So you've got van Praagh where you want him, now what?

[Sherman Bay]

Let's say you are attending the American Library Association meeting spoken of by Stephen in the latest Swift Blog, where James Van Praagh is the speaker. Unlike the managed TV shows, now you've got him where you want him and can ask questions. Perhaps some in the audience are not True Believers, so you won't get shouted down. Perhaps VP's goons won't whisk him off before the Q & A period.

Jeff Wagg suggests:

Quote:

I sense an opportunity here though. Van Praagh is going to be in a room filled with intelligent people. Maybe, just maybe, those people can ask some interesting questions, and maybe set the tone to be consternation rather than adoration. This can be done without being rude, and might send a message to the ALA that a librarian's role is not only to provide information, but also to provide guidance.

So what would you ask him? Without being rude?

[Sherman Bay]

<bump>

[Gord_in_Toronto]

I think that a simple question like. "What are your comments on the claim in <BOOK1> that you do not contact the dead but all you do are "cold readings" as described in <BOOK2>"?

I've tried Googling for an appropriate <BOOK1> and <BOOK2> but haven't managed to identify any that specifically mention Van Praagh.

The outcome of this approach is that you don't care what Van Praagh's response is and the only response the questioner has to make is, "Read the books."

These are librarians and, hopefully, they will take notes when books are mentioned and when they get back to their libraries look them up. A win I think.

[KeyserSoze]

I've thought of this before in great detail and I've figured out exactly what I would do if I encountered a cold reader like Praagh.

I would ask him to contact my sister who died in a tractor accident 4 years ago. I would play along very politely, I would supply extra information, I would answer questions and would not make any attempt to hide body language or facial expressions. At the end of it all I would reveal that my sister isn't dead, that I in fact never even had a sister, and that every bit of information I supplied to him was completely made up. I would like to see him explain his psychic powers to the audience after that.

[Wowbagger]

Originally Posted by KeyserSoze

I've thought of this before in great detail and I've figured out exactly what I would do if I encountered a cold reader like Praagh.

I would ask him to contact my sister who died in a tractor accident 4 years ago. I would play along very politely, I would supply extra information, I would answer questions and would not make any attempt to hide body language or facial expressions. At the end of it all I would reveal that my sister isn't dead, that I in fact never even had a sister, and that every bit of information I supplied to him was completely made up. I would like to see him explain his psychic powers to the audience after that.

I think that's called "bear baiting", and historically, it does much less damage than you'd think. He'll come up with an excuse. Maybe it was a sister you didn't know you had. Or, maybe it was another relative's sister. Or, maybe your negative energy was giving him false readings, etc.

[Wowbagger]

I would ask him something that can be independently verified.

I like CFLarsen's idea: Ask him "What is my father's name?", and perhaps ask in a tone of voice that would make it seem like you honestly didn't know. Perhaps "I was hoping you could tell me what my father's name was." would be a better way to phrase it.

And, if he get's it wrong, you can mumble: "No, that wasn't it.", and sit back down.


ETA: The difference between this approach, and the dramatic "sister who died" approach is twofold: No lying is involved: You are NOT the con artist, only the one on stage is. Secondly, I suspect the simplicity of this approach will more effectively jolt people's brains, than the long, drawn-out drama.

[athon]

I'm not sure what confronting him on anything would achieve. Look at Geller's flop on national television - it did nothing. The problem isn't that people like VP aren't shown to be frauds, but rather that their celebrity relies on people's desires for them to be real.

Therefore the battle isn't to be had with them, but rather in educating people to fill that need elsewhere. Until that's won, confronting such con artists with any manner of question or accusation won't do squat. I'd sooner simply listen to what they have to say with a critical mind and walk away.

Athon

[Wowbagger]

Perhaps we can devise a question for him, that is actually designed to get the audience to think about something. No matter how the question is answered by van Praagh, audience members who believe in him might start think to themselves "Well, when you put it like that....."

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by Wowbagger

I would ask him something that can be independently verified.

I like CFLarsen's idea: Ask him "What is my father's name?", and perhaps ask in a tone of voice that would make it seem like you honestly didn't know. Perhaps "I was hoping you could tell me what my father's name was." would be a better way to phrase it.

And, if he get's it wrong, you can mumble: "No, that wasn't it.", and sit back down.


ETA: The difference between this approach, and the dramatic "sister who died" approach is twofold: No lying is involved: You are NOT the con artist, only the one on stage is. Secondly, I suspect the simplicity of this approach will more effectively jolt people's brains, than the long, drawn-out drama.

