How To Be A Psychic

johnsix

Just a couple of articles on cold reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_reading
http://www.randi.org/library/coldreading/index.html
http://www.theness.com/articles.asp?id=61
http://www.skeptics.com.au/articles/coldread.htm

Alot easier than have supernatural powers.

Got my hands on a great book on the subject.
http://www.ianrowland.com/ItemsToBuy/ColdReading/ColdReadingMain1.html
Even shows how to block cold reading which is pretty neat.

6th

Would any of the skeptics care to give an online reading using cold reading? Not nessecerily to me.

johnsix

6th wrote: »

Would any of the skeptics care to give an online reading using cold reading? Not nessecerily to me.

Doubt it. cold reading needs a lot of quick feedback from the subject as well as body language and such. Doing it online leaves them too much time to see the mistakes and generalisations.

Btw. being a skeptic doesn't make you good at cold reading, practice does.

6th

Surely someone on here is well up on cold reading, I mean it gets thrown in as an explaination alot. If someone here can do it then I can get someone to take a reading in person and they wont know the person doing the reading isnt a psychic.

6th

johnsix wrote: »

Doubt it. cold reading needs a lot of quick feedback from the subject as well as body language and such. Doing it online leaves them too much time to see the mistakes and generalisations.

Btw. being a skeptic doesn't make you good at cold reading, practice does.

But people claiming to be psychics do online readings all the time, how do they do it?

johnsix

6th wrote: »

But people claiming to be psychics do online readings all the time, how do they do it?

I don't actually know cause I never seen an online reading and there seems to be a reluctance to do them here. But I can imagine they're somewhat like astrological readings.
Cold reading gets thrown around alot because it is the most common method "psychics" use. That doesn't mean skeptics are good at it, just know how it is done.

6th

johnsix wrote: »

That doesn't mean skeptics are good at it, just know how it is done.

Do they "know" how its done or just have an idea of the basic ins and outs?

johnsix

6th wrote: »

Do they "know" how its done or just have an idea of the basic ins and outs?

And how would I know exactly what other skeptics know, I'm not psychic.
Besides how is that relevant?

???

I'll do one 6th. Not great but i'll do my best!

???

Done:

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055320701

6th

johnsix wrote: »

And how would I know exactly what other skeptics know, I'm not psychic.

johnsix

Seen the other online reading, the "real" one.
It's pretty much the same way of doing astrology. Lots of generalish statements.
I could honestly apply a lot of that stuff to myself.

???

Yeah half it aplies to my dog! Just a bucket load of Barnum statements.

psychic-hack

The reading is deliberately phrased like that to protect the person being read for, as this is a public forum.
If I was doing a reading privately with someone, they'd be told to their face exactly what was meant!

Even so, I think carefully framing the issues can be useful even though it might seem vague - it should ring a bell with the person who is being read for. That to me is the purpose of a reading, not to tell you things about yourself that you already know, but to draw your attention to issues that you may be overlooking or avoiding. To use an analogy, if you go into the doctor and are prescribed a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and the person who goes in after you is prescribed the same thing, does that mean the diagnosis is incorrect or your medication is less effective?

???

False analogy. Broad-spectrum antibiotics work for a wide variety of things, psychic readings... well...

I've asked for a reading. You have my full permission to publish anything the cards tell you, whether it's that I 'enjoy' the company of sheep or am a transvestite stripper.

I think that reading rang bells with just about everyone who read it!!!

Dave!

psychic-hack wrote: »

The reading is deliberately phrased like that to protect the person being read for, as this is a public forum.
If I was doing a reading privately with someone, they'd be told to their face exactly what was meant!

Even so, I think carefully framing the issues can be useful even though it might seem vague - it should ring a bell with the person who is being read for. That to me is the purpose of a reading, not to tell you things about yourself that you already know, but to draw your attention to issues that you may be overlooking or avoiding.

Then there's nothing special or extraordinary about it... Deliberately giving vague answers may be helpful for the reasons you've already given, but calling it 'psychic' is pretty misleading tbh.

johnsix

Probably should note that the skeptic who asked for a psychic reading has yet to get one. Also that we never found out if stevemu's one was in anyway accurate.

psychic-hack

You guys need to lighten up! You remind me of the two old guys on the Muppet Show who snipe at the acts from the sidelines.
The idea for the online readings was Stevenmu's, and I offered to do readings because they are fun, free, available here to boardsies who want them - and I'd rather see people get a reading here than to be ripped off elsewhere, if you know what I mean.
I'm not a professional reader so the whole online thing is new to me
and if you don't agree with it, fine, move on!

