Harper's has a must-read article by Frank Bures on the phenomenon of magic penis burgling. Recently there was a rash of alleged penis thefts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which I wrote about here. To give you an idea of the level of dangerous delusion going on here, I present this quote from a Nigerian man who believed a sorcerer stole his junk: "Something told me inside not to shout. Because as soon as I shouted, [the man who stole my penis] would have been lynched. And if he was lynched, how could I get my penis back?" Turns out believing that your genitals are being snatched by wizards may be a culturally-bound psychological disorder. Bures explores this possibility, along with the possibility that the very idea of culturally-bound disorders is faulty. Clutch your crotch and read all about it here.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Penis Theft Explored
