Psychics – real or scam?
Do you believe in psychics, are you a total skeptic or are you sitting on the fence?
I wrote this post because recently I heard about a prediction that was made to a friend telling him he was in danger if he went overseas. He now has a great job offer but this “psychic” has well and truly given him the willies which is making him hesitant. I think he should ignore the so called prediction and take the wonderful opportunity offered to him. I truly believe that the only way a psychics predictions for you seem to come true is because they have implanted a thought into your mind which makes you tend to head in a direction you may never had if you hadn’t been told to. It’s the power of suggestion.
I’ll admit, I went to many psychic readings when I was younger and totally bought into it.
So where do I stand on the issue now? I believe that somewhere out there an infinitesimally small number of the population that seem to be able to access functions of their brains that most people can’t. Does that mean they’re psychic? I honestly don’t know but what I do know is there are many people praying on others vulnerabilities to make money or names for themselves. If there are real actual people with psychic abilities I doubt there would be enough throughout the world to fill a medium (no pun intended) sized street. Yet is seems they are everywhere. So how do they do it? How do they convince the average Jane and John that they can see their past and future or tell them so much accurate information about themselves.
Much of it is the ability to read people – not their minds or their futures – but gestures, looks, reactions etc. This in itself is a talent but remember, most people that go to see a psychic WANT to believe so they are making themselves more malleable in the process. Don’t believe me? Let me introduce you to Derren Brown.
From his own website derrenbrown.co.uk
Derren Brown is a unique force in the world of illusion – he can seemingly predict and control human behaviour.
He doesn’t claim to be a mind-reader, instead he describes his craft as a mixture of magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship.
I really you suggest you take a visit to his website if for nothing else than to read his highly entertaining biography but to give you a little taste of his “psychic” abilities let me show you a video. Please don’t let the first minute or so with the clown put you off watching, it takes a little to get into but it is definitely worth watching, especially if you have ever been to see a psychic.
I think this is a good example of how people like John Edwards and Sylvia Brown can supposedly tap into the “other side”. It is done through the similar techniques of the cold reading shown above, along with the person’s desire to connect which often gives away far more than they imagine to people who know how to use it.
Natalina has many interesting things on the unexplained, spooky and just plain strange. It’s a great site.
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I’m with you. I tend to believe that most true psychics (yeah, I do believe in them) would not sell their services. Or, at the very least, not at a fair or festival. I put much more credence in the psychics who volunteer their time with police to find missing children and that type of thing.
I think I know who you’re talking about, and if I’m right, you should just tell his Salty butt to grab this opportunity and I’ll send my positive American vibrations out into the Universe. He’ll be fine!
Like you, Cheryl, I visited a lot more psychics when I was younger. I do believe in them, although I know there are a lot of shonks out there. In fact, I have been to a few that were so spot on it was even spooky.
You must admit, there are shonks in every profession. Normally when I have gone along to see a psychic they have made me feel a lot better about things than I did before I went so I can’t really condemn them. What I have normally also done is chosen a psychic who has been recommended to me. I believe there are some people who can actually see things most of us can’t. There are also many who just say they can.
Hi Natalina, I agree, if psychics are real I would think they would use their gift to do real good not as a festival sideshow.
Hey Janee, as long as people don’t do any harm and it makes people feel better then I don’t see any real problem. It’s people that scare people with the unknown or just fraudulently take people’s money with false hope that give me a problem, there are many unscrupulous people out there.