Fear, Mind Bugs, and Witch Hunts That Undermine Common Sense with Steije Hofhuis PhD | Bonus Session

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In this episode, Lisa speaks with Steije Hofhuis, a lecturer in cultural history at the Department of History and Art History at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, to continue the conversation about the use of fear, doubt, and disinformation throughout history as a means of societal manipulation.

Dr Hofhuis’ research shows that cultural viruses, or mindbugs, have adapted and evolved in a Darwinian manner through the spread of negative information contagions that manipulate and propagandize data for the benefit of one group over another.

This episode is a bonus special edition of the Good Citizens Election Season Survival Guide designed to help restore common sense and sanity in a crazy world…

Original Air Date Wednesday, September 21, 2024

Tune in:

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Meet Our Guest:

Steije Hofhuis, PhD is a cultural historian at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and a postdoctoral researcher at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB).

His work primarily focuses on European witch-hunting, Darwinian theory, and migration history. His research offers a compelling perspective on one of history’s most persistent and insidious cultural memes.

Steije Hofhuis PhD — How Mind Bugs Undermined Common Sense:

The evolution of misbeliefs and mindbugs and how they adapt culturally. {2:29}
Belief systems during the Holocaust and witch hunts contained similar components. {5:56}
In contemporary society, fear-based conspiracy theories are cultural viruses. {9:06}
Steije became eager to collaborate with others at CIRCE after reading Andy Norman’s book, Mental Immunity. {17:21}
During early witch hunts, skeptics did try to communicate with believers using the concept of love. {20:53}

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Shareables:

“It's not to tell people how to think. It's to tell people that it is important to think critically.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “In periods of stress, people become more vulnerable.” @HofhuisSteije on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “This ideology of witch hunting was very well adapted to stimulate conflict.” @HofhuisSteije on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “People who believe in conspiracy theories are very motivated to tell others about the dangers and to spread their ideas like a virus.” @HofhuisSteije on @HHTalkRadio Share on X

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