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I also heard somewhere a saying that goes something like ‘windy places have more crazy people’.

eurasiantiger 5y ago
The meaning of that saying is not literal; ”windy places” refers to unstable leadership in an organisation, with high-level executives often getting replaced.
- lostlogin 5y ago
  It could be both. Wellington, New Zealand is a touch blasted, and after a decent gale down there I’ve felt unhinged.
- GuB-42 5y ago
  I think it is literal. In the region of Toulouse, France, "vent d'Autan", a strong wind that blows in that region is called "vent qui rend fou", the wind that drives people crazy. It is a bit of folk knowledge that seems to be verified: crimes rates are higher, people and animals are more agitated, ect... And it is not the only occurrence where strong wind is associated with madness.
  - alcover 5y ago
    Exact. In Millau (Aveyron), I've heard about le "vent des fous". And I can attest that on Sundays, when the city is silent, that howling wind and the loose shutters banging make you feel strange indeed.
    - eurasiantiger 5y ago
      It seems I was wrong and the phenomenon does really exist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_madness https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_madness > Some settlers specifically spoke of the wind that rushed through the prairie, which was loud, forceful, and alien compared to what settlers had experienced in their former lives. https://core.tdar.org/document/441632/the-wind-cries-mary-the-effects-of-soundscape-on-the-prairie-madness-phenomenon https://core.tdar.org/document/441632/the-wind-cries-mary-th... > A number of conditions such as acute hyperacusis can cause increased sensitivity to environmental sounds. These conditions can result from high stress and have been known to cause behavior consistent with descriptions of prairie madness such as depression, insomnia, and violent behavior. I also found this interesting case report: https://casereports.bmj.com/content/2012/bcr-2012-006300.short https://casereports.bmj.com/content/2012/bcr-2012-006300.sho... > Wind direction appeared to be related to the patient's energy levels; these were significantly lower when the wind blew from the southeast. This effect could not be explained by other weather parameters. Decreases in energy in turn predicted increases in anxiety. The reverse effect was observed as well, with increases in anxiety predicting decreases in energy, indicating a positive feedback loop. It seems plausible that wind from a specific direction through and across certain building structures could produce sound that is causing these variances. Mythbusters assemble!
    - eurasiantiger 5y ago
      Hmm. Actually, ”le vent des fous” seems to be referring to a wind from the south, supposedly bringing in heat and humidity from the Mediterranean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence,_Drôme#Climate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence,_Drôme#Climate > Valence enjoys a humid subtropical climate, whose main characteristic is an almost constant wind …. When it comes from the south, it usually announces the arrival of stormy disturbances. It is then called le vent du midi ou le vent des fous [the midi wind or the uncaring wind] because, for some people, it makes the atmosphere painful to bear, especially in the summer.

The meaning of that saying is not literal; ”windy places” refers to unstable leadership in an organisation, with high-level executives often getting replaced.

lostlogin 5y ago
It could be both. Wellington, New Zealand is a touch blasted, and after a decent gale down there I’ve felt unhinged.
GuB-42 5y ago
I think it is literal. In the region of Toulouse, France, "vent d'Autan", a strong wind that blows in that region is called "vent qui rend fou", the wind that drives people crazy. It is a bit of folk knowledge that seems to be verified: crimes rates are higher, people and animals are more agitated, ect... And it is not the only occurrence where strong wind is associated with madness.
- alcover 5y ago
  Exact. In Millau (Aveyron), I've heard about le "vent des fous". And I can attest that on Sundays, when the city is silent, that howling wind and the loose shutters banging make you feel strange indeed.
  - eurasiantiger 5y ago
    It seems I was wrong and the phenomenon does really exist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_madness https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_madness > Some settlers specifically spoke of the wind that rushed through the prairie, which was loud, forceful, and alien compared to what settlers had experienced in their former lives. https://core.tdar.org/document/441632/the-wind-cries-mary-the-effects-of-soundscape-on-the-prairie-madness-phenomenon https://core.tdar.org/document/441632/the-wind-cries-mary-th... > A number of conditions such as acute hyperacusis can cause increased sensitivity to environmental sounds. These conditions can result from high stress and have been known to cause behavior consistent with descriptions of prairie madness such as depression, insomnia, and violent behavior. I also found this interesting case report: https://casereports.bmj.com/content/2012/bcr-2012-006300.short https://casereports.bmj.com/content/2012/bcr-2012-006300.sho... > Wind direction appeared to be related to the patient's energy levels; these were significantly lower when the wind blew from the southeast. This effect could not be explained by other weather parameters. Decreases in energy in turn predicted increases in anxiety. The reverse effect was observed as well, with increases in anxiety predicting decreases in energy, indicating a positive feedback loop. It seems plausible that wind from a specific direction through and across certain building structures could produce sound that is causing these variances. Mythbusters assemble!
  - eurasiantiger 5y ago
    Hmm. Actually, ”le vent des fous” seems to be referring to a wind from the south, supposedly bringing in heat and humidity from the Mediterranean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence,_Drôme#Climate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence,_Drôme#Climate > Valence enjoys a humid subtropical climate, whose main characteristic is an almost constant wind …. When it comes from the south, it usually announces the arrival of stormy disturbances. It is then called le vent du midi ou le vent des fous [the midi wind or the uncaring wind] because, for some people, it makes the atmosphere painful to bear, especially in the summer.