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AIBU?

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Original poster

DP believes some psychics are real, I think he's lost it

319 replies

Dpi8 · 21/12/2023 00:09

A discussion about a documentary I watched last night descended into an argument today when chatting over dinner. It was about Derren Brown and how he tests so called psychic mediums in an attempt to prove that it's a load of old rubbish - which I agree with him on.

He got majorly arsey with me when I told him about cold reading and the other techniques they use, such as using vague statements that could apply to most people in the sitters demographic. IE, telling an elderly lady that they have a parent in the spirit world who had a dodgy knee.

I asked him for some examples from which he reached his conclusion that some are genuine but he wasn't forthcoming with anything of any substance, simply mentioning some bloke from the Ghost Adventures series who wanders around buildings 'debunking' certain things for plausible deniabily then making up shite of his own to 'prove' the contact.

This is a hill I'm prepared to die on as I will not accept that such tosh is in any way genuine.

AIBU to say that absolutely all psychics are full of shit?

OP posts:
Singasongofsixpence24 · 21/12/2023 01:27

Yes sometimes for some things I can warn people but you can't stop someone getting ill /dying or change a person's mind if they are sure they want to do something.
Annoyingly a few times my intervention has been part of a chain of events that actually caused the event I had seen to happen.
Mostly I just know things and feel sad a lot.

SirenSays · 21/12/2023 01:37

I worked with tarot readers who had competitions to see who could make more people cry.

I've had lots of readings, people love to try and prove a sceptic wrong. They're always incorrect.

What's most disappointing to me is how stereotypical the readings are. I'm a tomboy in everything but appearance and they always peg me as stereotypical barbie girl. Then they become flustered and frustrated when I tell them how wrong they are about everything.

BettyUnderswoob · 21/12/2023 01:41

MiddleagedBeachbum · 21/12/2023 00:31

How the hell can anyone say???

You seriously think we fully know and understand how the mind and psyche work? Of course we don’t. All scientists agree on this.

Therefore if other animals can interact telepathically then can some humans?

who knows? No one!

such a shame you see it as a right / wrong answer like you have to win rather than an open ended discussion about all the possibilities there are in this universe

I asked a scientist (my daughter, geologist) she shrugged a 'no, probably not' but was clear in her conviction that mediums were deluded or frauds. I think if you're going to bring "all scientists" into the equation then it's ridiculous to use them to support the argument that psychic woo stuff is real. Most scientists would not agree.

And mediums are not communicating telepathically with other living humans - that I could just about accept - no, apparently they're not only communicating with the dead but they are also capable of seeing into the future AND the past. How on earth is that possible?

The "We don't know everything" argument is true, however it doesn't logically justify believing in any old unsubstantiated crap.

Uri Geller? 😂😂

OracleofWurms1 · 21/12/2023 01:46

BettyUnderswoob · 21/12/2023 01:41

I asked a scientist (my daughter, geologist) she shrugged a 'no, probably not' but was clear in her conviction that mediums were deluded or frauds. I think if you're going to bring "all scientists" into the equation then it's ridiculous to use them to support the argument that psychic woo stuff is real. Most scientists would not agree.

And mediums are not communicating telepathically with other living humans - that I could just about accept - no, apparently they're not only communicating with the dead but they are also capable of seeing into the future AND the past. How on earth is that possible?

The "We don't know everything" argument is true, however it doesn't logically justify believing in any old unsubstantiated crap.

Uri Geller? 😂😂

Show quote history

"but they are also capable of seeing into the future AND the past. How on earth is that possible"

Apparently the physics of time itself is not liner, its said that some scientists think time is more like a river, the past, present, future in one go so to speak, im guessing somehow thats how some humans are able to tap into the river,

or everything i just wrote is pure rubbish.

yellowsmileyface · 21/12/2023 07:52

I don't think it's fair to say he's lost it. Lots of people believe in psychics. As long as he isn't throwing away lots of money on readings, I don't see how this is something that affects your relationship. You seem unnecessarily stubborn in wanting him to share your views. Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy debate.

I don't personally believe in psychics, but I also don't begrudge those who do.

KrisAkabusi · 21/12/2023 08:09

Therefore if other animals can interact telepathically then can some humans?

Eh? What animals interact telepathically?

The "We don't know everything" argument is true, however it doesn't logically justify believing in any old unsubstantiated crap.

Also, this. Just because we don't know everything doesn't mean we don't know anything!

DonnaBanana · 21/12/2023 08:11

I bet there is some silly woo behaviour that you indulge in as well (rounding up petrol to a round number, lucky black cat, not walking under ladders, no umbrellas indoors?) Let him have his harmless belief.

KrisAkabusi · 21/12/2023 08:12

And here's a post debunking the Huntley psychic on the previous page:

From https://www.quora.com/Did-a-psychic-detective-help-solve-the-murder-of-Holly-Wells-and-Jessica-Chapman

"Dennis McKenzie wrote a book called, ‘The Soham Psychic’. With a picture of him on the front looking sad while Holly and Jessica were in the background. He didn’t write it either - if you read ‘with’ on the front cover it means that person had to listen to his self-serving ramblings and then turn them into a narrative.
McKenzie also said he ‘helped’ the police find the BTK killer. Utter bollocks. He came up with three completely different drawings of the killer. That was the extent of his involvement. But why let the torture and murder of women stand in the way of some self-serving PR?
By the way when you hear of ‘psychics’ saying they have ‘helped’ the police, it’s because if one says, ‘I see a body between the land and the sky,’ what are the police meant to do? But if they give more specific bs like, ‘I see a body floating in water, with a highway nearby’ the police have to investigate.
Like a lot of other grief vampires, McKenzie was in contact with Kevin Wells, the father of Holly. Kevin was desperate and therefore an easy target. After all if your child is missing you will grasp onto anything. Anyway, our Dennis had a German spirit guide called Jagna who ‘always told the truth’. Well, this spirit guide named of a favourite shop of Holly’s and a nickname she had for her brother alongside further claims that he "pinpointed" a young man with dark cropped hair. And a woman with ‘mouse-like’ features was involved.
Pretty good eh? Except these latter claims were made after Huntley and Maxine Carr were arrested. And remember McKenzie presented himself as a ‘friend’ to the wrecked family so he would have heard this from Kevin and his wife or from the family liaison officer."

