WARNING, this is a very long post but one that I hope you will take the time to wade through so that some clarification might come about, hatchets buried and major misunderstandings nullified.
nickj wrote:Agitation? No, but your insistence that your point of view is right, and the associated rationalist bashing gets rather wearying and is just as arrogant as your interpretation of the personalities of said rationalists.
If there exists anything which is beyond the materialistic and which cannot be proved by empirical methods then it is simply not something which can be dealt with by science; many scientists will have personal views on these things, but they cannot say with authority that they are not possible. However, if there is any testable evidence such as knowing the unknowable in this case, it should be a simple matter to determine such to a reasonable degree of accuracy; where this accuracy comes from may or may not be a matter for science. Unfortunately, many of those who share your views on what must be termed the supernatural, also share your rampant cynicism of the scientific method and will not allow testing, or, when testing proves nothing, complain that science doesn't work.
Nick, I'm uncertain if you're directing this towards me but for the sake of clarification on certain issues I’m using your post here (http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic37312-15.php) as a spring board, so please understand that this is not any kind of personal “attack”
Yes, I do lash out at the whole "skeptic" thing because most are not true skeptics, rather "skeptics by proxy" or "osmosis" -- the faux belief that to be a magician obliges you to not believe in anything, etc. It's a relatively new condition in our society (less than 25 years, I'd say) in that the Christian Magician's Assoc. still held a great deal of influence in the early 80s as did other faith-based magician clubs; voices that were bluntly and rudely silenced by the CSICOP and JREF type elements that rose in "power" and social-political influence in the latter 80's into the 90s to present. Even insiders to these skeptical groups are complaining about the evangelic attitudes so many are taking these days along side their bullying tactics. The other issue that is upsetting these "true" skeptics is the fact that so many of this assholy types really do come to the table "unarmed"... that is to say, they merely echo "the scriptures" as they've been taught to do just like a Sunday go'n to meet'n Christian... hypocrite -- individual's whose "faith" (knowledge) is little more than veneer.
My bitterness stems from a handful of issues when it comes to the self-proclaimed skeptics. Ignoring the above point’s one of my biggest pet-peeves centers on the lack of hands-on experience when it comes to ANY issue tied to Psi or the Paranormal. Granted, they have dozens of semi-rational retorts including the popular, “I don’t have to take heroin to know what it will do to me…” which is actually a bunk argument in that you can’t know how anything will affect you until you’ve have a direct experience with it. This is a fact that medical and mental health professionals BOTH agree on; “scientists” and professionals that deal with such things daily… but what do they know? It’s obvious that the pseudo-skeptics know more and better, right?
There are many individuals that judge me (and others such as Richard Webster or even Mark Lewis for that matter) to be a charlatan while they have NOTHING to stand on outside what their preachers told them to perceive and believe... I think said actions are best known as "contempt without investigation" or as old Ben Franklin put it "judging a book by its cover" vs. what the body of the text reveals. The facts of the matter being something none of these accusers will ever know because of their lack of willingness to be willing to LEARN what is actually what and how we actually do our work as Readers, Teachers of Metaphysics, etc.
The "true" skeptics I know out there; the Rick Maue's and Banachek's as an example, give me far less grief and even support on many levels, than these wannabe types that come after me with but a small fraction of accurate details when it comes to what I (and other “Old School” Mentalists) actually do and practice. They seem to "get" my position as a skeptic as well as my philosophy of teaching the believer by using honey vs. vinegar, when it comes to a more "rational" point of view. But then, this is one of the reasons why I segregate the idea of "Skeptic" from those that are practicing "Cynics"... the latter striving to see the world in black & white vs. the shades of grey that the legit skeptic is willing to accept.
What we have today as a supposed "skeptic" is nothing like the original skeptics or investigators of old; most of whom were men and women with a sense of faith, but who were seeking confirmation of that faith... not the same as a "debunker" (an idea that oft time gets confused and meshed into be “the same” as being a skeptic)... who are typically half-educated enthusiasts that have contempt for any and all versions of faith/belief. Like the prohibitionists of the early 20th century in America, this sort would rather take an axe and hammer to everything first and ask questions later... again, contempt prior to "consideration".
A great example of what I'm saying can be seen in the social political games being played on this very forum towards me... the theories and opinions of one individual spread like a wildfire, seemingly sustained by my own ignorance when it comes to certain "Pirate" forums that I've had incidental contact with (long story – see below) as well as my views (which are shared by many) when it comes to the new sense of selfishness (arrogance) by self-important writers/contributors...
