Needless to say.. enjoy!!
http://www.cracked.com/article_1855...ird+World&wa_user3=article&wa_user4=yesincite
http://www.cracked.com/article_1855...ird+World&wa_user3=article&wa_user4=yesincite
Very Interesting Article...
- Thread starter Luis Vega
- Start date
It is again, a born-again-skeptic's perspective however.
I've been involved with magic since 1964 and have NEVER found a single instance in which a student's perspective towards the miraculous and the possibility of true magick, wasn't afoot; we are trained from day one to disbelieve in all things that "might" have an ulterior truth behind it . . . anything our limited science of the present, says ain't true.
A bit over a century ago Phrenology was the beat-all method of knowing a person's character and intellect, today is is a grossly parodied pseudo-science as are other forms of "concrete" scientific realities. . . even the works of Freud have been dis-proven and are now seen as being highly inaccurate though, within my own lifetime, it was still seen as "the law".
"Science" is a fickled-beast in that what is "true" one day becomes questionable the next, so why do we cling to it as if it were a matter of religious faith? More so, why is so much in the world being judged by Newtonian perspectives when other disciplines exist that give to us a much broader sense of potential for the human animal, including the plausibility of certain paranormal phenomena?
There are numerous skeptics that have walked into the world of the psychics and woken up to the fact that there is far more to it all than what Mr. Forer came up with in his Reading Experiments or the current explanations set behind things like dowsing and certain hands-on healing techniques.
Yes, any magician worth his salt can REPLICATE what psychic's do. . . it's part of the job description, we're supposed to create a theatrical version of the miraculous, are we not? But just because we can does not mean everything we see a psychic do, is fake.
I've presented instances to several noted skeptic types over the years asking them to explain the how & why of certain phenomena and in the majority of cases that want to change the subject and not look at the scenario in a genuine manner; many going as far as to claim that I was on drugs at the time or the other course of simply looking down at me because of my "gullibility" and "lack of understanding magic". . . a charge I'm certain that many here would question.
The fact is though, the skeptical from within the magic world have cultivated a list of weak excuses and explanations when it comes to this sort of phenomena with terms like "Coincidence" and of course "Cold Reading" standing at the top of said list. It is a kind of contempt prior to investigation attitude that appeals to our ego. After all, a magician is a master of all things and should thus, know the inner-working of all things -- this is the delusion we suffer from and the real result this gives us in the real world, is that all magicians are jerks and atheists.
Based on some of the posts I see here and over at E I somehow doubt that's the case. In fact, I'm betting there's a number of folks on this board that have a strong sense of religious connection and thus, belief in the power of prayer and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are non-Christians on this board who have an alternative faith based connection to the Universe or their understanding of the divine and they too have witnessed some manner of the miraculous that magic tricks and base science cannot deny. Nor can the argument of "Rational Thinking" in that a circular pattern happens in which the ego of the thinker, finds their "out" -- a means of permission so as to not believe or even consider the plausibility of such things.
How can you assume such a truth when you haven't all the information in your possession?
Yes, there are charlatans as well as delusional folks within the Psychic/Metaphysical communities. The crooks however, are few while the fanatical do tend to be many. Within the mix however, you will find the "elders" that are able to blend the elements of folklore and faith with science. This is where we find the "wisdom" of mysticism and the greater truth as to what is what when it comes to this sort of phenomena.
BTW. . . "Readers" AREN'T PSYCHICS! Anyone can buy a deck of Tarot Cards, learn the meanings of the cards and what things mean based on the spread used and deliver a reasonable Reading in the process. This does not mean you are a "Psychic", only that you're a Reader . . . this is a baby step towards unlocking personal "Psychic" (intuitive) potential, but it's not the same thing; I so wish people would stop confusing the two. Sadly, the New Age industry has gone a lone way towards obfuscating this truth for the sake of making a buck and stroking egos.
What this bozo with the article has done, is expose the secrets of Mentalism more than anything else; he's revealed many of the more subtle disciplines allied with our craft as Mind Readers, which is an unfortunate commonality when it comes to the know-it-all cynics of magicdom. The skeptic element has boldly exposed our methods over the years as well as offering a more subtle, even "invented" collection of explanations, such as using black coffee as a shiner.
Magicians who haven't the skill and ability to sell themselves as solid Psychic Entertainers/Mentalists tend to have little issue in this mode of exposure and seeding out disinformation. They are programmed to think and react in certain ways with stock arguments but rarely able to prove out their claims when face to face with the real thing. . . frequently walking away claiming triumph in a situation when in truth, they are distancing themselves from an issue they cannot figure out.
I do not plan on being part of any argument when it comes to this issue, so anyone seeking to challenge my words is wasting time. I'm not going to go around in circles with an argument that will never get settled. My only purpose with this post is to state rather directly that many here have belief and faith in the miraculous which far exceeds the level of cynicism I've seen in this forum over others. I believe this ratio reflects how things are in the real world, where having a bit of skepticism is wise but to allow one's self to stand at either extreme, foolish.
