What does penis panic mean?
What is penis panic?
When a person or group believe that their penis is actually shrinking into their body, disappearing.
Definition
This is the belief that the penis is shrinking, or retracting into the body, for no apparent reason or explanation. This concept can be spread among a group, and create a mass hysteria in which males will believe they are losing their penises.
Usually these 'mass hysteria events' occur in countries or regions where access to modern science is unavailable or denied by the Government.
It can also be symptomatic of a deeper mental disorder, and is merely an extension of that disorder.
History
Penis panic is noted in many cultures throughout time. In ancient times it was generally associated with sorcery, or witchcraft and other supernatural happenings.
It has been adapted in some regions today, to fit into the more modern aspect of some societies. There are instances of this throughout the world, but most notably in Asia and Africa, that continue to this day.
About
In Southeast Asia, these attacks are given the term KORO, and are well known in the region, including modern occurrences.
KORO is a Malaysian word, meaning 'head of the turtle'.
This belief also accepts that such a retraction or theft of the male genitalia will lead to death.
Suffers of this belief, have been known to resort to remedies that have led to basically self mutilation. While KORO itself, or the belief of a shrinking penis, is not physically harmful, it can lead to some misguided attempts at correction.
This has included using fish hooks, needles, shoelaces, and fishing line, to prevent further shrinkage, or loss.
Practice (Associated Acts): The Chinese term is SHOOK YANG (SUO YANG) and there have been reported incidents of it, in 1948, 1955, 1966, 1974, and last reported during 1984 and 1985.
Noteworthy: In 1967, thousands of males reported that their penises were disappearing, shrinking in Singapore. The mass hysteria was fed by media reports, and only through an intensive media blitz by the government, along with a news blackout on new cases, was the panic able to be halted.
September 2003 saw a mass hysteria event in Khartoum, Sudan, in which males believed their penises were shrinking. It was blamed on a Zionist plot to take over, through the preventing of Sudanese males from procreating.
The Sudanese males were convinced, that their penises would melt away, if they shook hands or used another's comb, or had a verbal curse laid on them. It has been blamed on the power of suggestion, and was found to be a hoax. However it did spread quickly, thanks to text messaging on cellular phones.
April 2008, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 14 people were arrested. This included supposed victims and sorcerers, who tried to blackmail others, claiming they could provide a cure. They were charged with witchcraft and sorcery in their attempt to extort cash from others. Included in the charges was that of attempting to snatch the penises of others.
Related Terms
Ordinary, fully rational persons, can have a penis attack, especially if they are in a region where such tales persist. Sudden temperature changes that can affect the appearance of a penis, could then be attributed to that belief.