…like many out there, especially in my age group, I understand the concept of a public library as well as how friends and fellow club members have ALWAYS shared books, videos and even props over the decades. Hell, I used to broker rent/lease deals for props owned by several noted pros; equipment that frequently went out to non-magicians for shows like "Circus of the Stars" as well as theme parks, trade shows, etc.
I guess you could say that I believe today's greed & ego driven "innovators" need to grow-up and get a bit more real when it comes to how this business has worked for centuries...
…but that's just my opinion... though it is shared by many folks in this big world... like Stephan Minch, Franz Harrary, Gay Blackstone, Chuck Jones, etc. But then, the Smithsonian and Library of Congress likewise believe there is no wrong or infringement done when digitizing the books, documents, video, etc. they have in inventory and posting it on line... of course Yale, Harvard and a handful of other major Universities are doing the same sort of projects.
Alas... unknown writers set in a rather minor industry (which magic actually is) believe that their lumps of coal are far more important, earth breaking, et al. The truth being, much of what they’ve offered has actually been panned by the movers & shakers in the field… even laughed at because it IS NOT as “original” or “practical” as the author wishes to believe… hell, I’m guilty of thinking that with some of the material I’ve put on the market (much of which has been posted on “File Share” sites BTW).
Funny how that works...
Unlike my handful of detractors, I actually do have numerous accolades tied to my name as well as historic documentation when it comes to the many contributions I’ve made to this industry… most done well before my detractors did their first shows… (just check this list for starters… it is not complete but offers decent sense of perspective when it comes to the who & what I really am vs. the theories and conjecture some try to promote as being my “truth” – http://www.magicauction.com/IllusionHotline/Illusion_Rights.htm)
Craig & the Pirates. . .
Yes, I’m guilty of having literally “stumbled” (think Mozilla/FireFox Browser) into a video archive that happened to be a “Pirate” source on first run films. It was not my intent however, simply coincidence; I was looking for the U.S. version of a particular Tv program (Queer as Folk) and could not find it anywhere but on this particular site (while the British version seemed rather abundant). I have since found this and others shows that I enjoy (such as DEXTER) on legit sites akin to Hulu or Network sponsored forums. In this particular instance, I was not feeling good and wanted to watch said program while I was resting.
The other “issue” a few have twisted so as to paint me in a dim light, was an article I posted about the anti-pirating laws being past and how it was complicating life for the rip-off artists of the world. My intent was merely to educate forum members of the law and show the squirming, nothing more! Yet, those infected by the TM anti-Craig syndrome chose to spin this courtesy into being something other.
Craig the “Victim”
Yes, I’ve heard this clamor as well most ALL OF IT stemming from within TM and no other site at which I participate (unless, a TM member… more specifically, the handful of folks tied to one key instigator… there have been a few occasions in which said folk have injected a “spin” on things… but that’s not my point here).
Yes, Craig Browning has a plethora of both, physical and mental health problems and yes, he is easily confused, frustrated and paranoid… he likewise has significant brain damage due to early life stupidity (a.k.a. Martial Arts & Stunt work “accidents”) as well as MS issues (there are over 80 lesions on my brain that are documented and can be proven via MRI reports as well as my Neurosurgeons testimony… I stress this in that some folks around here don’t wish to believe I’m ill at all… I wish that were so. But we’ll ignore the fact that I’ve only been out of hospital for roughly 10 days at this point in time and nearly died roughly three weeks ago from a combination of pneumonia and bacterial infection of the lungs.)
Because of the memory problems as well as the various psychological issues I have to juggle, I get dates and chronologies out of sync; I misunderstand what some say or mean in posts and thus, come across a bit gruff and “out of tune” to things…
… I’m not offering “excuses” just explanations – perspectives that my detractors not only strive to discredit, but seek to use against me even though they’ve never met or spoken with me directly.
Repercussions…
I have no doubt that several individuals are going to lash out in retort to what I’ve said or implied (or the thread will get locked, quickly). I simply don’t care any longer. There is absolutely nothing I can say or do to take the poisoned views you’ve cultivated or assumed, and clarify or neutralize it all no matter how many facts I throw at you. Fortunately, I know that these expressions of bitterness seem to reside almost exclusively in two key forums; TM (in that I’m no longer part of the Magic Bunny… another UK based forum where the general memberships think me a major A*S*S – and I point out the UK connection in that it seems a chief constant when it comes to these attitudes… almost as if you don’t want to consider a bigger portrait of things that lays outside your little island empire)
BTW… I’m not “anti-British” (though I busted a gut the first time I heard that line… how silly can you get?) I’m just anti-arrogant; anti-stupid and when it comes to magic I’m very much supportive of things keeping segregated vs. mixed into a stew as so many newbies want to do. It’s how I was trained over the past four decades (roughly) and how the majority of my contemporaries understand it all; everything in its place and season.
