What Skeptics fail to understand (spot on, bull's eye!)

[Scepcop]

A comment I saw on YouTube that's brilliant and hit the bull's eye. I'll be adding it to the new home page.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vks49Bfn544

"What skeptics fail to understand is that skepticism involves being skeptical of your own position, it does not mean just being skeptical of that which you do not believe in, otherwise we are all skeptics and that renders their use of the term "skeptic" meaningless. A true skeptic casts skepticism on their own position as well. Since the Randi crowd do not employ skepticism in this respect then they are fairly termed pseudo skeptics and demean the term skepticism."

[Scepcop]

Response from one of my spiritual advisors:

: ) So simple yes? And yet most miss that little detail. Why is that?

It's the E G O. That part of us which contracts and limits our own unlimited Consciousness.. our awareness. AND.. it does this constantly, thus robbing us of our FULL Potential. Humanity is trapped in egocentric behavior. Namaste, Faith

[ProfWag]

[Eteponge]

[brett]

the reason that pseudo skeptics - always come up with this stuff is that they are AFRAID !! - afraid to admit there are things in the world and universe that THEY cant get a handle on or control - because most sKeptics i have come across ARE control freaks - they like a nice ordered little world - where nothing is out of place all phenomena is neatly explainable - and absolutely nothing go's bump in the night !!

if a ghost /UFO /whatever appeared right in front of them - they will come up with ANY explanation other than a ghost/UFO/whatever appeared in front of them - simply because they can not trust their own eyes and senses to see what is plain to the rest of us - and if any one challenges their "world view" - they defend it with circular argument - the "scientific method " ( and WE all know that science and the pronouncements of science has been as fallible as the rest of us on many occasions in the past ) - and eventually they resort to personal attack - insults - or walk away claiming :you just don't understand / are unscientific or any other of the stock answers they have but why is this ??

simple its in a LOT of cases what they have been taught by others - we all know that academia is riddled with supposed experts in their field , true in MANY disciplines this expertise is valid -BUT in the field we are discussing there are NO repeat NO experts on either side of the divide - as we ARE dealing with an anomalous group of phenomena that cant be neatly pigeonholed - and HAS in my personal opinion been so corrupted over the last ten to fifteen years by in a LOT of cases the very people who claim to be investigating it AND the BS that is perpetuated on the Internet - that they feel justified in their stance , frankly having seen some of the CRAP perpetrated by some supposed researchers - i tend to agree with them !!

now before any of you start questioning my last comment , consider this - the average "ghost hunter " /UFO freak / whatever ?? - ohh lets drag in "demonologists " - i love them !! - learns most /all of what they know from the net - few if ANY read the classic investigation literature of the past and if you actually mention these cases they at best have a cursory knowledge of them - or have never heard of them - like wise they have NEVER researched literature anywhere further back than Derick accoras first book - and ONLY became interested when they watched an episode of ghost hunters ( et al ) - and in the recent phenomena of the supposed " demonologist ( now a must have accessory for all "leading" ghost hunting groups " - if you ask them what training and study they have had/done to qualify them to investigate such .................................

the "paranormal " is a much wider and diverse subject than many realise or are prepared to research properly - it encompasses both some aspects of science - right through to arcane literature - and practice - and the SKEPTICS are as guilty as the rest in NOT researching and having the broad base of knowledge - preferring to cling to THEIR "faith " in what they have been TAUGHT by others , who where taught by others , who where taught by others etc etc etc

what it boils down to i suppose is that they are incapable of using their own brains to think outside the straightjacket of academic dogma !! - much like many religious people are incapable of considering anything other than that taught by religious dogma - and thus get very afraid and defensive when us in the main "supposedly " uneducated people challenge their possession of the "truth " ( the barbarian at the gate syndrome -as i call it ) -

has anyone ACTUALLY done a study of the social /educational standing of most pseudo skeptics ?? - i am willing to bet that most will fall neatly into a higher educated /academic and possibly even financially higher bracket ( i have a theory about this ** ) position - and also have a disdain for us who MAY not have an academic ( but probably a "degree" in common sense ) or "scientific " background - well we cant have the barbarians spreading false beliefs can we ?? it threatens OUR position in the scheme of things

and SO has it been throughout history IF you have the time and inclination to actually not just read it but look at its lessons

** educated idiot syndrome -( i don't think i NEED to explain that one ?? )

[Scepcop]

You forget Brett, that studies show that higher education has been linked to belief in the paranormal. Didn't you see the home page?

http://www.rense.com/general70/smart.htm

[brett]

[NinjaPuppy]

[Nostradamus]

[brett]

[Nostradamus]

[ProfWag]

[Eteponge]

[Nostradamus]

You did not post a source for this information. Much of what you posted seems to be what is done with predictions by Nostradamus - someone says, oh they must have meant this or that by this comment.

Saw almost nothing online about Dorothy Allison. Any places with more info?

Again, where did your info come from?

[Eteponge]