Summary of "The New Jersey Drones Mass Delusion, Explained"

What A Day by Crooked Media delves into the recent surge of nighttime drone sightings across New Jersey, unpacking the psychological and social mechanisms that fuel such mass delusions. Hosted by Jane Coaston, with insights from Max Fisher, Erin Ryan, and guest William Bernstein, the episode explores historical and contemporary instances of collective misperceptions, using the New Jersey drone phenomenon as a focal point.

1. The New Jersey Drone Sightings: A Collective Misidentification

The episode begins by addressing the explosion of drone and UFO sightings in New Jersey. Max Fisher introduces the topic by expressing skepticism over the reported phenomena:

Max Fisher [00:00]: "Erin, there's something that's been bugging me about the nighttime drone sightings popping up all over New Jersey this past week."

Erin Ryan counters with a humorous conjecture, suggesting the sightings might be a viral marketing ploy:

Erin Ryan [00:06]: "Is it that nobody has brought up the fact that they could be viral marketing for the Aaron Rodgers documentary on Netflix?"

However, both hosts quickly pivot to debunking the claims, asserting that most alleged drone footage actually depicts conventional passenger airplanes with landing lights. A clip from Network News Nation is played, illustrating this misidentification:

Erin Ryan [00:47]: "There's one over my shoulder right there. One after another after another, these drones appeared in the night sky... fixed wing aircraft about 8 to 10ft wide, colorful white blinking lights."

Max underscores the absurdity of mistaking standard flight activity for unidentified aerial phenomena:

Max Fisher [01:33]: "So this is what I mean. ... they collectively had their brains tell them that those airplanes were UFOs."

2. Understanding Mass Delusions

The core question posed is: What causes mass delusions like the wave of now mostly debunked drone and UFO sightings around New Jersey? The hosts aim to explore this by examining historical and psychological perspectives on collective misperceptions.

3. Historical Precedent: The "War of the Worlds" Broadcast

A pivotal example discussed is the infamous 1938 radio drama War of the Worlds by Orson Welles, which purportedly incited widespread panic by simulating a real alien invasion. A dramatized clip from the broadcast sets the scene:

Max Fisher [03:32]: "Hump shape is rising out of the pit... Lord, they're turning into flames."

Erin humorously challenges each other to adopt historical broadcasting styles, emphasizing the realism that led listeners to believe the fake news:

Erin Ryan [04:14]: "From the mid century... how Americans responded."

Orson Welles's reflection on the public's reaction is highlighted:

Orson Welles (Clip) [05:25]: "A lot of people wanted to know... they've seen Martians landing in their backyards."

This segment illustrates how authoritative presentation can manipulate collective perception, laying the groundwork for understanding modern mass delusions.

4. The Psychology Behind Mass Delusions: Imitation and Conformity

Enter William Bernstein, a financial theorist and former neurologist, who provides a scientific lens on why humans are susceptible to mass delusions:

William Bernstein [06:16]: "Our primary survival skill as a species is the ability to imitate."

Bernstein elaborates on evolutionary imperatives that make imitation a double-edged sword, facilitating both cultural advancements and susceptibility to collective misbeliefs. The hosts connect this to the Asch conformity experiments:

William Bernstein [08:55]: "If they just performed the test on their own... But then they would shout out wrong answers... the error rate of the actual subjects went up dramatically."

Erin shares a personal anecdote aligning with the experiment's findings, illustrating how social pressure can skew individual judgment:

Erin Ryan [09:43]: "I remembered my thought process being like, there's way more than five in there. But I don't want to be... So I said that there were 12."

The concept of "common knowledge" emerges as a pivotal factor:

Max Fisher [10:35]: "Psychologists have a name for this phenomenon. It's called common knowledge. If you believe that everybody around you thinks something, you become much likelier to believe it too."

5. Modern Example: Havana Syndrome as a Mass Delusion

Transitioning to contemporary events, the episode examines Havana Syndrome, where U.S. diplomats reported unexplained health issues:

Erin Ryan [11:27]: "Sudden severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, loss of hearing..."

