The Culture We Deserve Recovered Panic
Oct 1, 2025
A bestselling memoir claims to recount a woman's traumatic past but hinges on recovered memories induced by hallucinogens. The hosts discuss the dangerous implications of such claims, echoing the infamous satanic panic of the 1980s. They question the motives behind psychedelic startups and critique how media sensationalizes trauma narratives. Delving into the cultural obsession with PTSD, they explore how suggestion can create false memories, all while highlighting the intersection of women's media, profit, and politics.
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Bestseller Based On Recovered Memories
- Amy Griffin published a bestselling memoir claiming recovered memories of being raped by a middle‑school teacher starting at age 12.
- The New York Times investigation found many details match a classmate's abuse, leaving the identified retired teacher facing threats and hiding.
Recovered Memories Mirror Past Moral Panics
- Recovered memories blur the line between genuine trauma and constructed narratives, echoing past moral panics.
- That ambiguity risks repeating the Satanic Panic dynamics where false memories ruined lives and led to wrongful prosecutions.
Author's Financial Stake Raises Questions
- Amy Griffin and her husband hold investments in a company seeking FDA approval to use MDMA in therapy.
- Her memoir's recovered‑memory narrative aligns with that company's financial interests.
