[Warning: long post with possibly offending content]
I've been watching a lot of Darren Brown videos on youtube this past week. Very fascinating; at times even mind boggling. A master mentalist to be certain. And a multi talented one at that.
Consider his 'feats':
Pay for purchases with blank paper
Mind reading
Advanced hypnotism
Conduct seance
Instant conversion
Voodoo spells
Astrology
Photoreading
Defeat 9 chess masters at one go
Astounding if I may say so. Now, I must say that I believe at least half of what he does is using magic/illusion/trickery. He tricks us, the video/TV viewers as well as his subjects. The other half is all in the mind of the subjects.
While most of what he seems to accomplish is a bluff, it also reflects some truths.
For example, proving that astrological fortune telling or horoscopic character telling as complete bullshit (in his own words, though I fully concur). Amazing how the mass media still publish daily/monthly/yearly horoscopes and the public read them religiously.
In his demonstration of hypnosis and subconscious/sublimal suggestion/persuassion, we see reality being represented. How product advertising causes us to connect to certain brands. Even, to a lesser extend, why terrorists do the things they do. Brainwashing.
Derren Brown does not believe in any paranomal phenomenon. In fact, he can recreate and successfully execute what we usually know as voodoo spells, medium to the dead, psychic healing and mind reading.
Personally, I do believe in the spirit world and such. But I also firmly believe that a lot of mumbo jumbo that we 'hear' are simply a load of crap. Notice that it's always what we hear, and these 'unexplainable' things always happen at night when it's dark and we see things less clearly; hence the mind games.
I remember an incident back when I was in primary school in Kuching. I attended a gongfu/qigong demonstration at a local indoor stadium. This qigong master sat a man down on a chair. Then he asked for a bunch of volunteers (paid actors?) to lift that man. The volunteers, all strong looking men, can't seem to be able to lift him at all. Then, the qigong master proceeded to do his qigong stuffs; appearing to transfer his qi to the the man seated on the chair. When the volunteers were asked to lift the chair another time, they managed to do so easily.
For more than ten years, I thought it was all real. Last night as I think back, I realised how the supposed qigong master had us all fooled. It's simple. After he asked for volunteers, he proceeded to arrange them aound the man sitting on the chair. He'll hold their shoulders and guide them to certain positions he wants them to be standing around the chair. So the first time they were supposed to lift the chair, they can't do so because they were standing slightly away from the chair. Hands slightly out-stretched and body slightly off center. No one would have thought of readjusting their position because the qigong master excuded authority in placing them and distracting them from what is a simple problem of positioning. When they failed, the conman of a master would ask them to stand aside while he plays a bit of mahjong in the air. Then he'll invite them attempt to lift the seated man again. Only this time, the volunteers would step back in and naturally position themselves closer to the chair. Obviously, they managed to do it this time. Simple common sense.
Facebook says I have an IQ of 142. Well, they didn't know that I took 15 years to figure out a simple physics concept.
I had a particular interest in 'healing trends' at one time. These trends change with time and commercial marketing, from noni juice to spirullina to diamond water. Whatever. Some MLM companies promote products that can cure all diseases, especially cancer. It is therefore ironic, that I also know that some of them have passed on due to cancer. They obviously did not believe in their own sales pitch.
The same goes for certain forms of spiritual healing. The girl who sat next to me in class back in secondary 4 practised Reiki everyday. I was very intersted in Reiki back then. Not that I believed any of it. Essentially, Reiki is a Japanese form of qigong that channels cosmic healing energy by the laying of hands. So, everyday, this friend of mine will lay hands on parts of her body where she feels unwell. Mostly on her throat and her shoulders. Becaused I read up a lot about Reiki and know others who practised it, I could hold conversations with her about it. But I couldn't bring myself to tell her what I really thought. That her sore throat and shoulder sores were her own mental doing. She kept thinking she had health problems and this gets worse as she searches for more excuses to lay her hands on troubled body parts. Dear ex classmate, if you're reading this, please do not get offended.
I practiced qigong as a small boy. Did I have super powers? No. Did I believe that I could kill someone with a punch? Yes. Why? Because I was constantly thaught to visualise a positive white energy flowing within me, giving me strength and health. Did this white energy really existed? Well, if it did, I'ld be a walking fluorescent lamp.
I've witnessed certain things in my short life that I can't fully explain, and I probably will never be able to. But for the most part, I must say that most of us fall into our own mental traps. Traps that were either set for us by others or traps we set for ourselves.
The new year is coming. Imagine you pick up the new edition of annual horoscope. Suppose it says next year will be a lousy year for you. Also suppose that you believe in it, even half heartedly. You'll probably remember it for the rest of the year. Do you think that you'll more likely have a splendid year or a lousy year?
Paranomal? My ass!
p/s: If for some reason you are reading this and believe that the stars (burning debris left over from the Big Bang), arranged into mythical shapes by Greek astrologes can indeed foretell if England will win the next World Cup, by all means please carry on with your life and just ignore this post. Please don't send your Chinese Tiger Zodiac to bite my Monkey Zodiac. At most, I'll let you see if you could find a 4D number from the scales of my Nemo =)
