It seems for the past month my New Agey sis has been visiting a psychic and has become firmly convinced this women is the genuine article. Before Christmas she was in a minor car wreck, an event she believes this woman predicted. She also appeared to know intimate details of our lives–that her cheating boyfriend had a female member of his family dying (or already dead) within the last 5 months, that I’m “organized” person who’s mostly book smarts, etc, etc.
I think the whole thing is a crock of shit, and told her so. But she’s adamant–I have to go see this women, cause the stars say so or something. Besides, my equally gullible mother already paid for the hour session, so what do I have to lose? I reluctantly agreed.
So now what should I do? Confront this woman and denounce her as a fraud? Play dumb and go along with it? It’d help my case if I can rational explain this woman’s so-called powers, but its been awhile since I read about cold reading and whatnot. Any ideas?
I watched a TV program some eons back where the reporter was debunking a psychic. His method was to simply sit and not react to anything the psychic said. He provided no clues that a cold reader could use. The desperation of the psychic was soon apparent.
So, maybe you could try this approach? Don’t be belligerent, but don’t be cooperative either.
Incidentally, I had an aunt who divorced my uncle because her psychic said he was stifling her. She managed to ruin his life as well as those of their three daughters. Very sad.
!ce queen said: send someone else instead. Twiddle said that this is brilliant! It’s a pretty good idea, but I draw the line at “brilliant” because sister will continue believe what she wants to believe. I don’t think that there’s anything the OP can do to dissuade her sister from this belief. However, if I was the OP, I would stand firm on not getting involved.
Gad. How awful. I would keep repeating my answer of NO and ignore any future requests.
Beware the possibilities that this psychic could try bilking money out of your sister. My ex-husband and his girlfriend visited a psychic while at a music fair type thing, and the woman after asking a bunch of leading information, told him that someone in MY family had cursed him (us being heathen pagan types and all).
All he needed to do was pay her $500.00 and she would remove it.
The whole “Your sister must come see me; the stars tell me it’s urgent” routine is a great way to get new customers in the door.
Be aware of the fact that the psychic has probably gotten information about you from your sister; she’s got an advantage when dealing with customers who were referred to her by her current clients. She doesn’t have to start from scratch.
If you’re going to be forced into the reading, insist that it just be you and the psychic. Let the psychic blather on, and have fun with the session; see how many fictional relatives you can put into it, so she’ll use completely bogus information when dealing with your sister.
Then tell your sister that she said something completely offensive to you, and you never want to see her again. Act offended if the subject ever comes up. That way, you’re not pre-judging the psychic, and you don’t have to convince your sister that she’s a fraud. You just have to say she was rude to you, and you’re off the hook.
I agree that you should go, but have fun with the “psychic.” Give her false information, and try as best as possiblr not to react to things that sound true, or are true. Let her think you’ve had five past wives who all died that no one else knows about, or that you are really a secret agent but no one else can know or they must be killed. Something hilarious, and osmething that willm at least to an extent, debunk her. It’s worth a shot to try and save your sis and mom before they waste too much time/money.
As much fun as it sounds to go and mess with the psychic, the only reason to do that would be if you think there’s a chance your sister might see the psychic as the fraud she is when you’re there saying ‘No, that’s not right either.’
If she’s really hooked, I’d just say something along the lines of, “I didn’t realize you didn’t know how deeply I object to psychics. I’m sorry you wasted your money, but I’m afraid I can’t go with you. Please respect my wishes by not asking again.”
Then don’t get in any arguments, just repeat, “No, I really can’t” every time they push the issue. It’ll be just as tedious as arguing, but they’re the ones who’ll come out looking rude.
I second that you will not get a cold reading from her but a warm or hot one as your sister has undoubtably given her tons of information on you.
Go on the condition that you may video record the session. I doubt that she’ll let you but if she does you can then go over the session later and line for line point out where she was wrong and where she was ‘correct’. Then when your sister sees the score she may realize that she is being defrauded.
I am in the camp of refusing to go on moral grounds. Tell them that you find “psychics” offensive.
If you do go, be sure that you don’t give anything away. As others said, the psychic will have already pumped your sister for tons of info on you. Do not react to anything. If she makes a statement that could require an answer be sure to clarify with the psychic. “Is that a question or a statement?”
Get Ian Rowland’s excellent book. There’s a whole chapter on how to defeat a psychic.