Cold Reading

Can anyone do it?
Does it have uses other than tricking the gullible out of money?
Any tips?

???

King Mob wrote: »

Can anyone do it?

Yes!

Does it have uses other than tricking the gullible out of money?

Entertaining people in the pub. Pulling girls! It works in really well to mentalism routines. You can just throw out a couple of simple statements when in a build up to the actual trick to make it seem more effective. If you know so much about there character, maybe you could know what object they wrote on the piece of paper you tore up!

Any tips?

Get a copy of Ian Rowlands 'The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading'. <mod snip>text removed <snip>

6th

???, using the forum to share copy writed books is a no-no .... pretty much a no brainer. Next time its a ban.

???

That's why I asked!

I'm pretty familiar with the theory. Putting it into practice is the hard part.
Kinda interested because it's cheaper that some kinds of trick plus you can do it pretty much no preparation.

Gillo

I just searched for it on Amazon and that book doesn't appear to be out yet???

???

You have to buy it through:
http://www.ianrowland.com/ItemsToBuy/ColdReading/ColdReadingMain1.html
It's not on general release. He does all the organising himself. There's a bit of hastle paying from Ireland, but email him if your having trouble.

6th

??? wrote: »

That's why I asked!

If you're unclear about something you have a few choice:

1: PM a mod
2: Play it safe and say nothing.
3: Just go ahead and post and see what happens.

You chose the 3rd option and offered copy written material on a public forum.

Now, back on topic.

ShooterSF

I'd second ???'s suggestion (first time I've ever put an apostrophe s after a question mark ). I read the book as at the time I worked in a bar in a hotel in a box... FINE, not in box... and the bar staff as a group, we were very close, went drinkin together etc., but this "psychic" (read scam artist) used to come to hotel and my mates would pay her anything up from €40 to €200 to get readings . Now i tried to explain its mostly just cold reading and that best case scenario you've wasted money, worst you get it in your head these things will happen and you make them happen. Looking back just tellin them wasnt going to work they had invested money and their ego into this. Their sub-conscious wasn't about to let them admit they were duped and the more I explained the more amazing things she pointed out were "remembered" to assist their belief. So I read the book and practiced a bit on my non work friends (who found it pretty irratating (Im puttin WAY too many smilies inside brackets lately) ) and did a quick "reading" on an english customer stayin in the hotel one quiet midweek night to show one of the lads. I even went as far as to tell the customer this wasn't the optimal psychic settings (to cover the fact I still wasn't great at this) and by the end he thought I was psychic. I got alot wrong by the end . I explained to the fella and even bought him a drink (yeah you think learning these things would get ME free booze!) and managed at least to get my mate to accept it was possible he was tricked. Still...
Anywho yeah it's a great skill to learn and if nothing else it'll help break the ice when you've got the beer goggles on but are running low on liquid courage