Why do people continually ask about telekinesis?

Question

I mean, the only evidence for it is in comic books, and the only people demonstrating it are proffessional illusionists.

I can understand having faith in something without proof, but this is way beyond that. It seems 2 or 3 people ask everyday about this. Why?

Why ask how to develop powers, its obvious noone else knows, or there would be people who could do it.

Answer 1

I think it's because dreams of having superpowers are pretty commonplace, especially among youth who may feel alienated from peer groups or subjugated to authorities above them (schools, parents, etc). They may feel they have no power or control over their lives, but if they just had some superhuman abilities, boy could things be different. I can understand that motivation. It seems to be something that most people outgrow, though. My impression is that most of those asking about telekinesis here are fairly young, but not all.

Answer 2

Good question wushu.

People believe either because they don't know any better (and soon learn the truth) or else they persist in supporting ideas that fall within their "I wish it were like this" view of the world.

Answer 3

I think a lot of it is because of movies. So many movies show that this is real. Anywhere from little girls with witch like powers that can move small things with their minds to adults that can move cars and start fires etc. When things are done in movies like this over and over again it seems that people pay more attention to them and want to know more and more how they can do this too.

I think this is a big reason why so many people are against the Harry Potter movies. Personally, i know my son knows it's not real and just imaginary so i don't have a problem with him watching the movies. I just remind him that what he is seeing is not real, but just created magic on TV.

People seem to think that if something is done in a movie that it means there is some way or someone who can do it in real life. This is obviously not the case. People can't really fly with a cape, or make webs from their wrist and jump from building to building. Let telekinesis stay in the movies and comics people.

Answer 4

Because it is a subject that No one understands or has a definate answer to.

Answer 5

Taking your questions and comments in order.

1. I think most people are thrill seeking and want to be

    able to start fires, throw cars, and levitate toys around

    the room.  

2, The evidence for it is not in comic books it is the work of

     Princeton University's PEAR (Princeton Engineering

     Anomaly Research) http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/

    and before that at what is now the Rhine Research

    Center http://www.rhine.org/

    This work was done by scientist who are members of

     the Para psychological Association http://www.parapsych.org that has been an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science http://www.aaas.org/ since 1969 (unlike any skeptics organization)

3. Yes many people that demonstrate psychokinesis/telekinesis are magicians and illusionist and openly admit to performing stage magic tricks. This does not have any relevance on the scientific work being done in the field just like the Marvin the Martian (from Bugs Bunny) has no relevance to the scheduled Phoenix Mars probe launch from NASA.

4. To add to the question you ask both here and as as your title. Because if skeptics keep talking about psychokinesis in terms of what is in comic books and on magic stages instead of the really boring Random Number Generator experiments that scientist are doing then the public will stay fascinated when they here that there is evidence for psychokinesis/telekinesis and all they have is the image that skeptics give them about it.

5. Here we agree even scientist that have found evidence for PK admit they have no idea how to improve performance. Again this is probably due people not having knowledge of the actual experiments.

Also, people seem to have no idea how to use the search for questions button above to see if their question(s) has already been asked and answered.

Michael John Weaver, M.S.

Answer 6

I don't know.  I just answered one the other day.  There is a lot of garbage out there these days about the power of thought (willing yourself to have more money, intending positive outcomes, that sort of nonsense).  Hearing so much about it may be all some people need to believe in it.  Telekinesis might be a natural extension to this phenomenon ("if i can get rich by thinking, maybe i can lift that book").  I don't know.  Maybe not.  Either way, anyone pursuing telekinesis is in for a much-needed disappointment.

Answer 7

lazy. ;-)

Answer 8

They do feel that some one has the powers and will share the secret. I think the situation is that the one who knows won't share and the one who answers doesn't really have the power.

But these powers are real and just because I can't do it does not mean that it does not exist. Just because I cannot run a mile in under 4 minutes doesn't mean that no one else cannot do it.