On Palm Reading...

[ilikefrogs]

I am a confirmed skeptic, but admit to finding things like palm reading, horoscopes, and tarot rather interesting (in a "just for fun" way).

About two months ago, I was in New Orleans on business and strolled through the French Quarter in the evenings. I saw two women set up (outside a graveyard :)) doing palm reading and tarot. I figured "what the heck, I'm in New Orleans after all!" and got my palm read.

Most of what the reader said was clearly a mixture of hot and cold reading. (I could tell what she was doing and just played along. For example, she mentioned I am a romantic, which is obvious since I recognized and commented on the author of the romance novel she had next to her.)

But one thing struck me as odd... She stated I would never have a child of my own, though it's possible I marry a woman who had kids. I am sterile.

So I am going to throw this out to all you more-knowledgeable debunkers... I can't imagine saying that would be a common statement, so what might have clued her in that biological children are NOT in my future?

I'm in my early 30's, though I look a little younger, so it wasn't that she assumed I was too old to have another kid. At the same time, I look old enough to have a kid already. (It's possible she noticed I don't have any pictures in my wallet, but that wouldn't mean I would never have a kid.)

[fromdownunder]

Question the First:

Were you wearing a wedding ring?

Norm

[Locknar]

Well...and I'm just guessing here, the "I'm sterile" tattoo you have on your forehead might have been a hint??? A t-shirt with that saying on it perhaps?

Ok...kidding aside, I think you are giving this to much weight. How many things did she tell you? List them, and see which are right and which are wrong.

Now it might have been impressive if she said "you won't have any children because you are sterile"...but I gather she didn't?

In the end, I'd say you are wrong...that this is something she gives as a common statement...for just this reason; every once in a while, it's a hit and folks go "wow, how did she know that".

Just my 2 cents.

[Cold one]

I used to do palm reading for fun, knowing exactly what it was.
The story that you pose, that she said you wouldn't have kids is actually not that uncommon. It is simply a statement thrown out there, from what you showed she did not say that you do not HAVE kids just that you WONT. If you had said that you had a kid she would most likely have clarified and said something like it is not in your future to have more kids.

[Monza]

I agree with Cold One. Notice how easy it would be for you to remember her reading as "she correctly knew I was sterile" when that is not exactly what happened.

For what it's worth, as an amateur magician I will try for some long shots now and again. When I miss (which is most of the time) I can just make joke and move on. But on those rare occaisions that I get a hit, the person witnesses the (nearly) impossible. And that person will assume that this is how the trick always works out.

[ilikefrogs]

Question the First:

Were you wearing a wedding ring?

Norm

No. Which is why, I'm sure, she said the woman I "would marry."

Well...and I'm just guessing here, the "I'm sterile" tattoo you have on your forehead might have been a hint??? A t-shirt with that saying on it perhaps?

There isn't a "snicker" smiley, so you'll have to imagine I used one. :)

How many things did she tell you? List them, and see which are right and which are wrong.

To be honest, I don't remember. The only ones that stuck in my head were the romantic and the no kids. The romantic because it was so obvious. The no kids because I thought it was a weird comment to make. I do remember thinking that a lot of ones she got right were clearly cold reading with me playing along.

Now it might have been impressive if she said "you won't have any children because you are sterile"...but I gather she didn't?

LOL No.

In the end, I'd say you are wrong...that this is something she gives as a common statement...for just this reason; every once in a while, it's a hit and folks go "wow, how did she know that".

Perhaps, but she's a lot more likely to miss with that statement, which could ruin the whole effect. Then again...

I used to do palm reading for fun, knowing exactly what it was.
The story that you pose, that she said you wouldn't have kids is actually not that uncommon. It is simply a statement thrown out there, from what you showed she did not say that you do not HAVE kids just that you WONT. If you had said that you had a kid she would most likely have clarified and said something like it is not in your future to have more kids.

You have me wracking my brain, trying to remember the phrasing she used. I admit, I didn't think about it that way. (Of course, I wasn't supposed to think about it that way!) After she said it, I was so shocked that I admitted to being sterile, and she pointed out where on my hand she "read" my childlessness.

Of course, I didn't tell her that I can't stand kids, and the likelihood of me marrying a woman with children is only slightly above "impossible." But she did only say that that was a possibility, not that it would happen. :D

[Locknar]

Perhaps, but she's a lot more likely to miss with that statement, which could ruin the whole effect. Then again...
Naw...it is more like as Cold One said. If she said it, and it was a miss...you probably would not think much of it, or even remember it at this point....and if you did she would play it off on some other family member.

