America's Psychic Challenge

[wolven7]

What the hell is with people who use or claim to use other abilities, such as psychic reading, tarot, mediumship, or whatever, in public, that they have to do a metaphysical genital measurement, upon encountering each other?

There was a Voudun priestess, talking about being called The White Serpent, and finding souls and so on and so forth, and not knowing all you can know, until you die, and the other with whom she was having the conversation was like "well, what if you could go there, and come back, physically alive." And she replies with what might as well have been a snort of derrision, and says "I've done it." Him, in a very arch, conspiritorial, I'm-doing-you-a-favour-by-telling-you-this tone of voice: "So have I."

And because she can't be oout-done, she responds, "They don't call me 'the White Serpent' for nothing."

Seriously, people. Calm down.

Seriously.

Comments

[deathboy.livejournal.com]

this sounds like an awfully odd thing to watch by choice!

[wolven.livejournal.com]

You have to understand, there was Nothing Else On Television.

Sorted, now, though: Watching Beverly Hills Cop II, so... You know. The 80's.

[auriam.livejournal.com]

I think that points to the reality behind most "psychics"... cunning charlatans out to gratify their egos, make money off the gullible, and who have no actual respect for or even belief in 'spirituality' or anything other than their own selfish superior existence.

[auriam.livejournal.com]

If the only thing most media-visible "psychics" do is, well, show off their powers on TV or make money giving people placebo advice, what's the real purpose of their 'powers'? Entertainment, money, social status, the usual.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Well, these people aren't making money, just status, and most of them were helping people. I find the same problem inherent in most people competing for anything, in public, whether it be science, psychic ability, or whatever.

It just bugs me when people have to be So Damned Right, and More Than. It seems so hard for people to simply learn and share a spotlight.

[auriam.livejournal.com]

Money and status are both the same KIND of thing... and sure, you can't STOP people from doing silly things and playing ego-bumper-cars, but it's just... silly. Not to say I'm Mr. Above-It-All, I can be just as selfish and greedy as anyone, but at least once in a while I can step back and say "yeah, it's all kind of childish."

[auriam.livejournal.com]

Arguments and debates are about *who's* right, while actual conversations about *what's* right or anything not related to who gets to go home with the I'm Right trophy are kind of rare. Even as I write, I can feel my inner desire to be 'right' or 'make a good impression.' I think everyone has that desire, selfishness, but almost everyone tries to pretend they don't, because they're hypocrites. Everyone is subjective and almost everyone is pretending to be objective.

[auriam.livejournal.com]

And, of course, if there WERE any genuine psychic or inexplicable mental abilities in some individuals, the fakers and charlatans virtually guarantee that no one will be taken seriously even if they did have some kind of 'powers'. So even the most amazing abilities would be immediately dismissed as "they MUST be faking it," even without any real proof. And so people go on believing that the only way you can KNOW something is true is if you read it in a newspaper or some other 'reliable source' and it says 'studies say...'

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Precisely.

mmmmyep.

[karishi.livejournal.com]

She used to be a roadie for White Snake?

And...are you sure "bad television" isn't your mood?

Sometimes I feel America's psychically challenged. We ride the psychic short bus.

Re: mmmmyep.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I think so, too.

[lilsayermonster.livejournal.com]

That... is hysterical. I may have to watch that show.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

I was more annoyed, than amused, but that might have just been the mood I was in, today.

[daath101.livejournal.com]

ugh,
this is why I don't really chat about "magick".
this is why the media thinks what we pracitce is psychosis, mental illness, etc.

[unknownbinaries.livejournal.com]

Because people are animals and they can't help but take stock of their competitors.

No matter how evolved they purport to be.

[halafax.livejournal.com]

So you were waiting for their metaphysical winkies to come out and measuring tape to ensue?

Some how that doesnt suprize me in the least, no one wants to be the second best "psychic" on a show about psychics...