[UA] SOTP: Secrets of Cold Reading

[Kevin Mowery]

    On the Sci-Fi Channel (at least in America), there's a show called
"Crossing Over with John Edward."  Anyone interested in spiritual chicanery
should take a look at this one as it's a textbook example of cold reading.

    For those of you who are unfamiliar with cold reading, it's the process
of throwing out vague statements and getting people to fill in more
information for you, then building more vague statements off of that, until
they're convinced that you're in contact with their deceased relatives.
(Sure, you could use it for other things, but the dead relatives seem to be
most popular.)

    Sadly, this all seems to be presented as a straight-up special ability
that this guy has.  Today he's got two guys on the set and we're getting
great stuff like, "Were either of your fathers involved in documentaries?
Well, I'm seeing something to do with film.  Were either of your fathers
involved in something that could have been filmed?" and "Your mother says
she wants to mention John F. Kennedy.  Did she ever meet Kennedy or did she
have strong feelings about him?"

Kevin Mowery_____________profbobo at io.com
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