It is a "shock value" item...little lost if wrong; case in point, you are dwelling on this one "hit" vs any misses she had. On the other hand, a big gain if it hits...or can be linked to some family member (and really, most familes have that one brother/sister/aunt/uncle/etc that does not, will not, have kids).

[petra10]

I tend to agree it was just a lucky hit for her.
Although I admit it was a good one. Thats why so many people believe in them because of the one thing that they get right.
Try and remember all the rubbish she also told you.Sometimes you just remember the one thing they get right.

[Cold one]

It is very simple to do a palm reading that sounds supernatural.

When I was doing it(age 19-20ish) I had freinds who would, after a reading proclaim on their lives that I was "real". Most of them still didn't understand what was going on after it was explained to them, and a few actually still believe and think that what I said is/did come true.

Basically though it is usually just shots in the dark or educated guesses.
Even when those shots miss if stated correctly you can pull off the "magic bullet" and get a hit.

[ilikefrogs]

Naw...it is more like as Cold One said.

Which is what the "Then again..." in my comment meant. I was leading into ColdOne's reply. Guess that didn't come across clearly. :blush:

It is a "shock value" item...little lost if wrong; case in point, you are dwelling on this one "hit" vs any misses she had.

I know palm reading is bunk. My reason for asking about it isn't that I thought she was legit and I was trying to prove it. I just couldn't figure out what would make her say that, so I decided to ask.

I tend to agree it was just a lucky hit for her.
Although I admit it was a good one.

Definitely not what I was expecting! :)

[George]

I am a confirmed skeptic,


How did you have your scepticism confirmed?

I used to be an atheist but......

[Locknar]

I know palm reading is bunk. My reason for asking about it isn't that I thought she was legit and I was trying to prove it. I just couldn't figure out what would make her say that, so I decided to ask.
Oh...I didn't mean to imply you were suddenly running around proclaiming "she's really psychic!!" *lol*

But for all the folks that go in, how many are on the fence...or only slightly skeptical. Something like this would probably sway them.

[bruto]

How easily can she lose on this?

We start with the guess of whether or not you already have kids. Even if there were no clues, she has an easy time of it. If you don't, she's home free on step one. If you do, she can quickly adjust to say she means "more kids."

For step two there are only three possibilities. You're sterile and know it? Bingo. You're not? No problem: you won't know her prediction is wrong until some time in the future if ever. The only way she loses is if it turns out your wife/girlfriend is currently pregnant.

[Cold one]

Actually depending on how good the reader is at linguistics the pregnancy could be chalked up to "existing" and not be part of the prediction.

[kerikiwi]

The only way she loses is if it turns out your wife/girlfriend is currently pregnant.

And even in that case she isn't necessarily wrong. A surprisingly high number of fathers are raising cuckoos.

[AgeGap]

Could she have mistaken you for gay? Serious question. By cold reading you are using your own prejudices to get hits.

[SezMe]

(It's possible she noticed I don't have any pictures in my wallet, but that wouldn't mean I would never have a kid.)
I found this part interesting. Did she see the interior of your wallet because you had to pay her in advance for the reading? What else might she have learned while watching you open your wallet?

Maybe your drivers license say, "I'm sterile" or "I'm flaming gay". OK, just kidding but my point is that seeing the contents of your wallet transforms the event from a cold reading to a warm reading. She had additional information.

[EHocking]

I found this part interesting. Did she see the interior of your wallet because you had to pay her in advance for the reading? What else might she have learned while watching you open your wallet?

Maybe your drivers license say, "I'm sterile" or "I'm flaming gay". OK, just kidding but my point is that seeing the contents of your wallet transforms the event from a cold reading to a warm reading. She had additional information.The other question would be how old are you? Or at least how old do you look? An explanation may be as simple as, you being old enough to get married, but in (say) a 40s+ bracket and she's taken a punt that that age group may not want to start a family so late. I know people are starting families later these days, so replace 40s+ with an age bracket that suits...

[Ladewig]

Most of what the reader said was clearly a mixture of hot and cold reading. )

Although many posters use those phrases in the same way you do, more accuracy can be obtained with these definitions:

Cold - general comments that apply to almost anyone
Warm - using observations of speech, clothing, jewelry, mannerisms, age, and physique to generate comments
Hot - researching the subject in advance to make comments

[tkingdoll]

OK this is harsh question, but we've had "do you look old" and "do you look gay", so I'm going for it. Sorry for any potential offense it may cause:

Do you look mate-able? Which is a tactful way of saying are you ugly/very obese/otherwise physically unattractive? She may have gone for that guess because you look like you'd struggle to get laid.

