Count Iblis
27th September 2004, 05:46 PM
Argh!
Ever heard of "E.V.P."? Electronic Voice Phenomena as the rationally challenged call this bunk is the belief that the dead try to communicate with us, using the static and white noise of modern technology (just like in "Poltergeist" the movie).
Much info from the believers can be found here: http://www.aaevp.com/ (check the audio recordings they are a hoot)
Even without being an expert on communication- and audio-technology I can immediatly state half a dozen reasons why this is a delusion of truly offensive proportions to any thinking mind, but we don't deal with rational people after all.
Ok, so another weirdness from the yu-yu crowd, so what?
Well EVP gets its own movie: http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/white_noise/
Look at it and you'll probably understand why I throw a fit about the whole thing.
Now I immensly enjoy phantastic fiction. I read and watch Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror enthusiastically, hell I even write it myself.
But the important point here is "fiction".
While makers of phantastic fiction hardly are required to point out that their works are just that - fiction (after all most people simply assume they deal with rational people most of the time) - I find it offensive if the contrary occurs; people making a fantasy/horror movie for example and pretending its real. Not just for the fun of the effect like the promotion campaign for 'Blair Witch Project', but in the way of many a "paranormal" TV show (curse Jonathan Frakes, curse him! ;-) ).
The same happens in this trailer and I am quite sure the movie will be marketed with much emphasis on pseudoscientific claims and mumbo-jumbo like the aaevp site linked above offers (the site is even mentioned in the trailer itself!)
Am I the only one who truly is grossed out by stuff like that?
Ok, apart from venting and ranting (as relieving that is on its own!), I have another reason for posting it:
A friend of mine who sadly often falls for pseudoscience, but is at least reasonable enough to be talked out of it using solid arguments and evidence, sent me the trailers link in the first place.
I'm very sure he'll raise the topic when we meet and I need ammo, apart from the basic premise of life after death being unproven etc. (been there, done that).
If some of you more tech savy guys have infos or insights on the technical aspect of "EVP" to help me debunk the whole matter, I'd very much appreciate your input.
Ending, I'd like to quote from an article about EVP by a believer: "We should not expect to be believed, when we talk of paranormal subjects, unless we know that the listener's mind has already reached a certain stage"
Yes indeed... the state of cooked vegetable I presume...
Ever heard of "E.V.P."? Electronic Voice Phenomena as the rationally challenged call this bunk is the belief that the dead try to communicate with us, using the static and white noise of modern technology (just like in "Poltergeist" the movie).
Much info from the believers can be found here: http://www.aaevp.com/ (check the audio recordings they are a hoot)
Even without being an expert on communication- and audio-technology I can immediatly state half a dozen reasons why this is a delusion of truly offensive proportions to any thinking mind, but we don't deal with rational people after all.
Ok, so another weirdness from the yu-yu crowd, so what?
Well EVP gets its own movie: http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/white_noise/
Look at it and you'll probably understand why I throw a fit about the whole thing.
Now I immensly enjoy phantastic fiction. I read and watch Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror enthusiastically, hell I even write it myself.
But the important point here is "fiction".
While makers of phantastic fiction hardly are required to point out that their works are just that - fiction (after all most people simply assume they deal with rational people most of the time) - I find it offensive if the contrary occurs; people making a fantasy/horror movie for example and pretending its real. Not just for the fun of the effect like the promotion campaign for 'Blair Witch Project', but in the way of many a "paranormal" TV show (curse Jonathan Frakes, curse him! ;-) ).
The same happens in this trailer and I am quite sure the movie will be marketed with much emphasis on pseudoscientific claims and mumbo-jumbo like the aaevp site linked above offers (the site is even mentioned in the trailer itself!)
Am I the only one who truly is grossed out by stuff like that?
Ok, apart from venting and ranting (as relieving that is on its own!), I have another reason for posting it:
A friend of mine who sadly often falls for pseudoscience, but is at least reasonable enough to be talked out of it using solid arguments and evidence, sent me the trailers link in the first place.
I'm very sure he'll raise the topic when we meet and I need ammo, apart from the basic premise of life after death being unproven etc. (been there, done that).
If some of you more tech savy guys have infos or insights on the technical aspect of "EVP" to help me debunk the whole matter, I'd very much appreciate your input.
Ending, I'd like to quote from an article about EVP by a believer: "We should not expect to be believed, when we talk of paranormal subjects, unless we know that the listener's mind has already reached a certain stage"
Yes indeed... the state of cooked vegetable I presume...