Why is everyone so willing to tell people they're psychic?

Question

I notice every single time someone asks a question on here like "Am I psychic?" which is then followed by some completely normal happening ("I thought the Yankees would win and then they did. Do I have paranormal powers?"), there's always 50 answers going "Of course, you should take a class to learn how to harness it!"

Is everyone really that credulous?

Answer 1

People like to think they're special. Claiming paranormal ability is a way to do this without having to do any real work toward actually being exceptional.

Answer 2

Yes, I like to call it 'unwarranted self-importance' and 'unrealistic expectations'.

Answer 3

Not everyone, but many people who frequent this forum are that credulous. To be fair, there are people here who, while believing in some paranormal ideas, don't simply buy into any idea that floats by. But there are those whose default explanation for any unexplained event is "a ghost did it" or "you're psychic".

Critical thinking skills aren't really taught in our schools. Also, I think the paranormal offers anyone the feeling of being an "expert" on something since there really is no verifiable body of knowledge to work with. Anyone can make up some set of paranormal beliefs and act like an expert of the paranormal, hence you've got a bunch of people making "sure, you're a psychic" proclamations.

Answer 4

Everyone has the potential to be psychic and I agree with you pretty normal things are being turned into potentially paranormal episodes. Only they're not. It's obvious that a lot of strange things are made to happen by our brain and others by our own interpretations of events. Only, these should not be confused with actual nonreality events not propelled by illness or the workings of the mind. Only by talking about these events can you sift through relative normality and non normality. For example the workings or flux of the mind cannot make appear a strangers long dead relative with a message appropriate to the stranger. I imagine there are a lot more people out there who have had real experiences of seeing/hearing a long gone relative than we would dare imagine. Often they only have one specific experience then spend the rest of their lives analysing if it really did happen. Then those who have had more experiences of that kind come along and show them that they experience was valid.

Illness/meds/drugs and the obvious hallucinations aside, there is more to existance than our imaginations could ever imagine.

Answer 5

They have to say or write it.  They're not psychic, you know, and have no other way of communicating this exciting information of their being psychic.

Never trust a psychic who needs to tell you they're psychic.  That reminds me of a convention of fortune tellers that was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

Answer 6

A lot of people are just looking for a way to be different and decide that's the way lol.

Answer 7

Evidently many people believe such nonsense. Psychics are frauds who take money for doing nothing. Some of them have clever routines that fool gullible people, but they can't fool me.

Answer 8

I believe everyone has at least one gift - maybe more.

This could be purely academic , mechanical, scientific or  - of a more unusual nature.

Unfortunately religion has for the most part snuffed-out any form of teaching of these skills, and people are only now starting to understand there is more to life than what we see with our eyes.

Remember only 100 years ago scientists would call you foolish for thinking you could make devices to enable you to walk around talking to someone on the other side of the world - or look at a map that was actually a photograph from space with so much clarity that you could read signs, or construct items by building one atom at a time. - But here we are.

Answer 9

I don't think people are psychic in a sense that they can describe the events of an inanimate object.  I think that people are psychic in the sense that they are tuned in to the connections that people have with each other.  

I once did an exercise where I tried to "feel" the aura of another individual.  I closed my eyes, put out my hands as if I was to physically feel something, and slowly walked toward the person.  At some point in walking toward them, I stopped and chose that point as the point where I felt their aura.  To me, I felt as if I had just chosen an arbitrary point in space as I did not physically feel anything.  But then I asked myself, "why did I choose that point and not some other point"?  Was I tuned in to the other person but didn't believe in it enough to actually feel it?  Or did I feel a spiritual connection with that other person but not know that I felt it consciously, and my spirit guided me to stop at that moment?  

I think a problem is that today a belief can't be right unless it is testable.  Though I do have a scientific background, in my opinion, if something works for you, then it works for you.  As long as no harm is done, then being psychic or engaging in psychic activities is ok.

Answer 10

Some people really want to believe, so their burden of proof is extremely low, and they will accept anything that gives them the slightest feeling their beliefs are justified.

P.S.  Are you Lex Luthor?

Answer 11

Probabilities:

1. Pure "ignorance" which is somewhat excusable.

2. Pure "stupidity" for those that have some knowledge, have never learned enough and should know better.

3. Wanting to be noticed and to feel "special."

4. Group dynamics.

5. Herd or mob mentality.

6. "Groupthink": ****

"Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. During groupthink, members of the group avoid promoting viewpoints outside the comfort zone of consensus thinking. A variety of motives for this may exist such as a desire to avoid being seen as foolish, or a desire to avoid embarrassing or angering other members of the group. Groupthink may cause groups to make hasty, irrational decisions, where individual doubts are set aside, for fear of upsetting the group’s balance. The term is frequently used pejoratively, with hindsight."

OK, I could write a "tome" on this topic, but what is the point. A lot of people are gullible and would not change.

And, no, "everyone" is not that credulous. Many of us are intelligent applied Scientists and Logicians that question everything. Many are also normal average people that are intelligent enough to question and are not so quick to believe in this "stuff".

Answer 12

Well, I believe that psychic 'powers' are more of an ability because I believe we all have them. Its just that growing up society taught us how to forget about them and taught us it was wrong or evil to have these abilities. Therefore they got kind of 'shut down'. Psychic abilities never leave you or stop working permanently. It is like a muscle, All it takes is for you to be aware of it and to use it so it strengthens again :)

                       So yes, everyone is psychic :)

                       Love Light and Peace :)

Answer 13

Yes, 90% of the people that visit this part of the forum are that credulous.

They get angry if you tell them they're not psychic too.   :-)

Answer 14

You're right of course most that answer the question are intellectually inhibited and are in denial of their spiritual self.

Yes people are credulous, most of the rest live in denial of their true essence.

Of course the answer is that everyone, EVERYONE has some psychic abilities.