"Randi should flood the market with fake psychics."

[EGarrett]

What he should do is train thousands of people to do these tricks.
The psychic readings, the spoons etc, and send them out into the world to exploit people.

Completely saturate the market. I think this person was joking, but it seems to be one tactic that might actually do serious damage to the psychic business.

I for one, volunteer to be trained and deployed as one of the army of fake psychics. But only on weekends.

I will be, "EG, Spiritual Sensitive."

[Jackalgirl]

I think this person was joking, but it seems to be one tactic that might actually do serious damage to the psychic business.

I for one, volunteer to be trained and deployed as one of the army of fake psychics. But only on weekends.

I will be, "EG, Spiritual Sensitive."

But...the market is already saturated with fake psychics...

Plus, I think it's pretty fair to say that people will believe what they want to believe. I used to do tarot readings in college and would carefully explain that what I was doing, essentially, was using a set of archetypal images to facilitate cold reading (this was before I knew what cold reading was, though, so I didn't say it exactly that way). I'd do the reading, and the person would insist that I was wrong -- that I was in fact psychic.

Ditto those folks who believe, even after being told otherwise, that crop circles are left by aliens. So I don't think it would do much good to be a "fake psychic", other than open oneself up for litigation.

[sackett]

Mucho years ago, Randi fielded a fake psychic, who had swarms of poor saps believing in him. Finally, the man unmasked himself in public (in Oz, if I recall correctly) before a large audience.

Who refused to accept that he'd been faking it all along. "Don't listen to them," one fellow cried to him, "we still believe in you!"

It's true. Goddammit it to hell.

[casebro]

I for one, volunteer to be trained and deployed as one of the army of fake psychics. But only on weekends.

I will be, "EG, Spiritual Sensitive."


Shouldn't that be "Mr. EG"? Or maybe just "E"? With no "Mr."? Since you are not actually a mortal person? Also to imply ENERGY?

[hgc]

Flood the market? Randi can but spit in the ocean. The market in credulity so far outweighs the market in skepticism that Peter Popoff barely missed a beat after being thoroughly and clearly exposed by Randi. Take a lesson and despair.

[EGarrett]

Shouldn't that be "Mr. EG"? Or maybe just "E"? With no "Mr."? Since you are not actually a mortal person? Also to imply ENERGY?Mr. E would sound like "Mystery"...you may be onto something...

Flood the market? Randi can but spit in the ocean. The market in credulity so far outweighs the market in skepticism that Peter Popoff barely missed a beat after being thoroughly and clearly exposed by Randi. Take a lesson and despair.Well, networks seem to love the prank of making up and marketing your own fakes. It's far more interesting then just coming on and explaining how people can be fooled.

[MelBrooksfan]

It's an interesting idea, but would ultimately have no effect. Thousands of 'psychics' being exposed or exposing themselves at once would garner media attention but those remaining would fall back on the idea that "They're fake, but I'm real." Especially when it came out that they were all trained by one person.

[sackett]

...Thousands of 'psychics'...exposing themselves at once....

Oh god, the Sylvia Browne image that conveys! I thought I had a dirty mind, but, but

bleaughhhh!

[MelBrooksfan]

Oh god, the Sylvia Browne image that conveys! I thought I had a dirty mind, but, but

bleaughhhh!

Ugh.. That's an exposure no one should have to suffer through!

[BPSCG]

Mucho years ago, Randi fielded a fake psychic, who had swarms of poor saps believing in him. Finally, the man unmasked himself in public (in Oz, if I recall correctly) before a large audience.

Who refused to accept that he'd been faking it all along. "Don't listen to them," one fellow cried to him, "we still believe in you!"

It's true. Goddammit it to hell.

Goes back to Biblical times:


[Monty]
BLIND MAN: I am healed! The Master has healed me!
BRIAN: I didn't touch him!
BLIND MAN: I was blind, and now I can see! Aargh!

[whump]

FOLLOWERS: A miracle! A miracle! A miracle!
SIMON: Tell them to stop it. I hadn't said a word for eighteen years till he came along.
FOLLOWERS: A miracle! He is the Messiah!
SIMON: Well, he hurt my foot!
FOLLOWERS: Hurt my foot, Lord! Hurt my foot. Hurt mine...
ARTHUR: Hail Messiah!
BRIAN: I'm not the Messiah!
ARTHUR: I say You are, Lord, and I should know. I've followed a few.
FOLLOWERS: Hail Messiah!
BRIAN: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand?! Honestly!
GIRL: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.
BRIAN: What?! Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!
FOLLOWERS: He is! He is the Messiah!
BRIAN: Now, **** off!

[silence]

ARTHUR: How shall we **** off, O Lord?
BRIAN: Oh, just go away! Leave me alone.
SIMON: You told these people to eat my juniper berries. You break my bloody foot. You break my vow of silence, and then you try and clean up on my juniper bushes!
BRIAN: Oh, lay off!
ARTHUR: This is the Messiah, the Chosen One!
SIMON: No, he's not.
BRIAN: Aaaagh!
ARTHUR: An unbeliever!
FOLLOWERS: An unbeliever!
ARTHUR: Persecute! Kill the heretic!
FOLLOWERS: Kill the heretic! Kill him! Persecute! Kill!...
BRIAN: Leave him alone! Leave him alone! Leave him alone. Put him down. Please!
[Brian]

[MichelQC]

It's an interesting idea, but would ultimately have no effect. Thousands of 'psychics' being exposed or exposing themselves at once would garner media attention but those remaining would fall back on the idea that "They're fake, but I'm real." Especially when it came out that they were all trained by one person.


Yes... but think of the irony!! :i: And on the plus side, that might be a good way to fund the JRF. :idea:

[Piscivore]

Mr. E would sound like "Mystery"...you may be onto something...

DC and Neil Gaiman thought so (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_E).

[JonWhite]

Shouldn't that be "Mr. EG"? Or maybe just "E"? With no "Mr."? Since you are not actually a mortal person? Also to imply ENERGY?

Or how about the Reverend E. of the Church of Holy Cosmic Oneness. That should pull 'em in. :)

[Tricky]

How do you tell one of Randi's "planted" psychics from those who claim to be genuine? There is an easy and foolproof way, as demonstrated in The Carlos Affair (http://youtube.com/watch?v=tHLdUxcL-BA).


Randi's psychics won't take money.

[ilikefrogs]

Oh god, the Sylvia Browne image that conveys! I thought I had a dirty mind, but, but

bleaughhhh!

:jaw-dropp: :eek: :eye-poppi::covereyes: :yikes:

Please excuse me while I vomit, then dip my brain in acid in a desperate attempt to erase that image...

[Lynx2174]

Isn't trying to flood the psychic market with fakes like trying to flood 4chan with stupid?