??? wrote: »

I've asked for a reading. You have my full permission to publish anything the cards tell you, whether it's that I 'enjoy' the company of sheep or am a transvestite stripper.

Your attitude to a reading is a bit like your transvestite stripping - making a big drama about uncovering boobs that are just in your imagination!

Dave!

hmmmm, lots of talk of transvestites.......... ¬_¬

SkepticOne

psychic-hack wrote: »

The reading is deliberately phrased like that to protect the person being read for, as this is a public forum.
If I was doing a reading privately with someone, they'd be told to their face exactly what was meant!

Here's a suggestion: If you are embarrassed, why not send the specifics directly to ??? via PM who can then publish as he sees fit.

johnsix

psychic-hack wrote: »

Your attitude to a reading is a bit like your transvestite stripping - making a big drama about uncovering boobs that are just in your imagination!

So your psychic abilities are like transvestite boobs then, fake?

the_follwer

i give online readings.
a good example of one of my psychic readings is one of a woman who's friend had gone missing. i didnt know this woman from adams, i suggested her friends mental state,why he had gone and where she would eventually find him etc.
anyway i gave the woman the name of morrisson avenue and leons.
she got back to me after a few days searching saying that a block away from her was called morrisson avenue and there was a funeral home called leons there.
define a psychic? we are not 100% accurate,there are fakes out there to take peoples money so quite the mouthing off and find something else to do with your time.

johnsix

the_follwer wrote: »

i give online readings.
a good example of one of my psychic readings is one of a woman who's friend had gone missing. i didnt know this woman from adams, i suggested her friends mental state,why he had gone and where she would eventually find him etc.
anyway i gave the woman the name of morrisson avenue and leons.
she got back to me after a few days searching saying that a block away from her was called morrisson avenue and there was a funeral home called leons there.

Subjective anecdotal evidence is completely and utterly useless.

the_follwer wrote: »

define a psychic? we are not 100% accurate,there are fakes out there to take peoples money so quite the mouthing off and find something else to do with your time.

From wiki:

In popular culture the word psychic (pronounced /ˈsaɪkɨk/; from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul, mental") refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the senses through means of extra-sensory perception

If you can do online readings, can you tell me my paternal grandfather's full name and cause of death?
If you could I'd be fairly convinced.

???

Sorry. I was one of the first to ask for a reading. I'm going into it with an open mind. It's up to the psychic to deliver such an astounding reading that I am utterly convinced.

Ghost Girl

How to be a psychic.....just tell some one some thing you foresee or feel, and when it happens, they'll decide whether you're psychic or not!

johnsix

Ghost Girl wrote: »

How to be a psychic.....just tell some one some thing you foresee or feel, and when it happens, they'll decide whether you're psychic or not!

Ok, I predict a large earthquake in a populated area.

Ghost Girl

johnsix wrote: »

Ok, I predict a large earthquake in a populated area.

Thats not what i mean and you know it.

johnsix

Ghost Girl wrote: »

Thats not what i mean and you know it.

Would it not come through eventually.
If I did claim to be a psychic could the prediction not be stretched to count?

Ghost Girl

johnsix wrote: »

Would it not come through eventually.
If I did claim to be a psychic could the prediction not be stretched to count?

well it wouldnt count for me anyway. But if you told me that on a specific day next week the Irish Times headline would read, "80 die in major galway gas explosion" and it happened, then id listen to you! Especially if the explosion happened after you predicted,,, ha ha ha

johnsix

Ghost Girl wrote: »

well it wouldnt count for me anyway. But if you told me that on a specific day next week the Irish Times headline would read, "80 die in major galway gas explosion" and it happened, then id listen to you! Especially if the explosion happened after you predicted,,, ha ha ha

And has any psychic ever predicted something to that accuracy?

Ghost Girl

johnsix wrote: »

And has any psychic ever predicted something to that accuracy?

oh man do u watch the tv at all?? i specifically said the irish times for a reason....never mind, forget it.

johnsix

Ghost Girl wrote: »

oh man do u watch the tv at all?? i specifically said the irish times for a reason....never mind, forget it.

What psychic has ever predicted anything to the exact day and with exact details?
All I've seen on TV is Psychics fail and make excuses.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SmNP6wZJg6A

???

I can write down a newspaper headline for next week. Seal it in an envelope. Post it to someone. Meet up with them on the day the headline is for and they can open the envelope to show it.

