47,8% believe in 'psychic' (Norway)

[Playful Pony]

I hope this could be interesting for everyone!

A recent article in a Norwegian newspaper claims that as much as 47,8% of the population of my country believes a well-known psychic called "Snåsamannen" to have actual powers of healing and clearvoiance. Now I'm sorry, but... Seriously? This estimate HAS to be bullshit. I cannot imagine that as much as half the population of what prides itself in being a country with a very well-edjucated people, believes in such utter nonsense... I know my friends and family generally do not believe in such things, I actually know nobody that does. Yet it is claimed that half the population DO! I can't help but feel that this estimate was pulled out of some sensationalist reporters rectum, but still. The many supportive comments one sees are quite scary at times.

He's not just a harmless asshole. Desperate people with deadly conditions leave their money with this guy hoping to be healed, thanks to his massive reputation and wide press coverage. I can't blame a dying person for being desperate, but certainly can blame this guy for exploiting them, and his followers for directing said dying people to his greedy clutches... Also worth noting, he claims he gains his powers from his faith in Christianity. THUMBS UP!

Question is, do you believe in such things? Do people in your community? What do you think of these alternative treatments?

 

[Euryalus]

My mom thinks she's pyschic... *snickers*
seriously XD

She guesses whose calling on the phone right a lot of the time so that's proof enough for her.

 

[Zantos]

I once convinced my ex that I was psychic. Turns out it's fairly easy to fake if you've got a decent attention to detail and they're a bit dense. Good laugh. Tried similar tricks with some of my friends, they tend to just think I spend too much time on Facebook.

 

[Esotera]

Evaluate the source of the newspaper. There was a good example in an English gossip magazine a couple of years back where they did a "study" that said the average time it took for a single woman on holiday to have sex after stepping off the plane was something like four hours. The "study" was a survey of their own readers and was obviously not representative of the population as a whole.

Anyway, I wouldn't be that surprised at that sort of figure. Seems sort of high but a sizeable minority of the population is going to believe in something supernatural.

 

[DoPo]

A recent article in a Norwegian newspaper claims that as much as 47,8% of the population of my country believes a well-known psychic called "Snåsamannen" to have actual powers of healing and clearvoiance. Now I'm sorry, but... Seriously? This estimate HAS to be bullshit.

Intriguing. If you read that number backwards (and move the decimal point) you get 87.4% and that is the amount of statistics that are made on the spot. One hell of a coincidence there!

My mom thinks she's pyschic... *snickers*
seriously XD

She guesses whose calling on the phone right a lot of the time so that's proof enough for her.

Ooh, a friend of mine has a funny story - his (now ex) girlfriend's mother claimed to be psychic. She even proved it to him - took his wallet, held it in her hands and proclaimed that it was a valuable family item, given to him from a family member and so on. He said yes. In order not to disappoint her. The wallet was, in fact, store bough, by himself, and quite cheap at that - it was 3-4 years old at the time. But the reading was (apparently) hilariously wrong.

 

[dyre]

His wikipedia page says he helps people for free, so I don't really see what the problem is. At worst, they get a placebo...

 

[Woodsey]

I would hope it's made up. On the other hand, people do tend to be facepalmingly ridiculous about this sort of thing.

 

[The Almighty Aardvark]

His wikipedia page says he helps people for free, so I don't really see what the problem is. At worst, they get a placebo...

Not quite, at worse they think they're getting treated and don't seek real treatments.

And that statistic is terrifying. Right up there with how many of my friends believe in horoscopes

 

[Jhooud]

 

[Thyunda]

I'm psychic. Well. Psychic empathy. It's a real thing. Psychic healing and clairvoyance, yeah, no that's fake. Like Derren Brown.

 

[Mojo]

I read: 47,8% believe in 'physics' (Norway) WTF?

OT: nope don't believe anything of that kind. Anyone who says he has that sort of power is either ignorant or strait up lying. My brother had a girlfriend once who belied in the healing power of stones and such. Took him to a convention where people sold that crap, I guess you cant tell anyone what to do with their money, but selling rocks to someone and promising them they'll be healed? Thats just low. I know about placebos and so forth but do the rocks really need to be 50$?

 

[Playful Pony]

His wikipedia page says he helps people for free, so I don't really see what the problem is. At worst, they get a placebo...

