Long Island Medium

[mediocrates]

I was browsing my facebook feed earlier and came across a post that a friend of mine 'liked.'  It was Theresa Caputo announcing the return of her show 'Long Island Medium.' 

Now, as a science-minded skeptical kind of guy, I immediately feel a little offended by the amount of support there is for this kind of insanity.  I posted a comment that said something about how fooling grieving people into believing you can talk to their dead loved ones is sick.  This was met immediately with "you don't believe cause you've never seen her" and other really insightful comments like "go away..."  I made another comment about capitalizing on the clouded minds of grief stricken people and then left it alone.

I went back later to browse some of the comments and I was blown away by how many people are commenting positively and believe in her! It really saddens me to see so many people believing so blindly, many of them with their wallets already out!  

I find this really frustrating.  What say you?

[Aoi Magi]

Don't try wakening those who sleep with open eyes

[Cato]

She's a fraudulent cunt. Anybody stupid enough to give her money deserves the consequences.

[robvalue]

This shit makes me really angry. It's either someone is who is totally deluded or a simple con artist. It should be illegal.

It's far from "harmless fun", either. Unfortunately some people take it really seriously and make life decisions based around the garbage they spew.

[mediocrates]

It's either someone is who is totally deluded or a simple con artist. It should be illegal.

Agreed! There is absolutely no good that can come from what this woman does! It's not even good for entertainment!

[Aoi Magi]

This shit makes me really angry. It's either someone is who is totally deluded or a simple con artist. It should be illegal.

It's far from "harmless fun", either. Unfortunately some people take it really seriously and make life decisions based around the garbage they spew.

Instead I say make it a licensed and state recognized taxable profession.

Those who have a license should be allowed to practice freely.

And the licenses should be given to anybody who passes the James Randy Challenge.

[Athene]

It's no worse than the Christianity hustle. 

People want that warm, fuzzy blanket. They want it godammit! 
And if she doesn't provide it, they'll just buy it at church.

[robvalue]

Yeah, I'm down with that. Someone who sells oranges shouldn't be scared of proving that they sell fucking oranges.

If these people can demonstrate that they are doing anything other than conning people and screwing around, then by all means let them continue.

[mediocrates]

It's no worse than the Christianity hustle. 

People want that warm, fuzzy blanket. They want it godammit! 
And she doesn't provide it, they'll just buy it at church.

That's a good point; I didn't equate it with religion that way.  

I suppose, to some people, her cold reading con shenanigans is proof of an afterlife that can loan credibility to their faith which is what opened the door for her con to begin with!    I'm beginning to see more clearly why she pisses me off.

[Faith No More]

I find this really frustrating.  What say you?

One of the facts that had me pounding my head against the wall for years is that humans are gullible and overall unintelligent. I just had to come to terms with the fact that people are dumb and believe in all kinds of silly nonsense, or else I was going to go insane. That's a big part of why I stay away from facebook.

The fact that we have a con artist exploiting that gullibility, though, makes the whole thing rage-inducing. It would take all of my willpower not to give her a nice open-palm bitch slap if I saw her in person.