August 11, 2011
debunking the paranormal
When Paranormality came out, there was a lot of criticism from psychics and mediums that did not want the tricks of the trade out there. There is a kind of pressure not to reveal these tricks. There’s a bit of an overlap with magic, where magicians want to keep their secrets to themselves. But I think it’s completely unethical, because magicians are honest deceivers – they tell you that something is fake and fake it for entertainment – but with psychics and mediums they don’t tell you that at all. It’s a huge abuse of the kind of counselling contract.
From an interview with Richard Wiseman about his new book Paranormality.
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That was my interpretation of Sheila’s opinion of Las Vegas.
Joel wins.
Also, this puts me in mind of Harry Houdini, who was almost as renowned for exposing purported mediums and spiritualists as he was for escaping iron chests and chains.
The bittersweet irony is that, from what I have read, he desperately wanted to contact the spirit, if such existed, of his dead mother. But he was too honest to fall for cheap tricks.