Psychics: Are they actually 100% bad?
Süžeeskeem Tekst
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- Part I: The Suggestion
- Why don't you set up the meeting tomorrow? I'm interested actually.
- You should visit my psychic! Ever since she started reading my cards, my life has changed!
- Part II: Research
- I wonder what information I can get on Michael...
- Part III: The Reading Begins
- Yes... How did you know?
- Okay, so I pulled the Lover's card. I know, it seems like a lover, so maybe your boyfriend? But I wanna say a family member, like a mother, or even a grandmother?
- Nine of Swords? Oh no... did she pass recently? Yes, right? You must feel pretty frustrated about that, huh? It's okay, dear, but you shouldn't let that anger consume you.
- Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Michael has felt like he had no control over his life. Bringing up his feelings with his boyfriend, Michael decides to visit his boyfriend’s psychic Patricia. Michael, however, has taken a sociology class, and knows that Patricia might be utilizing some form of hot reading in online videos of her readings, which are critically acclaimed for how scarily accurate they are.
- Part IV: The Reading Continues
- Ace of pentacles... I can see some financial issues in your future? No? Well, something related to finances, maybe about a relative? friend? Something about a pet?
- In part of her research for hot reading, Patricia goes on social media to find any information on Michael. In doing this she finds a post where he reveals his grandmother had died recently from COVID-19. Writing this down, she also prepares a Barnum statement; a statement that is general and vague that can apply to almost anyone. In this case, she prepares the following statement: So you must be really frustrated and angry with this whole Pandemic situation, right? She can’t find anything else on his social media, so she has to go into the rest as a cold reader; a reader who goes in knowing nothing about their client.
- Part V: The Reading Ends, How was Michael fooled?
- Look, I can see that you're an incredibly resilient individual, but somewhere deep down you're really vulnerable, right? Use that information to fuel your decisions, Michael.
- Patricia comes in and has Michael shuffle her tarot cards. What she pulls here isn’t important, as she can just use another technique: shoehorning. Patricia pulls the Lover’s Card, which usually represents sexual love, which doesn’t quite fit the role of a grandmother. However, she adjusts the meaning ever so slightly to fit the narrative she is trying to create. That act is shoehorning. The next card thankfully corresponds to death being the nine of swords.
- Part VI: Should people be allowed to believe in Psychics?
- Is what Patricia did wrong? I don't think so... Here's why.
- Patricia knows that she’s gained Michael’s trust, but she has nothing that she knows for sure about his situation. This trust, however, lets her use the Forer (Barnum) Effect to her advantage. This effect is the believing of Barnum statements. Patricia pulls another card, and uses shotgunning to narrow down her options. It takes her little time to get a hit. Once she does, she quickly moves to an area where she needs to know very little about to seem like she does, in fact, know everything.
- Doing fine financially, Patricia... Yes! My pet is on some expensive medication!
- At this point, Patricia uses a Rainbow Ruse, where she assigns Michael a personality trait but then offers up the opposite in an attempt to cover all the bases. After more duping of Michael, she leaves with payment in her hand. Michael was fooled completely, even though he came prepared. Why did this happen? Michael engaged in selective observation and focused on what Patricia got right, rather than what she got wrong.
- Wow! Thanks Patricia!
- Although this is certainly a difficult topic, I say absolutely. People find solace in times of strain because of their social solidarity. Michael’s boyfriend is shown in this storyboard as being a believer of Patricia’s and later on, so is Michael. This is a bond between the two of them, and an indication of that social solidarity. While Michael’s boyfriend might feel more strongly about Patricia, they do both feel that she is legitimate, which makes them feel like they aren’t alone.
- Also, notice the apparent social stratification between Patricia and Michael. Michael is in a penthouse, and Patricia? Certainly not that. Can we really blame someone for making money, anyway they know how to? Food for thought.
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