On mediums, psychics and other charlatans.
If you go to have your fortune told and it's all in fun, that's fine. But for fuck's sake, NO ONE can talk to the dead. NO ONE. This spiritualism bullshit has been going on for over a hundred years, and hundreds of charlatans have been pulling the same trick again and again. If there really was someone who could unequivocally speak to the dead or tell the future, we'd know by now. Undeniable proof of life after death is something humanity has searched for since the dawn of time. Everyone has always wanted to know what happens, and despite many theories and postulations, there is absolutely no proof or evidence of any kind that has been gathered that there is any kind of consciousness after death. What we do know is that people stop living, and then the decomposition process begins, and eventually the body is recombined back to the earth. Anything else is speculation.
If a "psychic" walked up to me and said "Your great-grandmother, Katerina Stelmaschuck, died of complications from Parkinson's disease on your birthday in 1984 (or was it 86? I can't remember)." maybe I'd believe that. But there has never been a "medium" whose communication with the dead was so clear. Why do they have to guess? Why do they have to throw out names, ideas, relations, in the hopes that someone will pick up on it? Do ghosts not speak English? Is there static? Do you have to tune like a radio? I don't get it. Why wouldn't my dearly-missed Uncle Kenny talk to me clearly and directly?
The advances in psychology, technology, understanding of human development and evolution in just the last 15 years have been astonishing. The things we can do now are stunning, and despite what we've learned about how incredible reality can be, we still cling to this need for magic surrounding death. Fear of death or grief for a loss is not unreasonable. Everyone feels this way, and everyone needs to learn to cope with it. However, recognize your vulnerability. Understand that if you are carrying your baggage, a keen eye will see it, and a meaner one will use it. Don't give these people your money, unless you want to go and see a very clever trick. See people like Derren Brown, who not only tell their audiences it's a trick, but makes an effort to debunk other so-called psychics.
South Park did an episode called The Biggest Douche in the Universe referring to John Edward. The second part explains the Cold Reading technique extremely well when Stan gets roped into having his own TV show. There's also a funny bit with a voodoo exorcism. And bum jokes.
The very first episode of Penn and Teller's Bullshit! deals with this issue directly, and Penn's rant so eloquently expresses why mediums make me so angry. Watch it here. There is a lot of swearing, but a lot of good points are made as well.
Please, watch these, read about this before you ever see a medium or a psychic. Do not give money to them until you know what you're getting in to.
"You don't heal a broken heart by pretending it's not broken." - Penn Jilette
If a "psychic" walked up to me and said "Your great-grandmother, Katerina Stelmaschuck, died of complications from Parkinson's disease on your birthday in 1984 (or was it 86? I can't remember)." maybe I'd believe that. But there has never been a "medium" whose communication with the dead was so clear. Why do they have to guess? Why do they have to throw out names, ideas, relations, in the hopes that someone will pick up on it? Do ghosts not speak English? Is there static? Do you have to tune like a radio? I don't get it. Why wouldn't my dearly-missed Uncle Kenny talk to me clearly and directly?
The advances in psychology, technology, understanding of human development and evolution in just the last 15 years have been astonishing. The things we can do now are stunning, and despite what we've learned about how incredible reality can be, we still cling to this need for magic surrounding death. Fear of death or grief for a loss is not unreasonable. Everyone feels this way, and everyone needs to learn to cope with it. However, recognize your vulnerability. Understand that if you are carrying your baggage, a keen eye will see it, and a meaner one will use it. Don't give these people your money, unless you want to go and see a very clever trick. See people like Derren Brown, who not only tell their audiences it's a trick, but makes an effort to debunk other so-called psychics.
South Park did an episode called The Biggest Douche in the Universe referring to John Edward. The second part explains the Cold Reading technique extremely well when Stan gets roped into having his own TV show. There's also a funny bit with a voodoo exorcism. And bum jokes.
The very first episode of Penn and Teller's Bullshit! deals with this issue directly, and Penn's rant so eloquently expresses why mediums make me so angry. Watch it here. There is a lot of swearing, but a lot of good points are made as well.
Please, watch these, read about this before you ever see a medium or a psychic. Do not give money to them until you know what you're getting in to.
"You don't heal a broken heart by pretending it's not broken." - Penn Jilette