YES it's harsh. And I'm sure it's not the case. But we have to cover all the possibilities here.

[Quinn]

Hey ilikefrogs, I have an idea...

I live in New Orleans, and every once in a great while I like to go get a reading from one of the locals just to see how they do. And coincidentally, I too am an unmarried, young-ish, straight, non-repulsive, sterile male. So how about this: PM me with the woman's name (if you can remember it), general description, which cemetery she was working, and when, and I'll see if I can get a reading from her as well, and see if she gets the same hit with me. No guarantees, of course (I don't want this to turn into a Mayday experiment), but if you can give me her details, I'll give it a bona fide shot at some point in the generally near-ish future (meaning once I'm good and recovered from Mardi Gras).

[AgeGap]

OK this is harsh question, but we've had "do you look old" and "do you look gay", so I'm going for it. Sorry for any potential offense it may cause:

Do you look mate-able? Which is a tactful way of saying are you ugly/very obese/otherwise physically unattractive? She may have gone for that guess because you look like you'd struggle to get laid.

YES it's harsh. And I'm sure it's not the case. But we have to cover all the possibilities here.
Yes, that is harsh.

[EHocking]

OK this is harsh question, but we've had "do you look old"...
ilikefrogs, please note, I posted:

"How old do you look?"
Quite a different statement to, "Do you look old?"

[KateHL]

Hey ilikefrogs, I have an idea...

I live in New Orleans, and every once in a great while I like to go get a reading from one of the locals just to see how they do. And coincidentally, I too am an unmarried, young-ish, straight, non-repulsive, sterile male. So how about this: PM me with the woman's name (if you can remember it), general description, which cemetery she was working, and when, and I'll see if I can get a reading from her as well, and see if she gets the same hit with me. No guarantees, of course (I don't want this to turn into a Mayday experiment), but if you can give me her details, I'll give it a bona fide shot at some point in the generally near-ish future (meaning once I'm good and recovered from Mardi Gras).I was in New Orleans yesterday (I live in Biloxi) and because I was with an out-of-area friend I got dragged to more touristy areas and noticed a ton of them about, especially in the French Market. Sometimes they were palmists but mostly tarot card readers (which I suppose is nice because if things don't go well you can deflect blame on the cards). When I was younger I sat for one reading with some obese guy in a cape who didn't even try and in fact was nasty to me for not confirming or denying his guesses. It was appalling. Since then I prefer my New Orleans street entertainment in the form of breakdancers and trombonists.

Incidentally, have you seen the WBC-like protesters down by the gay section of Bourbon? Huge banners ("REPENT")and megaphones and what's worse is that they're wearing shirts that say C.O.P.S. so I'm wondering if that's a church thing or if they're trying to appear to be there in some official capacity. I've got some good pictures of it (along with the Naked Cowboy and the Jesus Loves Porn people).

[Mensvoort]

Ilikefrogs, that's an interesting story.

However, I am quite aware of the possibilities and impossibilities regarding palm reading, and I can assure you that sterility can not be read from the hand.

Some palm reader had 1 or 2 times positive feedback link in your case, and then keep this mind. What they do not keep in mind is the negative feedback ... since every palm reader also gets negative feedback. But this negative feedback gets often less 'value' than the positive feedback.

[Ladewig]

However, I am quite aware of the possibilities and impossibilities regarding palm reading,

You have me hooked. Exactly what are possibilities regarding palm reading? Feel free to start a new thread if you like.

[casebro]

So if a sucker isn't sterile, but is romantic, but not wearing a ring (common), what would the possibilities lead to? He's gay, so won't have children.

Maybe the guess wasn't as important as it was just fishing for more info? Isn't that the point of cold reading?

The fortune teller expects him to answer with some free info, like that he's already got three kids? So then she says his love line looks disturbed- is he divorced? Or maybe she predicts a relationship in his future?

[bruto]

You have me hooked. Exactly what are possibilities regarding palm reading? Feel free to start a new thread if you like.Many years ago I was offered a free palm reading. I handed her my hand with its skinned knuckles, grease under nails and calluses, and she told me I worked with my hands a lot. You just can't put anything over on a good palmist.