From colonial witch trials to viral hexes, discover how fear creates real symptoms and spreads through communities. Drawing on Stacy Schiff's historical research, Andrew Huberman's neuroscience, and modern WitchTok trends, this episode reveals the psychological patterns connecting Salem 1692 to today's digital witch hunts.

We don't need malice to produce witch-hunt dynamics—just incentives that reward speed over accuracy and engagement-driven algorithms that learn which stories keep us scrolling.
How does fear spread through communities from Salem witch trials to today's digital world?








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Nia: Welcome to the BeFreed Podcast, where we distill the world's best sources into personalized insights you can actually finish. I'm Nia, joined today by my brilliant co-host Jackson for a spellbinding journey through American witchcraft.
Jackson: I'm Jackson, and I'm thrilled to be exploring this fascinating topic with you. Today we're asking: why has America been obsessed with witches for over three centuries, and what can this teach us about how fear spreads in our modern digital world?
Nia: Exactly! From colonial gallows to WitchTok, we'll be drawing on incredible historical research from scholars like Stacy Schiff and Mary Beth Norton, plus insights from neuroscience, psychology, and modern witch communities. Let's brew up some understanding!