Alaina

So like... it would always go back to demonic possession. But according to Robert Bartholomew, quote, the behavior of these dancers was described as strange because while exhibiting actions that were part of the Christian tradition, other elements were foreign. And he points to one account that says, in their songs they uttered the names of devils never before heard of, this strange sect.

So like... it would always go back to demonic possession. But according to Robert Bartholomew, quote, the behavior of these dancers was described as strange because while exhibiting actions that were part of the Christian tradition, other elements were foreign. And he points to one account that says, in their songs they uttered the names of devils never before heard of, this strange sect.

So how would you know what they were? So it's like... What? So how do you know they're devils, too? Maybe they're gods. Maybe they're angels. Yeah. Maybe they're friends.

So how would you know what they were? So it's like... What? So how do you know they're devils, too? Maybe they're gods. Maybe they're angels. Yeah. Maybe they're friends.

Several devils have to be a part of it. Now, demonic possession was really the main suspect in the beginning. But in later plagues, the cause of the mania would often be attributed, because obviously we hear it in the nunnery, it would be attributed to immorality and sin. Particularly those in which the dances were overtly sexual or predominantly performed by... Women!

Several devils have to be a part of it. Now, demonic possession was really the main suspect in the beginning. But in later plagues, the cause of the mania would often be attributed, because obviously we hear it in the nunnery, it would be attributed to immorality and sin. Particularly those in which the dances were overtly sexual or predominantly performed by... Women!

One description read, they indulged in disgraceful immodesty for many women during the shameful dance and mock bridal singing, bared their bosoms while others of their own accord offered their virtue. Oh, honey. So now these ladies are out there just being like, coming at us. Spruing in the streets. Show an ankle. Damn, show an ankle.

One description read, they indulged in disgraceful immodesty for many women during the shameful dance and mock bridal singing, bared their bosoms while others of their own accord offered their virtue. Oh, honey. So now these ladies are out there just being like, coming at us. Spruing in the streets. Show an ankle. Damn, show an ankle.

It's like, do you want to hold my hand and dance? And they're like, holy shit. You got to get inside, girl. You got to a nunnery where you can start meowing and propositioning priests.

It's like, do you want to hold my hand and dance? And they're like, holy shit. You got to get inside, girl. You got to a nunnery where you can start meowing and propositioning priests.

Now, in later years, such as the dancing plague in Strasbourg, like the really famous one, the events were frequently kind of attributed to madness and hysteria as a whole, especially when they were begun, again, by girls or women.

Now, in later years, such as the dancing plague in Strasbourg, like the really famous one, the events were frequently kind of attributed to madness and hysteria as a whole, especially when they were begun, again, by girls or women.

Historian John Waller says that there is considerable evidence that suggests the dancing plagues and the possession epidemics of Europe's nunneries were in fact classic instances of a very different phenomenon, mass psychogenic illness, which is way scarier to me.

Historian John Waller says that there is considerable evidence that suggests the dancing plagues and the possession epidemics of Europe's nunneries were in fact classic instances of a very different phenomenon, mass psychogenic illness, which is way scarier to me.

yeah i don't love that like if you're telling me the devil came and made me dance i'm like that's fun like that happens but like mass psychogenic illness what is that so what's the definition of psychogenic illness so that's really like where the term mass hysteria comes from where they can't pinpoint it it's like in the salem witch trials they tried to blame it on like ergot poisoning like fungus on the on the wheat wheat essentially

yeah i don't love that like if you're telling me the devil came and made me dance i'm like that's fun like that happens but like mass psychogenic illness what is that so what's the definition of psychogenic illness so that's really like where the term mass hysteria comes from where they can't pinpoint it it's like in the salem witch trials they tried to blame it on like ergot poisoning like fungus on the on the wheat wheat essentially

And that causes, you know, some kind of food poisoning that leads to this like wild illness that everybody just. Like psychosis. You're hallucinating or something. Yeah. I think it's like groupthink. Like I think it's really just you've seen instances of it where like you can get people to do insane things if you just make it a group effort.

And that causes, you know, some kind of food poisoning that leads to this like wild illness that everybody just. Like psychosis. You're hallucinating or something. Yeah. I think it's like groupthink. Like I think it's really just you've seen instances of it where like you can get people to do insane things if you just make it a group effort.

And in the majority of cases of dancing plagues, the years we were touching upon this before, the years immediately preceding the events were usually pretty harsh. There was famine, natural disasters, social and political upheaval. In the case of Strasbourg, there was a little thing called the Black Plague that was right before it. Right, right.

And in the majority of cases of dancing plagues, the years we were touching upon this before, the years immediately preceding the events were usually pretty harsh. There was famine, natural disasters, social and political upheaval. In the case of Strasbourg, there was a little thing called the Black Plague that was right before it. Right, right.