Top 10 Rumors That Lead To Mass Hysteria

That incident which causes widespread panic among several people when they believe that they are all suffering from a common illness or going through the same problem is known as mass hysteria.

 

1. Arthur Machen’s Angels

Arthur Machen wrote several short stories about some angels after which certain rumors started circulating through Europe. People believed that the Angels of Mons were protecting the British soldiers during the initial years of World War I.

 

2. Kuchisake-onna

Kuchisake-onna is a terrifyingly ugly woman who features in Japanese mythology. The story talks about a woman who was maimed and killed by her husband after which she came back to take revenge.

 

3. The Year Two Thousand Bug

Somebody spread the rumor that the clocks that are featured on the bottom right corner of computers would quit working on 1st January 2000 which would lead to certain disasters in every part of the world. However, nothing happened and the computer industry felt pretty foolish about spending over 300 billion dollars in preparation of a crisis that did not exist to begin with.

 

4. The Odd Looking Creature Called Jack

Many people claimed to have been attacked in 1837 by a strange looking creature who had long pointed years, yellow or glowing eyes and a long nose. As the story spread, so did the complaints and the number of ‘victims’.

 

5. A Monster in London

A man is rumored to have attacked beautiful women during the late 1700s. While some say he carried the knives, others say he had them poking out of his knees. These stories reached different parts of the country after which young girls started injuring themselves and telling the officials that the unknown man was responsible.

 

6. The Leaflet That Caused Trouble

Somebody started circulating a typewritten list of food additives that could cause cancer during the latter half of 1970. Because citric acid was mentioned in the list, people started panicking all over Europe and the same information was printed onto leaflets and passed out in hospitals, schools and clinics in the 1980s.

 

7. The Children in Georgia

Some parents gathered in a school in Georgia in 1988. One mother told the rest that her son was sick as he kept getting headaches, nausea and was looking pale and tired ever since the beginning of the term. Over time, the other parents said that their children were suffering from the same problem and blamed the school for it. Several tests were carried out but surprise surprise! There was nothing wrong with the children. According to experts, most of the parents imagined the problem as the children said that they didn’t feel ill at all.

 

8. Satanic Abuse

SRA was a term given to a rumor that started in America and spread to many parts of the world. People believed that the rich and wealthy all over the world kidnapped children for pornographic purposes, sacrifices or prostitution. The panic died down during the second half of 1990.

 

9. The Unknown Slasher

Two young girls said that they had been harmed by an unknown man with a mallet and bright shoes. The rumors spread through the country and the weapon transformed into a knife or razor. The mass hysteria died down when a woman came forward and confessed that she had actually injured herself.

10. Death by a Fan

According to a rumor which originated in South Korea, an electric fan can kill the people in the room either by suffocation or hypothermia if it is left on through the night.

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