Mesmerism and the Influencing Machine

The hosts trace beliefs about magnetic fluids and machines controlling thought, connecting nineteenth-century influencing machines to contemporary technological persecution delusions.

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Episode notes

Chat, are we cooked? Julia is joined by friend and mentor Dr. Jack Keefe to explore the ongoing epidemic of AI psychosis and the dire consequences of having a sycophant in our pocket. They trace the history of how technology has repeatedly reshaped our understanding of reality, from medieval nobles who believed their bodies were made of glass, telegraph operators struck by sudden paralysis, and tech moguls convinced they're living in The Matrix. Digressions include questioning the humanity of Mr. Beast, the stay tethered to reality challenge, and The Truman Show as a psychotic touchstone.

This episode was produced by Julia Hava and Kylie Finnigan and edited by Livi Burdette.

Check out Jack's work here: https://jack-keefe.com/

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SOURCES

"AI Psychosis" in Context: How Conversation History ShapesLLM Responses to Delusional Beliefs

'Americanitis': The Disease of Living Too Fast

An odd kind of melancholy: reflections on the glass delusion in Europe (1440-1680 - Gill Speak, 1990

Beyond artificial intelligence psychosis: a functional typology of large language model-associated psychotic phenomena - The Lancet Digital Health

Delusion content across the 20th century in an American psychiatric hospital

ELEPHANT: MEASURING AND UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL SYCOPHANCY IN LLMS

Emotional Manipulation by AI Companions