# Ouija Boards - I used to think it was bull until...... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 19, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528 "2009-02-19T09:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 37
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/721 "2009-05-08T21:53:58Z")
> [@Thetruthseeker](#): > > Has anyone here ever heard of “Collective Unconsious”? > > Doesn’t sound like too many scientific minds in here if everyone discounts something without attempting to prove or disprove it. > > Pity. A scientific mind would not presume it is our responsibility to disprove concepts like “Collective Unconsious” [sic]. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/722 "2009-05-08T23:01:31Z")
> [@Thetruthseeker](#): > > Has anyone here ever heard of “Collective Unconsious”? > > Doesn’t sound like too many scientific minds in here if everyone discounts something without attempting to prove or disprove it. > > Pity. > > While I’m on the subject: > > Hi there, I’m a student at a local college and I’m studying Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. I’m currently conducting research for a paper that seeks to understand the societal function of psychics and soothsayers and why people are so eager to pay for their “services”. > > What I would like to know is if anyone knows any good free sites or way to advertise myself as a psychic? I need to research how often people agree with whatever they are told and whether gullibility and desperation is the issue at work. > > Any advice would be appreciated. 1. Is it not enough that posters on this board reference those who have already done some pretty thorough research, or must we do all the research personally before commenting? 2. There has already been quite a few studies done on the gullibility of people with regards to psychic abilities. have you visited [www.randi.org](http://www.randi.org) for instance? ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/723 "2009-05-09T12:51:49Z")
> [@Thetruthseeker](#): > > Has anyone here ever heard of “Collective Unconsious”? > > Doesn’t sound like too many scientific minds in here if everyone discounts something without attempting to prove or disprove it. > > Pity. You didn’t read the thread or did a poor job of it. I was hoping after six weeks of this thread being dormant, we’d heard back from the OP with an update; instead we get this. Quija boards have been looked into for some time. Some give in to the ideomotor effect. Some are just downright gullible. Some have friends that like to deceive other friends they find gullible. What do you propose that “collective unconscious” would have to do with any of this that perhaps you think would make it any more credible? ---
**Author:** ![greedyjane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d6d6ee/32.png) [@greedyjane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greedyjane)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/724 "2011-02-14T15:25:42Z")
My mum used to shout stop asking silly questions as I questioned every thing and still do? But this ouiji board has got me stumped as I was at a party with the letters glass and all that bunk and watched as questions were answered by those sitting round the table. I said your pushing it around but they were adamant this was not the case so I blinfolded them all and still the answers kept coming? So I grabbed a torch switched off the lights and then I moved all the letters and numbers mixing them up as much as I could and guess what I asked the questions and ended up with a lot of information about Alan a guy who had died in 1920 in a motor cycle accident? When I asked him if he hit the same tree as Marc Bolan the glass went wild and nearly jumped off the table. I couldn,t think of anything else to do to stop the cheating element so if someone could think up an infallible test or explain what happened?next time I’ll give it a try. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/725 "2011-02-14T15:43:14Z")
How could you move the letters and numbers around? They’re painted on. How is that supposed to stop cheating anway. The participants can still see them. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/726 "2011-02-14T15:46:25Z")
> [@greedyjane](#): > > My mum used to shout stop asking silly questions as I questioned every thing and still do? But this ouiji board has got me stumped as I was at a party with the letters glass and all that bunk and watched as questions were answered by those sitting round the table. I said your pushing it around but they were adamant this was not the case so I blinfolded them all and still the answers kept coming? So I grabbed a torch switched off the lights and then I moved all the letters and numbers mixing them up as much as I could and guess what I asked the questions and ended up with a lot of information about Alan a guy who had died in 1920 in a motor cycle accident? When I asked him if he hit the same tree as Marc Bolan the glass went wild and nearly jumped off the table. I couldn,t think of anything else to do to stop the cheating element so if someone could think up an infallible test or explain what happened?next time I’ll give it a try. From your description, you don’t seem to know what a Ouija board is. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/727 "2011-02-14T16:41:43Z")
I predicted that the person that resurrected this thread would have a Join Date of Feb 2011. Explain that, skeptics! ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/728 "2011-02-14T17:32:37Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > From your description, you don’t seem to know what a Ouija board is. She was probably playing _Scrabble- The Ouija Edition®_ ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/729 "2011-02-15T17:46:24Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > Prior to asking the question leverage every dime you have and buy the stock suggested on the following day. > Repeat until filthy rich. More importantly, ask my girl friend’s deceased mother where she hid the key to the chastity belt. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/730 "2011-02-15T17:51:53Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > A lot of people avoid stepping on cracks. And black cats, and the number 13, and 2 dollar bills, etc. It’s all nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/731 "2011-02-15T17:53:15Z")
Didn’t notice this was a zombie thread until too late. :smack::mad: ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/732 "2011-02-15T18:02:10Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > A lot of people avoid stepping on cracks. > [@SteveG1](#): > > And black cats, and the number 13, and 2 dollar bills, etc. It’s all nonsense. I don’t know about the number 13, but stepping on a 2 dollar bill seems pretty wasteful, and you don’t _know_ bad luck until you’ve stepped on a black cat. ---
**Author:** ![BunnyTVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BunnyTVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyTVS)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/733 "2011-02-15T19:15:14Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > Didn’t notice this was a zombie thread until too late. :smack::mad: Ouija boards… Zombies… Nah, too easy. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/734 "2011-02-15T19:24:25Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > How could you move the letters and numbers around? They’re painted on. How is that supposed to stop cheating anway. The participants can still see them. Didn’t you read the poorly-phrased under-punctuated run-on sentences? jane says she “blinfolded them all and still the answers kept coming?” I’m still unclear on who Marc Bolan is, though. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/735 "2011-02-15T19:31:34Z")
He was the singer for T-Rex (“Bang a Gong, Get it On”) He’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/736 "2011-02-15T19:33:58Z")
He hit the same tree as that Alan guy, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/737 "2011-02-15T19:41:52Z")
Well, deaths come in trees, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/738 "2011-02-15T19:53:02Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > He was the singer for T-Rex (“Bang a Gong, Get it On”) He’s dead. Cite that he’s really dead, and not a continuing part of the Collective Unconsious (sic)? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/739 "2011-02-16T03:24:27Z")
The tree that Marc Bolan hit is well known and now sort of a shrine to him: > **[Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolan%27s_Rock_Shrine)** > > .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}51°27′57″N 0°14′19″W / 51.4659032°N 0.2386107°W / 51.4659032; -0.2386107 > Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine is a memorial to Marc Bolan, of glam-rock band T. Rex, on the site where he died in a car crash in Barn... It should be possible to find out if anyone was ever killed in an accident when their motorcycle hit that tree. In fact, since greedyjane says that the accident happened in 1920, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a list of all fatal motorcycle accidents in the U.K. in the year 1920. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/740 "2011-02-16T04:10:49Z")
A 1920’s style death tree? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528.md?page=36) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528.md?page=38)