Is Hypnosis Real or Fake?

 

I'm not talking about hypnotherapy. I'm talking about hypnosis with a live audience. 

I recently saw a live show at my school on hypnosis and I personally am not a believer but I 

can't wrap my head around as to how it was done. Most hypnotist like the one I saw didn't claim 

to have magical powers. But said its more of suggestions and people willing to do it BUT it takes 

a lot of willingness to get a guy to act like a girl and another to bounce like kangaroo and put 

watermelon down there pants which happened in the show. I can't wrap my finger as to how this 

happened. To me theres no way in under two minutes you can get someone to do stuff like that. 

And before the show ended he told one of the guys who did the kangaroo deal to deny that 

watermelon was in his pants after the show and sure enough I saw the guy in the bathroom and 

asked Is there watermelon down your pants? And he said no (however it did seem like he was 

acting). But I do not think this was staged for the fact that some of these people are my 

classmates. 

And the thing that baffled me the most was the fact that as the entire audience was dieing of 

laughter I rarely saw one of these kids laughing on stage unless that moment was an act to do 

so. Like seriously I made sure of that. 

For example: There was a part when guys where pulling up there shirts dancing to music like a 

boy band and instead of watching that I looked closely at everyone else on stage and none of 

them had any expression. Like next to never I saw smiling. I mean if your on stage one little 

barely funny thing can make anyone blush up a little at least. 

Sure maybe the last resort was that it was staged but I don't think so but I do not believe it was 

because they where open to suggestion and all that crap. To me there's no way you can 

subconsciously suggest people to do most of that. Even if there "willing". But so far I have been 

completely like wtf how did that happen. Anyone want to clear this up to is how this could have 

happened? Because I'm clueless.

 Best Answer: Hypnosis is real. Stage hypnosis, like you are talking about, is for the purpose of 

entertainment. The first thing that the stage hypnotist does is some suggestibility testing, to see 

who is willing to play along and have fun. Those volunteers who will not follow instructions are 

usually dismissed and told to return to the audience. People who volunteer to be hypnotized on 

stage are people who would like to have that kind of fun -- to perform on stage and make people 

laugh. Sometimes, they are folks who always wanted to be gregarious and entertain others, but 

are normally a little shy to do it. When they have a context like hypnosis, they feel comfortable 

to act out in public. It's like the folks at the office party who drink too much, and put the 

lampshade on their heads and act a little foolish. Usually, they're known for being shy, but when 

they have the context of a few too many cocktails, they can express themselves in a way they 

won't normally allow. Nothing wrong with that, it's a very human thing. And the ones who do it 

usually have a lot of fun. 

I think that most people who say they were not hypnotized, or say they can not be hypnotized, 

just really do not understand what hypnosis is. It's a very comfortable, natural state that we all 

go into and out of every day. It can be as light as daydreaming and much, much deeper. It's not 

mind control, and doesn't come over you like a drug. It feels very pleasant to be in hypnosis -- 

light and drifty and peaceful. And you can not be hypnotized if you do not want to be hypnotized. 

If you are willing, the hypnotist can induce hypnosis in a matter of seconds quite easily. People 

can do fantastic things in the state of hypnosis, and have lots of fun, too. I'd suggest that you 

give it a try sometime, and see what you think from the inside. And remember, if you do not want 

to cluck like a chicken, you won't. I'm a Certified Hypnotherapist and Master Hypnotist myself, 

and you won't make me cluck like a chicken! :-) Go ahead, next time. Have a little fun. 

Take good care, 

-Patricia Reynolds Sorbye CHT