LCDeelite

[quote=johnsix;56340479]I don't actually know cause I never seen (grammar?) an online reading and there seems to be a reluctance to do them here. But I can imagine they're somewhat like astrological readings[/quote]

Share EVERYTHING you know about astrology- don't leave anything out. All in your own words, of course. I imagine that, having seemingly dismissed its validity, you have researched the subject inside and out for many years of your life in order to reach that conclusion.. Just interested to read everything you know on the subject.. GO AHEAD, friend.

Cold reading gets thrown around alot (sp?) because it is the most common method "psychics" use. That doesn't mean skeptics are good at it, just know how it is done

But surely a good and thorough skeptic worth their salt at all would be armed with such passion for debunking in order to do a 'psychic reading' based on cold reading themselves? It's a eency weency bit pointless if you aren't brave enough (or can't be bothered perhaps?) to 'get your hands dirty'. CRAP.

SkepticOne

Most people can think of occasions where they are thinking of someone and the phone rings and sure enough it is the person they were thinking about. Is that evidence of psychic powers? Did they "predict" the event in some way? No, it is too easily accounted for by mere coincidence.

To demonstrate predictive ability we must show that we can do it repeatedly under controlled circumstances. For example the probability of a "3" coming on the first ball in the lottery is 1 in 10. If astrology or whatever could be used to predict the number with a greater success than 1 in 10 (it need not be 100% accurate) in advance of the actual draw, then I would regard that as reasonable evidence that there's something to astrology.

???

As a huge favour would you not mess around with the colours, it's a pain to read!

LCDeelite wrote: »

johnsix wrote: »

I don't actually know cause I never seen(grammar?) an online reading and there seems to be a reluctance to do them here. But I can imagine they're somewhat like astrological readings

Pointless nit picking.

Share EVERYTHING you know about astrology- don't leave anything out. All in your own words, of course. I imagine that, having seemingly dismissed its validity, you have researched the subject inside and out for many years of your life in order to reach that conclusion.. Just interested to read everything you know on the subject.. GO AHEAD, friend.

Fallacys. Burden of proof and false premise. It is up to atrologers to prove astrology works. I dismiss the idea there is an invisible elephant in my room out of hand because:
a) It breaks the laws of the universe, and
b) I have no reason to believe there should be one.

There's also the false premise that you need to learn everything there is to know about astrology to justifiably dismiss it. That my dear, is ludacrious. For me, as a sceptic, to even consider the possibility astrology works I would need a teensy weensy bit of evidence. Also, a method of operation would be nice, given that all the ones I've seen are, well... pretty hysterical stuff, prime examples of special pleading.

But surely a good and thorough skeptic worth their salt at all would be armed with such passion for debunking in order to do a 'psychic reading' based on cold reading themselves?

Did one for 6th. Maybe you should check before ranting?

It's a eency weency bit pointless if you aren't brave enough (or can't be bothered perhaps?) to 'get your hands dirty'.

See above.

CRAP.

MANNERS???

iamhunted

??? wrote: »

I can write down a newspaper headline for next week. Seal it in an envelope. Post it to someone. Meet up with them on the day the headline is for and they can open the envelope to show it.

thats a bit like what derren brown done with doctor who - cant remember when the show was but it was recent enough. neither of them are psychic afaik.

iamhunted

whats this sceptical fascination with invisible elephants? and, while im at it, laws of the universe? we know all the laws related to the universe - including all the universes we dont know anything about? thats a tad over reaching dont you think? same time, sure us modern humans know everything there is to know I suppose - just like in the 1800's!!

???

Why? Universal laws would relate to our universe alone. And another strawman! Do you ever debate what people say or do you just argue against what you wanted them to say? Just because we don't know everything is no reason to assume we don't know anything.

Would you rather I used unicorns?

And yes, it's a magic trick.

iamhunted

strawman? first up - please, try a new word.

secondly, look up its meaning. its not a strawman argument to point out that your idea that something would 'break the laws of the universe' is a tall order considering we're only learning about the universe, plus we cant say how strict our 'rules' are.

Unless though one believes, as has many throughout the ages, that the current crop of humans know everything.

iamhunted

??? wrote: »

Do you ever debate what people say or do you just argue against what you wanted them to say?

ah - don't be giving up and resorting to everyday generalisation.

???

Your strawman was that someone had said that we know everything about the universe. No one has until you said it and then argued against it. Textbook strawman argumnent.

Standman

Just out of curiosity ???, have you been given the psychic reading you requested?

???

Hahaha nope! Got in trouble for posting a thread saying it as well!