Around the 40 minute mark, in this JREF video of Jamy Ian
Swiss in conversation with The Amaz!ng Randi, they mention Uri Geller’s
attempts to remould his image, from ‘psychic’ to ‘entertainer’ and it got me
thinking...
Psychics, mediums, etc, frequently portray their ‘art’ as a
form of entertainment... harmless, frivolous entertainment. [refer
to bottom of page]
There’s nothing peculiar about this analysis of their
anti-social entrepreneurialism, but i just so happened to consider the
equivalent claim in the case of mortal superstition – Religion – as is my habit
(I am an ex-Christian, after all).
One of the ways proponents of Religion describe their cult
rituals, is as a form of succour – it makes people feel better, they say. Take
away their Faith, and you take away their support – their emotional crutch, as they meander through life.
This argument is so superficially convincing that even
anti-theists concede it as an argument in Religion’s favour.
But here’s the connection to the claims of psychic
superstitionists: what is entertainment for, if it’s not to make you feel
better?
You’ve probably done something similar, when you’re feeling
low, or ill, or both – looking for something to raise your mood. It doesn’t really
achieve anything, but it makes you feel better.
In stepping down from the altar of superstition, and slowly
conceding that sensicality was never really in contention, the Religious are
simply one step further away than the ‘psychics’ (who have also proffered their
activities as a form of support) from declaring their activities to be a form
of entertainment.
They do this gentle backing down to avoid having to confront
the reality that they have devoted their lives to fraud –
deception for the purposes of personal gain.
They realise that they’ll always look as guilty as a puppy
sitting next to a pile of poo, but if they can convince people that that poo is
a force for good in the world, they won’t have to deal with the guilt.
The process of slowly backing down has the effect of drawing
our (and their) attention away from the harm done, so that it isn’t seen in
stark relief.
Given that they’re only one step away; i’m now wondering
when the first Religionists will acknowledge the tithe-extortion, genocide,
bigotry, wife-beating, and systematic raping of children (that is always done
by others); put on their tap shoes and sequined jackets, and join the ‘psychics’
in a cry of "That's Entertainment!" ...as if it would make anything better.
ISIHAC and Dwarf do not cause those things, but if they did,
i would not pretend “It’s entertainment” were a valid excuse.
[reference from top of page]
Hear a psychic portraying her behaviour as entertainment.
You'll hear the ‘psychic’ (the fraudster) say she wants to
'bridge the gap' between Science and bullshit, and to reach out to sensible
people and draw them in.
And then you'll hear her say that she does what she does to
people, to "help them through times of bereavement", and "At the
end of the day, i'm happy with who i am and what i do - and mainly the joy i
bring to people - and the service that i give to people".
Their emphasis, here, is on joy - delight - happiness -
entertainment - not whether she can actually do it or not, and hence whether
she's providing a valuable service, or just defrauding gullible people.
http://poddelusion.co.uk/blog/2012/10/26/episode-159-26th-october-2012/
