a reason to want to believe it. For instance if someone tells me something is so and I don't want to beleive it I won't .I don't think a hipnotist could change that about me. |
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brandon05
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Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 74
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Good example would be somewhere on this forum is a show where the hypnotist had the people on stage thinking they were having sex with a chair. Now as funny as it was, and it was funny I just think that is the type of things that might cheapen it. |
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R1986
Starter Member
Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 55
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Well, I only used the term 'cheapen' because I meant that people would possibly assume that hypnosis is only a parlor trick of sorts. Just the same I guess it ends up coming down to the extent of publicity that therapeutic hypnosis gets. McKenna is a good example of someone who has used it the proper way and it's true that most people wouldn't even know what hypnosis is if it wasn't for the popularity of stage/public hypnosis shows. |
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k2r
Starter Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:40 am Post subject: |
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theres a lot of hypnotists doing shows where they are happy to make the volunteers do things that they MIGHT be embarressed about after, however there are also those who only make the volunteers do things that although amusing are just really showing how amazing hypnotism really is,
if you read McGill's New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnosis theres no saucy routines in there however as a performer you do need to give the audience what they want and i'm afraid, the chances are, they do want to see people in compromising situations |
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