Did a psychic detective help solve the murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman?

Answer: Dennis McKenzie wrote a book called, ‘The Soham Psychic’. With a picture of him on the front looking sad while Holly and Jessica were in the background. He didn’t write it either - if you read ‘with’ on the front cover it means that person had...

https://www.quora.com/Did-a-psychic-detective-help-solve-the-murder-of-Holly-Wells-and-Jessica-Chapman

NonPlayerCharacter · 21/12/2023 08:13

You're right, but unless there are other problems in your relationship, I don't think it has to be a massive issue.

KnittedPond · 21/12/2023 08:28

This reply has been deleted

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Kannet111 · 21/12/2023 08:37

DonnaBanana · 21/12/2023 08:11

I bet there is some silly woo behaviour that you indulge in as well (rounding up petrol to a round number, lucky black cat, not walking under ladders, no umbrellas indoors?) Let him have his harmless belief.

To be fair here not walking under ladders is just sensible. You could knock it or someone could drop something on you

Startingagainandagain · 21/12/2023 08:42

So what? your partner is not allowed to ever have a different opinion from yours?

You could say the same thing about religion. Some people believe and some don't.

Hardly something to argue about.

Digestivechocolatebiscuit · 21/12/2023 08:47

I'm one of those psychics.. l have actually worked with my local police force in the past..( yes they use us).. l can't go into detail but it was to their benefit and all over the local news .. but they never say they used me or other psychics.

romdowa · 21/12/2023 08:49

It's an odd hill to die on unless there is some big back story.
I quite enjoy the thoughts that the paranormal etc might be true. Not sure if I believe it is but I enjoy it none the less. My dh thinks it's all rubbish etc etc but he certainly doesn't get into blazing rows with me over it .

KnittedPond · 21/12/2023 08:50

Digestivechocolatebiscuit · 21/12/2023 08:47

I'm one of those psychics.. l have actually worked with my local police force in the past..( yes they use us).. l can't go into detail but it was to their benefit and all over the local news .. but they never say they used me or other psychics.

Edited

Of course you can’t go into detail about your paranormal crime-solving powers.

gannett · 21/12/2023 08:51

hoobanoobie · 21/12/2023 01:06

Why can't you respect each other's separate beliefs? It's neither here nor there who is actually correct. He might take comfort from believing, just as you might take comfort from avoiding being scammed. Don’t try to one up him, you're picking a fight and you expect him to give in and agree with you.
Leave it alone, I doubt it has that much bearing on either of your lives that it's going to become a huge problem. He's not going to piss all the money away on psychics, no more than you would piss money away investigating to expose frauds. I’m sure there are other things on which you disagree. Do you have to die on this particular hill? What would you gain other than making him feel humiliated?

Surely it's actually a pretty big deal in a relationship though. Your partner should be someone who's on the same page as you in terms of values and thought processes - maybe not identical outcomes in terms of belief but I would need to respect how they arrived at it. I couldn't really respect anyone who genuinely believed woo nonsense. I can indulge it in friends and family - I have friends who dabble in astrology and even religion - but they're not my life partners. I need my life partner to have logical thought processes and a rational brain in order to respect him. So yes, it's very much here or there.

Bertiesmum3 · 21/12/2023 08:51

You both obviously got different views on the subject, not worth falling out over!

ScarlettSunset · 21/12/2023 08:52

I'm with you. And I'd actually quite LIKE to believe it all. But I don't because it's all too easily debunked right now.
I get the argument that we don't know everything and there may be more than we know and understand. And that's fine. When someone comes up with concrete and undeniable evidence THEN I will believe it. Until then. Nope.

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 21/12/2023 08:54

KrisAkabusi · 21/12/2023 08:09

Therefore if other animals can interact telepathically then can some humans?

Eh? What animals interact telepathically?

The "We don't know everything" argument is true, however it doesn't logically justify believing in any old unsubstantiated crap.

Also, this. Just because we don't know everything doesn't mean we don't know anything!

Wolves interact telepathically, for example. When they're hunting in a pack. Have you not read Twilight? 😆

Malarandras · 21/12/2023 08:56

You’re right obviously, but I suppose you have to weigh up how important this is in the wider context of your relationship.

As an aside Derren Brown is awesome!

boozeclues · 21/12/2023 08:58

I am with you, I am a total atheist, I can not fathom why anyone would believe in any greater powers, the supernatural, etc etc.

I can accept other people having their own belief systems, even if I don’t understand why!

But I could not live with someone who held those beliefs - would drive me insane!

Catza · 21/12/2023 08:58

No point in arguing.
My partner believes in aliens, my parents believe in God. It's all part of the same fantasy world as far as I am concerned. Let him believe. Unlike some beliefs, it's not hurting anyone.

NonPlayerCharacter · 21/12/2023 09:00

Digestivechocolatebiscuit · 21/12/2023 08:47

I'm one of those psychics.. l have actually worked with my local police force in the past..( yes they use us).. l can't go into detail but it was to their benefit and all over the local news .. but they never say they used me or other psychics.

Edited

l can't go into detail

Obviously.

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