From: aharris@javelin.sim.es.com (Alan Harris)
Subject: observations and questions
Reply-To: aharris@javelin.sim.es.com
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 19:22:52 GMT

Several years ago in high school, we had a stage hypnotist
come each year to put on a show for the school.  One fellow called 
himself Vandermeed (I think). I heard his real name is vandermeider and
that he was a brick mason until he got lime in one eye.  He
learned hypnosis as a means of controling the constant pain without 
having to be out of his mind on pain meds all the time.  During the
program he would frequently wipe his eye with a handkerchief. Another
fellow who came to the school said he used to be a pro football player.
He would be so nervous before games that he would loose sleep and not
be rested the next day.  He used hypnosis as an alternative
to sleeping pills, which left him feeling weak the day of the game.
Both men eventually went into stage hypnosis as a business.  The other
hypnotist I have seen is Reveen.  I think he has been seen all over 
the U.S.  

A couple of things really impressed me with those stage shows.  The first
is that the hypnotists made a BIG deal about how they could not get a
person to do anything they are strongly morally opposed to, even though
the person was hypnotised.  They made it clear that  NO ONE need worry
about what he/she would do when hypnotised.  This later turned out to be
a lie.  One of the hypnotists, well into the program, had a line of students
sleeping on chairs.  He went to one end of the line and chose a young man.
He told him he was at a high school dance.  He said that when the music
began to play the young man would stand and look to the other end of the
line and see a beautifull girl.  He would go to the girl and ask her to
dance.  The hypnotist then went to the other end of the line, picked another
young man and told him the same thing.  When the music played, both guys
stood up, walked to each other and asked each other to dance.  They both
went around and around the stage danceing in each others arms.  The hypnotist
had no way of knowing it, but one of the young men was the quarterback of
the school football team, the other was rumored by the whole school as being
homosexual.  You could not believe the hysterical laughter that came from the
entire school to see the quarterback of the football team danceing in the 
arms of the other guy.  The next day the football player would not believe he
had done what everyone told him he had done.  He thought the school was 
playing a trick on him.  He punched one kid in the face for teasing him.
When enough people that he trusted told him that he really had done it, 
he was sick.  He was not just embarrased, he was sick.   I believe the 
hypnotist was PARTLY truthfull when he said he could'nt make anyone do
things they were strongly morally opposed to.  If he had said to this young
man "you will dance in the arms of a homosexual while the entire school watches
and laughes at you" I don't believe he would have done it.  But he didn't 
say that.  The young man didn't know he was doing anything against his 
morals.  He honestly thought he was dancing with a beautifull girl.  I think
if you told most people undr hypnosis to take a gun and murder someone, they
would not do it.  However if you told them they were a policeman and this
person or that person is holding a gun and threatening to kill someone and
they must stop him now, I think you or I or most people would pull the
trigger.  Morals are very situational.  Most people believe murder is wrong
but in war time would take up a gun and kill someone.  Tell some sweet young
girl to strip in front of a bunch of guys so they can get their jollies and
she probably won't do it.  But if you make her believe this is her wedding
night and she is alone with her husband, she would.  I think the hypnotist
can get you to do ANYTHING he wants if he can make you believe you are in a 
situation where it is appropriate.  Another example.  My best friend in 
high school was in one of those shows.  The hypnotist told him to return to
the audience but as soon as his feet left the stage, he would become King
Kong, king of the jungle.  He told him to let out a big yell and pound his
chest.  He told him that there is an imposter King Kong and my friend should
prove he is the real King Kong by yelling louder and beating his chest harder
than the imposter.  Then he cautioned him YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THE SPOT WHERE
YOU ARE STANDING WHEN YOU HEAR THE IMPOSTER.  YOU WILL NOT TOUCH THE IMPOSTER.
He told someone else the same things and then excused them at the same time
to go sit down in the audience.  As soon as they got off the stage they both
started beating there chests and screaming at each other.  Everyone thought
it was really funny.  I asked my friend afterwards what he was thinking.  He
said he was the real king kong and he wanted to kill the other one.  Ha Ha.
Sooo...  Sorry all you people out there who believe your morals will protect 
you from doing something ugly during hypnosis.  That is a lie that hypnotists
tell you so you will relax and not resist their suggestions.  Personally I
am not going to let anyone hypnotise me unless it is a doctor I trust.

I am anxious to hear what ya'll have to say in reply.  If you haven't ever
been to a stage hypnotist's show you ought to go.  They start by saying 
"I can't get you to do anything you're strongly opposed to"  Then they
entertain you throughout the show by getting you to do things you would
never do if you still had control of your own mind.
Newsgroups: alt.hypnosis,talk.religion.newage