There's a slightly better way to do this. If you do the "I was hoping...." he or his pet M.C. could always interject with a question and you'd have to either 'fess up or lie.

Try, "I understand from my mom that I actually have a brother living in ______. Could you tell me his name?" That sounds like you have a long lost brother, but equally you are being honest - mom talks about your bro all the time so you do "understand from" her. Plus, I think they're more likely to leap to the conclusion you want if you ask it this way.

[kedo1981]

Simply

"How do you address the fact that when looked carefully every single paranormal claim has been shown to be either a delusion or outright fraud?"

[NoZed Avenger]

Originally Posted by kedo1981

Simply

"How do you address the fact that when looked carefully every single paranormal claim has been shown to be either a delusion or outright fraud?"

"I get that a lot from close-minded or emotionally stunted people who simply refuse to look at the evidence, which is absolutely overwhelming. I just wish I had more time to talk to each of you . . . Next."

[kedo1981]

I know you are but what am I

[Kevin_Lowe]

"There are people who claim to be stage magicians, with absolutely no psychic powers, who do acts exactly like yours. They call it cold reading and there are lots of books explaining in detail how to do it. So my question is, what good are psychic powers if they don't let you do anything you can't do just as easily with trickery?".

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by Kevin_Lowe

"There are people who claim to be stage magicians, with absolutely no psychic powers, who do acts exactly like yours. They call it cold reading and there are lots of books explaining in detail how to do it. So my question is, what good are psychic powers if they don't let you do anything you can't do just as easily with trickery?".

He'd probably slip you fifty bucks for serving up such a low hanging curve that he can swat out of the park.

[sackett]

Anytime you plan to confront a psychic in public,

TAKE SOME MUSCLE.

Wish I was kidding, but nope, I'm not.

[NoZed Avenger]

Originally Posted by Kevin_Lowe

"There are people who claim to be stage magicians, with absolutely no psychic powers, who do acts exactly like yours. They call it cold reading and there are lots of books explaining in detail how to do it. So my question is, what good are psychic powers if they don't let you do anything you can't do just as easily with trickery?".

"I get that a lot from close-minded or emotionally stunted people who simply refuse to look at the evidence, which is absolutely overwhelming. I just wish I had more time to talk to each of you . . . Next."

[Wowbagger]

Remember, the goal should probably NOT be to trap the psychic performer. That would be difficult, and will not convince the audience of anything. You would be going up against a wall of cognitive dissonance and all that.

The better goal would be to phrase the question in such a way that it will get some "wheels" in the minds of the audience spinning, even if the psychic can easily conjure up a convenient answer. You can sneak around the wall of dissonance, instead of confronting it head on.

This may require an injection of diplomacy, where you give the psychic the "benefit of doubt", when phrasing your question.

So, instead of this:

Originally Posted by Kevin_Lowe

"There are people who claim to be stage magicians, with absolutely no psychic powers, who do acts exactly like yours. They call it cold reading and there are lots of books explaining in detail how to do it. So my question is, what good are psychic powers if they don't let you do anything you can't do just as easily with trickery?".

It might be better to try something like this:

"I understand there are some folks who are trying to use stage tricks to copy what you are doing, such as cold and hot reading techniques. I was wondering if you could tell us what makes you so different? What makes your powers so much more reliable? Especially since they seem to be saying the exact same things you are?"

Of course his answer is going to be easy. Of course it will be complete B.S. But, think of it from the point of view of audience members who might believe his powers are special. Could it really be copied by folks using stage tricks?!

If you wish to add some extra bite to that question, you could end it with something like "...and they are actually encouraging people to move on from their loses, instead of dwelling in them."

But, perhaps someone else could make that a separate question: "Do you think it is such a wise idea to have so many people continue to dwell on their loses, instead of encouraging them to move on?"

And, just for fun, perhaps a third person can act like the token snob, and ask something like this:

"I'll give you a million bucks of my own money, if you could tell me what is inside this envelope I am holding in my hand, right now!"

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Originally Posted by Gord_in_Toronto

I think that a simple question like. "What are your comments on the claim in <BOOK1> that you do not contact the dead but all you do are "cold readings" as described in <BOOK2>"?

I've tried Googling for an appropriate <BOOK1> and <BOOK2> but haven't managed to identify any that specifically mention Van Praagh.

The outcome of this approach is that you don't care what Van Praagh's response is and the only response the questioner has to make is, "Read the books."

These are librarians and, hopefully, they will take notes when books are mentioned and when they get back to their libraries look them up. A win I think.

I think that is what I said.