ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

William Sargant

William Sargant was a man who lived a long time ago and was very interested in how our brains and bodies work. He spent a lot of his time studying how people think and feel, and how they can sometimes have problems with their mental and emotional health.

One thing that made William Sargant famous was his work with something called "brainwashing," which is a way of changing how someone thinks or feels about something by using repeated messages or techniques. Sargant was interested in how this could be used in different situations, like in wartime or in religions or even in advertising.

However, some people didn't like some of the things that Sargant said or did, and thought that he was too focused on trying to control people's minds. They also pointed out that some of the things he did, like giving people electric shocks to try and help them with their mental health, were not very kind or safe.

Overall, William Sargant was a very interesting person who tried to understand how our brains work and how we can help people who might be struggling with their mental health. While some of his methods might be controversial today, he was always trying to learn more and help others.