Is There Something in the Environment That You Don't Notice?

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

With selective perception and the confirmation bias, you can almost always find something in the environment if you're looking for it. You just need somebody to give you a reason to worry. And you will start noticing things that you didn't notice before. Think of the situation these diplomats were in when you read some of the accounts of what happened. They kept being called to meetings and being told to hide behind walls if they heard anything or examined their bodies for symptoms. It must have been terrifying.

Michael Shermer speaks with award-winning Irish neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan about her work exploring the complexity of psychogenic illness affecting people all around the world. Her book The Sleeping Beauties, documents her investigation of psychosomatic disorders as she traveled the world visiting communities suffering from these so-called mystery illnesses. O’Sullivan records the remarkable stories of syndromes related to her by people from all walks of life. Riveting and often distressing, these case studies — both fascinating and of serious concern — are recounted with compassion and humanity as these syndromes continue to proliferate around the globe.