Does rationalization regarding Randi Foundation's challenge/award count as Orwellian Doublethink?

Question

Real psychics don't take Randi's challenge because they're not interested in money.

And this is why everything is available for free in a psychic bookstore-giftshop. Oh that's right, they charge a lot of money for tarot cards, readings, books, talismans, etc.

Orwell called this Doublethink!

It was the ability to internalize a contradiction and operate normally as if everything was normal and there was nothing wrong.

2+2=5

It's not the only example. You don't have to look any further than headlines and pundits to see people entagled in Doublethink.

But Spiritual (Religious or whatever flavor is present) schools of thought thrive on Doublethink.

As a matter of fact, if you look at Orwell, it's almost a how to manual for every cult, religion, totalitarian state, or corrupt institution that has ever warped people's minds.

I agree with James Randi! It is harmful and should be opposed!

Answer 1

I agree with you.The logic can be followed in anything paranormal.People who take this nonsense as fact.Don't understand the damage they do to society.True, mostly it's a harmless, silly pastime.But,it can and does degenerate into dangerous situations.Witch burnings in Africa.Men infecting young girls with AIDS.Because Shamans say it's a cure.The list is endless.Very stupid and very sad

Answer 2

there is quite a lot about our modern society that Orwell got right.

It's sad that Orwell's predictions didn't stop things like the Ministry of Truth (Fox News, AM talk radio), the Anti s*x League, (Abstinence Education), or Doublethink.

But at least we're aware of it.

There's even the bit about demonizing those who disagree.

You could say in psychic circles that James Randi=Emmanuel Goldstein.

Notice the above poster doing a complete Ad Hominem (including bald faced lies and unbacked assertions) as if Randi was Goldstein and he was talking during the Two Minutes Hate.

You are right, the techniques of mind control for cults, religions, states or psychic circles are identical!

Answer 3

Whether are any real psychics in the I can perform magic tricks without the use of  tricks (as Randi defines it) is still an open question as that evidence for such a person is limited at best. That does not provide evidence that such persons do not exist.

However, the question if psychic phenomena or ability exist (mostly tested in unselected subjects in the general population) is a completely different question.

Unlike a failed magician turned witch hunter, scientist (many that are members of the Parapsychological Association and many that are not) conduct scientific experiments and publish their results (with both negative and positive results) in peer reviewed science journals.

Randi fails to challenge these results (statistical evidence is not acceptable) and most critics have such poor excuses that their analysis fails to get published in peer reviewed journals (there are some exceptions, Randi is not one).

To oppose scientific inquiry into any phenomena is indeed cult like thinking but I say the skeptics are probably beyond rescue on these matters.

Michael John Weaver, M.S.

Answer 4

In addition to doublethink they also employ logical fallacies like the straw man, as well as intellectual dishonesty and outright lies.  Their dogma isn't subject to scrutiny.