While some officials speculated about foreign weaponry, scientists leaned towards psychogenic explanations—physical symptoms arising from psychological factors:

Erin Ryan [12:23]: "Psychogenic? Generated by the brain... the brain makes what they believe really happen to them."

The hosts draw parallels between Havana Syndrome and the drone sightings, suggesting that fear and collective belief can manifest tangible symptoms and widespread misconceptions.

6. Visual Misperceptions and the Role of Social Media

The discussion returns to the New Jersey drone sightings, examining how optical illusions and social media amplify mass delusions:

Max Fisher [14:03]: "There are a couple of reasons that people typically mistake planes for UFOs or drones. First is that people have a notoriously hard time judging how far away airborne objects are."

Erin humorously remarks on vision-related errors contributing to misidentifications:

Erin Ryan [14:25]: "Vision insurance. People need glasses, people need contacts..."

Max explains how flight maneuvers can create stationary illusions, further fueling misconceptions:

Max Fisher [14:56]: "Planes that are descending for landing... can make them look like they're holding in place."

As these misidentifications spread through local Facebook groups and Reddit boards, they reinforce each other, creating a feedback loop of belief and misperception.

7. Influence of Elected Officials and Conspiratorial Narratives

The narrative explores how elected officials exacerbate mass delusions by endorsing unfounded claims. Several instances are highlighted, such as:

Erin Ryan [15:40]: "A New Jersey congressman claims Iran is responsible... refusing to reveal sources to back up his claim."

William Bernstein [15:52]: "Iran launched a mothership... off the east coast of the United States."

These endorsements lend undue credibility to unfounded theories, convincing more individuals to buy into the delusion. Further examples include:

Max Fisher [16:07]: "Charlie Kirk and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene making up stories about how the drones are controlled by the US government."

Bernstein discusses the psychological barriers to correcting such beliefs:

William Bernstein [30:24]: "Confirmation bias most of the time is not about confirming what you believe. It's about ignoring contrary evidence."

8. Additional Historical Instances: Clown Sightings and Salem Witch Trials

The episode also revisits other notable mass delusions:

• Clown Sightings (2016): Originating from a viral horror film marketing stunt, these sightings escalated into widespread fear, leading to arrests and tarnishing professional clowns' reputations.

Erin Ryan [23:40]: "A series of creepy clown sightings... dozens of reports... more than a dozen people have been arrested."

• Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693): Over 200 people were accused of witchcraft based on spectral evidence, with 30 convicted and 19 hanged. The trials were influenced by existing social tensions and property disputes, showcasing how mass delusions can intertwine with societal conflicts.

Erin Ryan [26:26]: "Between 1692 and 1693, more than 200 people in colonial Massachusetts were accused of witchcraft..."

9. Conclusion: The Enduring Nature of Mass Delusions

Wrapping up, William Bernstein offers a sobering perspective on the persistence of mass delusions:

William Bernstein [31:18]: "Your friends see drones, you start seeing drones because you're an imitative creature... We've been doing it for hundreds of thousands of years."

The hosts reflect on the implications of mass delusions in the digital age, where misinformation spreads rapidly and authoritative figures can either quell or inflame public fears. The episode concludes with a personal anecdote from Erin, illustrating the lasting impact of such collective misperceptions:

Erin Ryan [32:47]: "I saw this drone... She looks at me and she goes, that was a drone, right? And I was like, yeah, that was a drone... am I?"

Key Takeaways:

• Imitation and Conformity: Human evolutionary traits make us prone to imitating and conforming, often leading to collective misbeliefs when initial misconceptions take hold.

• Role of Media and Authority: Media representations and endorsements by influential figures can significantly amplify and perpetuate mass delusions.

• Psychological Mechanisms: Phenomena like confirmation bias and the boomerang effect hinder the correction of widespread misconceptions, making mass delusions resilient.

• Historical and Modern Parallels: From the Salem witch trials to modern-day UFO sightings, mass delusions are a recurring aspect of human societies, often intertwined with existing social tensions.

What A Day effectively bridges historical examples with contemporary issues, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms behind mass delusions and their enduring presence in society.