There are things in the world that science has not and probably never will fully understand. When it comes to the paranormal, I do believe that much of it will be proven by science over the next couple of generations; we're amazingly close to some of it right now.
Pardon my rant, but I hope it will at least help some of us here feel a bit more "supported"
I've been involved with magic since 1964 and have NEVER found a single instance in which a student's perspective towards the miraculous and the possibility of true magick, wasn't afoot; we are trained from day one to disbelieve in all things that "might" have an ulterior truth behind it . . . anything our limited science of the present, says ain't true.
A bit over a century ago Phrenology was the beat-all method of knowing a person's character and intellect, today is is a grossly parodied pseudo-science as are other forms of "concrete" scientific realities. . . even the works of Freud have been dis-proven and are now seen as being highly inaccurate though, within my own lifetime, it was still seen as "the law".
"Science" is a fickled-beast in that what is "true" one day becomes questionable the next, so why do we cling to it as if it were a matter of religious faith? More so, why is so much in the world being judged by Newtonian perspectives when other disciplines exist that give to us a much broader sense of potential for the human animal, including the plausibility of certain paranormal phenomena?
There are numerous skeptics that have walked into the world of the psychics and woken up to the fact that there is far more to it all than what Mr. Forer came up with in his Reading Experiments or the current explanations set behind things like dowsing and certain hands-on healing techniques.
Yes, any magician worth his salt can REPLICATE what psychic's do. . . it's part of the job description, we're supposed to create a theatrical version of the miraculous, are we not? But just because we can does not mean everything we see a psychic do, is fake.
I've presented instances to several noted skeptic types over the years asking them to explain the how & why of certain phenomena and in the majority of cases that want to change the subject and not look at the scenario in a genuine manner; many going as far as to claim that I was on drugs at the time or the other course of simply looking down at me because of my "gullibility" and "lack of understanding magic". . . a charge I'm certain that many here would question.
The fact is though, the skeptical from within the magic world have cultivated a list of weak excuses and explanations when it comes to this sort of phenomena with terms like "Coincidence" and of course "Cold Reading" standing at the top of said list. It is a kind of contempt prior to investigation attitude that appeals to our ego. After all, a magician is a master of all things and should thus, know the inner-working of all things -- this is the delusion we suffer from and the real result this gives us in the real world, is that all magicians are jerks and atheists.
Based on some of the posts I see here and over at E I somehow doubt that's the case. In fact, I'm betting there's a number of folks on this board that have a strong sense of religious connection and thus, belief in the power of prayer and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are non-Christians on this board who have an alternative faith based connection to the Universe or their understanding of the divine and they too have witnessed some manner of the miraculous that magic tricks and base science cannot deny. Nor can the argument of "Rational Thinking" in that a circular pattern happens in which the ego of the thinker, finds their "out" -- a means of permission so as to not believe or even consider the plausibility of such things.
How can you assume such a truth when you haven't all the information in your possession?
Yes, there are charlatans as well as delusional folks within the Psychic/Metaphysical communities. The crooks however, are few while the fanatical do tend to be many. Within the mix however, you will find the "elders" that are able to blend the elements of folklore and faith with science. This is where we find the "wisdom" of mysticism and the greater truth as to what is what when it comes to this sort of phenomena.
BTW. . . "Readers" AREN'T PSYCHICS! Anyone can buy a deck of Tarot Cards, learn the meanings of the cards and what things mean based on the spread used and deliver a reasonable Reading in the process. This does not mean you are a "Psychic", only that you're a Reader . . . this is a baby step towards unlocking personal "Psychic" (intuitive) potential, but it's not the same thing; I so wish people would stop confusing the two. Sadly, the New Age industry has gone a lone way towards obfuscating this truth for the sake of making a buck and stroking egos.
What this bozo with the article has done, is expose the secrets of Mentalism more than anything else; he's revealed many of the more subtle disciplines allied with our craft as Mind Readers, which is an unfortunate commonality when it comes to the know-it-all cynics of magicdom. The skeptic element has boldly exposed our methods over the years as well as offering a more subtle, even "invented" collection of explanations, such as using black coffee as a shiner.
Magicians who haven't the skill and ability to sell themselves as solid Psychic Entertainers/Mentalists tend to have little issue in this mode of exposure and seeding out disinformation. They are programmed to think and react in certain ways with stock arguments but rarely able to prove out their claims when face to face with the real thing. . . frequently walking away claiming triumph in a situation when in truth, they are distancing themselves from an issue they cannot figure out.
I do not plan on being part of any argument when it comes to this issue, so anyone seeking to challenge my words is wasting time. I'm not going to go around in circles with an argument that will never get settled. My only purpose with this post is to state rather directly that many here have belief and faith in the miraculous which far exceeds the level of cynicism I've seen in this forum over others. I believe this ratio reflects how things are in the real world, where having a bit of skepticism is wise but to allow one's self to stand at either extreme, foolish.
There are things in the world that science has not and probably never will fully understand. When it comes to the paranormal, I do believe that much of it will be proven by science over the next couple of generations; we're amazingly close to some of it right now.
Pardon my rant, but I hope it will at least help some of us here feel a bit more "supported"