Comments on: Fake! Does it matter? http://hollowhill.com/fake-does-it-matter/ real ghosts and ghost hunting Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:10:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: Fiona Broome http://hollowhill.com/fake-does-it-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-900 Fiona Broome Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:23:40 +0000 http://hollowhill.com/?p=1043#comment-900 Michael, thanks for your comment. You're right about the skeptics, and you're right about it not being as precise a term as I'd like, for the attitude people should probably take. Recently, I listened to a so-called believer (and supposed expert) claim that almost all orbs are fake and he'd only photographed one good one, ever. That was fine, until he followed it up by saying, "And, if I'd enlarged that photo with Photoshop, I'm sure I'd have seen a moth in it." I was stunned. I mean, how can a serious researcher make broad claims like that, without analyzing his or her own photos? To me, that's as bad as assuming that all orbs are ghosts. Somewhere in the middle, there's healthy skepticism with both the cognitive skills and expertise to analyze our experiences and say with reasonable authority whether something seems paranormal or not. In lieu of that, having heard of a few people losing money to paranormal scams, I'd rather have them lean towards skepticism than gullibility. I'd rather have someone assume that it's all a show, rather than lose <em>all</em> faith in the spiritual world after being misled by an entertainer. Michael, thanks for your comment. You’re right about the skeptics, and you’re right about it not being as precise a term as I’d like, for the attitude people should probably take.

Recently, I listened to a so-called believer (and supposed expert) claim that almost all orbs are fake and he’d only photographed one good one, ever. That was fine, until he followed it up by saying, “And, if I’d enlarged that photo with Photoshop, I’m sure I’d have seen a moth in it.”

I was stunned. I mean, how can a serious researcher make broad claims like that, without analyzing his or her own photos? To me, that’s as bad as assuming that all orbs are ghosts.

Somewhere in the middle, there’s healthy skepticism with both the cognitive skills and expertise to analyze our experiences and say with reasonable authority whether something seems paranormal or not.

In lieu of that, having heard of a few people losing money to paranormal scams, I’d rather have them lean towards skepticism than gullibility. I’d rather have someone assume that it’s all a show, rather than lose all faith in the spiritual world after being misled by an entertainer.

]]> By: Michael http://hollowhill.com/fake-does-it-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-885 Michael Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:08:23 +0000 http://hollowhill.com/?p=1043#comment-885 Call me sick of the professional skeptics, who deny the validity of paranormal research, but I don't like the phrase "become a skeptic." It suggests being skeptical is superior to being a believer, which is not what I think you meant. I prefer "become streetwise to put-ons," which suggests there is reality, and there is illusion, and it's a matter of being able to distinguish between the two. Good article! Call me sick of the professional skeptics, who deny the validity of paranormal research, but I don’t like the phrase “become a skeptic.” It suggests being skeptical is superior to being a believer, which is not what I think you meant. I prefer “become streetwise to put-ons,” which suggests there is reality, and there is illusion, and it’s a matter of being able to distinguish between the two. Good article!

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