Charlatans and Scammers

On the one hand, I understand people's desire for answers or comfort no matter how devious the source, but on the other I just can't find it in me not to anger more than slightly over those spending good money on Psychics, Mediums, Paranormalists or what have you.

In Vegas, I recently saw Penn & Teller's act at the Rio. From an otherwise ordinary show (Teller's shadow puppets were phenomenal though) I found Penn debunking Mediums riveting since I hate all things "Pyschic".

One thing he did was have a box of books brought out to the audience. In the box were numerous joke books. A supposedly random patron chose one book from maybe a dozen. Then he was asked to pass the book at random; forward, sideways, backwards. Then again, then again, etc. After a time, he had the person with the book find a joke that was personal to themself. One they've told before or related to in some way. Next he asked the patron a series of questions starting generally like "its not a joke about animals". Of course, he asked in that "fishing" way that the Psychics use. Then...Penn told a joke and asked the patron if it was the one that had been chosen. It was! From the outside it seemed like he could read that person's mind.

To his credit though, Penn was showing us how these thieves work their "magic". One point he made was that this person was standing in front of 3000 or so people with a spotlight on them. No doubt this person was nervous and merely wanted to get the bit over with. So when Penn asked questions that were close to the joke he was seeking, this person gave off clues that Penn was close or not close before he even answered yes or no. In this way, Penn was able to alter the question mid-sentence to get more on topic. He did it again with another patron in another way but the result was the same. I loved it.

Morning radio, Montel Williams, other talk television and even primetime tv are full of this bullshit. As far as I'm concerned you can throw in Televangelists and Faith-Healers too. Its all crap yet people buy into it big-time. Buying in with their own money too! Hell, there's even cruises with these people. Guess you'd be safe "knowing" the ship wouldn't sink, eh?

In High School we studied Uri Geller (check this crap out) and his "spoon-bending" in social studies. The book believed it and the school taught it. What kind of shit is that? Of course, he's since be debunked (I might also add that if he had the true ability to bend stuff telepathically, then why would he ever need to touch it in the first place?). But an impressionable 13 - 18 year old mind shouldn't be subject to anything that can't be proven and I remember thinking there must be some trick behind it. There was!

Regarding other "Psychics" I've always believed they worked either by planting people or reading body language. Its all in good fun when people read horoscopes (ANY of them can describe your day if you want them to) or play around with a Ouija board (especially if it involves a drinking game), but when there's significant money exchanging hands it elicits two things from me: 1. Pity for the one paying money for bullshit and 2. Anger at those taking advantage of the one I pity.

My sister-in-law lost her father tragically to an accident years ago. It was no doubt traumatic and she and her sister have been to Mediums (or whatever they are) in a concert-type setting to contact the man. Of course, this is where the Medium fishes information in the "you know a Joe, or a John..." and "you lost a loved-one to illness or accident" and the victim is like "Yeah, yeah! I do!! Amazing!". Well, who the fuck doesn't know a Joe or a John? Who hasn't had a relative get sick and die or die from accident? Its all crap. Drives me nuts.

I think deep down, based on my conversations with her, my sister-in-law understands that its probably crap but still is willing to spend the money for the "comfort" of knowing. "Your dad is at piece. He loves you very much." That kind of stuff. Everything is positive and reassuring so it feeds itself.

Not in this case, but what if - just what if - a Medium said "You know....your Dad really didn't like you. You were a whiny shit and he liked your brother much, much more. He was sorry he had you"? Or "Your dad was embezzling from the company he worked for and paid for prostitutes". People wouldn't be so quick to go back to hear the negative, would they? If they did, or had real concrete answers, it would certainly hold more weight with me. But, the Medium's circular-reasoning would be "It doesn't work that way".

Sort of along the lines of religion saying "You have to have faith" when they can't justify anything concrete. Sorry, that was the Agnostic in me. I'll leave that can of worms closed for now.

Anyway, I remember asking her one time that when she went again (she went back a few times) to wear a very plain outfit. Blue jeans and white tee shirt. No jewelry. Little makeup. Give off as little "vibe" as possible and when the questioning begins, not to nod her head affirmatively or negatively or to shift her weight, etc. In essence, give off NO signs whatsoever and see how many direct hits there are. I bet there wouldn't be many. I never heard back a report from her.

But you know what? She and the others WANT what they're getting. There's peace in that just as people find peace in religion. Even if its bullshit, for some reason in their minds its better than nothing. Its something to hold onto.

I just can't buy into it and I DEFINITELY wouldn't pay into it.