Chilling Examples Of Mass Hysteria That Experts Still Struggle To Explain
Fear can spread faster than any contagion, which is why in times of crisis, the last thing you want to do is panic. Yet even if you manage to keep a cool head, all it takes is a little nudging to turn a few paranoid people into an avalanche of hysteria. From meowing nuns to an epidemic of creepy clowns, these startling instances of mass hysteria prove the phrase "mind over matter" might be truer than you think.
1. Meowing Nuns
Everyone has certain expectations of a nun's behavior, which is why it became a huge deal in the early 14th century when those in a certain French convent of began meowing. It began with just one culprit, but after a week, every nun in the convent was making catlike noises.
Cruel "Cure"
Since cats were unjustly associated with the devil, everyone was really freaking out about it, leading a local nobleman to hire soldiers to savagely beat the defenseless women. The nuns stopped their meowing, but that didn't necessarily mean violence was the cure.
2. Dancing Plague
The early 1500s were full of hardship, especially in the French city of Strasbourg. Between terrible weather conditions, crops dying, and visits from the bubonic plague, most people there found themselves poor, starving, and utterly hopeless. Then, during the summer of 1518, one woman started a movement no one expected.
Won't Stop 'Til They're Dead
Looking haggard and sickly, Frau Troffea stumbled into the street and began dancing endlessly, which lead more to join in until there were nearly 50 dancers. The spectacle lasted for weeks, with the dancers actually crying out in pain from their uncontrollable movements.