On paper, yes. He has published several books, and accepts so-called "gifts" from those wishing to give. He has made millions tricking people into seeking his help rather than actual medical treatment, and most of his success stories are about things such as painful shoulders... Things that commonly cure themselves over time! Some calling it a miracle said it took only 6 weeks and their shoulder felt perfect again! 6 WEEKS?! Some miracle...

So yeah, there you have it. I shudder to think of the proportion here...[/QUOTE]
Patience. Science is busy tearing shit down at the moment, but give it until world religions are wiped out by logic and I'm sure they'll start bio-engineering horses into unicorns, and getting that warpdrive project back on track. Patience...

 

[Collegeboy21]

My wife is Norwegian and she doesn't believe in psychics. Neither do I.

 

[dyre]

His wikipedia page says he helps people for free, so I don't really see what the problem is. At worst, they get a placebo...

Not quite, at worse they think they're getting treated and don't seek real treatments.

And that statistic is terrifying. Right up there with how many of my friends believe in horoscopes

Yeah, but people who see psychics are probably the kind of whackjobs who don't see doctors anyway. That, or the people who've already seen doctors for a currently incurable condition, and are seeing psychics out of desperation. I can't imagine any normal person seeing only a psychic and not a doctor, except maybe in extremely poor and undeveloped countries where it's a cultural / traditional thing.

His wikipedia page says he helps people for free, so I don't really see what the problem is. At worst, they get a placebo...

On paper, yes. He has published several books, and accepts so-called "gifts" from those wishing to give. He has made millions tricking people into seeking his help rather than actual medical treatment, and most of his success stories are about things such as painful shoulders... Things that commonly cure themselves over time! Some calling it a miracle said it took only 6 weeks and their shoulder felt perfect again! 6 WEEKS?! Some miracle...

Nothing wrong with writing books or accepting gifts. I accept gifts all the time (well, at least on holidays and my birthday), and I don't even hand out placebos! If he actually encourages people to not seek medical treatment though, that's kind of fucked up.

Also, can't decide if he looks like a nice old man or a scary old man.

Kind of in between, right?

 

[spartan231490]

I imagine that that is the number of people who don't outright disbelieve it. I for example admit the possibility that this man has such powers, and would probably be counted towards that number. That said, I'm of the opinion that if anyone does have super-human powers, they wouldn't be stupid enough to advertise it by being a famous psychic.

On an unrelated note, why on earth do people have to be so confrontational about this? Seriously, I understand the urge to discuss this, but can we all be adults and not quote people just to tell them "you're wrong, so shut up," and instead just have a polite debate? I mean, their beliefs don't hurt you, so just leave them to it.

 

[Cavan]

I'm psychic. Well. Psychic empathy.

I hope you're not being serious..if you are:

A worrying number of people believe they are an 'empath', an especially worrying proportion of my immediate family. Are you by chance also religious?

The two seem to go hand in hand in my somewhat limited experience of people I know claiming it(4 out of 4)..can't imagine why.

I ask this as a person capable of being physically crippled by empathy/sympathy, to the point where it was deemed a symptom contributing to mental illness, and can and will seize and have massive cramps as a result thereof. Anybody who knows me will know that I will tell them I cannot cope with crying or people who would make other people cry, or arguments and drama in general.
Yet still I in no way believe myself or any of those people to have anything but a severe under appreciation for their own senses and purely physical awareness.

I am quite ready to believe that there is more going on than we see/understand/know, quite ready to accept that I can't disprove the idea of a God or Gods, as much as I might want to(If only for the sake of having a solid answer). But going from that to "mental super powers must exist" is just beyond my ability and comprehension.

Edit: While it's on my mind, my grandfather recently announced that my two dogs are also capable of psychic empathy.

 

[beastro]

Also worth noting, he claims he gains his powers from his faith in Christianity. THUMBS UP!

I find this ironic given the real rate of Christian adherence in Norway.

Doesn't matter what people throw away, they'll replace it with something else. To those that speak of scientific triumphalism, really think about the species you're talking about. There we well defined limits to the human mind.

 

[Signa]

My aunt believes in angels...so much so that even when she is quite financially crippled, she shelled out 100 bucks on a f**king angel decoration to protect her...

She also believes in Fairys because of the existence of Fairy Forts...*facepalm*

I love my aunt but she is insanely superstitious, if I went up to her and said I saw an angel/ghost, she would believe me instantly.

You think that's bad? My aunt actively denies the possibility of aliens in the universe, just simply because there is no place in God's plan for them. The sheer arrogance of that statement boggles my mind.