Aardvarchaeology : Skeptics' Circle 57: The Zebra Spilled its Plastinia on Bemis

More Skeptical Yumminess.

I think it's worth mentioning that my grandmother was a medium throughout her entire life and has mystical powers attributed to her. I was a young participant in some of the rites and her place would literally be packed with people not just in the house but queuing up outside, some even coming all the way from Malaysia to visit her and seek her aid and advise.

I make no comment on that time as I was too young to consciously consider it but what I can say is that I was brought up in the background of that entire Chinese syncretic religion and that in turn heavily colored my viewpoint as to the existence of the supernatural.

My first foray into the world of skepticism was the realization that "magic" was simply illusion and camera trips. But whatever vestigial residue left was blown apart by James Randi, where I learned about cold reading, ideomotor effect, placebo effect, truth about homeopathy etc.

And I never looked back since. My world may be "colder" but it's a much saner, rational and logical world.

Peace.