The reality is, I and more than a few hundred others know the truth of my life. I’d think a wise person would weigh such numbers and facts over the views and theories offered by a small handful out there; None of us need the headache. I’m simply covering many bases in this rather extended post and most important, dealing with the bias set towards me on this forum specifically. So let’s deal with the myth that I think I’m always right and how I encourage people to do or approach something is the “only right way” to do it…
THIS IS NOT TRUE!
Yes, I’m an opinionated jerk at times; absolutely no argument there but, clarification is required…
I’m a bit of a “jerk” when it comes to keeping things segregated and in their own categories as previously noted. I’m likewise a jerk when it comes to the idea of KNOWING YOUR JOB and what it means to be an “Illusionist” (one that performs large scaled effects… or so that’s been the meaning since the days of Kellar & Thurston until the past half-dozen years) or an Escapist, or a Mentalist, etc. But to likewise have the DISCIPLINE to recognize why you don’t mix this with that or when you do, the mix is done appropriately; Sponge Balls don’t go with a solid Q&A act though you might get away with a bit like Casino Royale… a bit that’s an obvious magic trick even though it has a “Psychic” sort of theme (a weakness to most Bank Night bits that incorporate a ton of props).
To my mind someone that claims to be a Mentalist/Psychic Entertainer must strive to be the cleanest, most impossible such attraction they can be. When you couple or “infect” such a claim by doing a dozen or more magic tricks you are essentially shooting yourself in the foot. This isn’t my opinion but rather a point of view that’s been shared time and again by most of the top rated psychic entertainers of recent history. When we do such things we taint the psychology; something one of my detractors has even pointed out in one of his books; so why am I the singled out “jerk” for emphasizing said perspective?
My passion and love of magic spans decades and the gods only know how much blood, sweat & tears. My ONLY GOAL is to challenge ever enthusiast to think through what they are doing and get them to dig in deep enough to find alternatives – ways of making what they envision better! While I might bust someone’s balls for doing really dumb stuff, my charge is not intended to distance them but rather challenge them to THINK and do things in a more appropriate, effective manner.
Yes, I’m gruff… sorry but nearly every teacher I had over the years was firm and in some cases “brutal” when it came to making me think things through. Even the one major exception to this (Milt Larsen) came about as the result of some very difficult days in my life; two years of trying to not just “remember” who Craig Browning was but to essentially re-learn everything I’d forgotten. It was in fact Milt, Abb Dickson, Harry Blackstone, Peter Pit and Kirkham that gave me my life back… every one of them offering a no-nonsense way of getting the job done. Particularly due to the fact that working pros in this business don’t have time to waste on foolishness and folly… knit gloves and political correctness simply aren’t part of the formula in my experience.
So while it is true, I’m a bit of an opinionated curmudgeon that will cling to certain very specific points, there is not a single HONEST person out there that can accuse me of not striving to fulfill things as I’ve stated here; my goal is ALWAYS to bring out the best and challenge people to consider a far more broad sense of possibility.
Craig & Mysticism…
This is kind of a repeat to things I’ve said previously in this, the original thread and other places.
While I AM very much as skeptic that does hands on investigations, even working with law enforcement agencies when it comes to exposing and prosecuting dangerous “predatory’ situations, I am NOT a “cynic” and I pray to the gods that I never become that narrow minded – things are simply far to “big” than “man’ is sometimes willing to accept and as such, there is more than sufficient room for the auspices of faith/believe in the surreal/spiritual & psi to co-exist with the rudiments of “science”. My experiences and personal footwork confirming that today’s science works more “hand in hand” with yesteryear mysticism/occultism than some in the world wish or are willing to allow as part of their reality. Unlike Thomas, they even doubt the scars…
While I KNOW for fact that there are many crooks, fast-talkers and predators within the Psychic industry I’m likewise aware of the FACT that most DO NOT fit into said mold. For that reason I am seriously opposed to the Psychic Baiting and Harassment encouraged by Ian Rowland in his “canonized” tome on Cold Reading as well as the echo of similar attitudes made by others… ironically UK based cynics more than those residing in other, less cynical world cultures.
Wow! Another jab at the Brits!
Sorry about that but you guys are known worldwide for your crass cynicism of just about everything. In realizing this I’ve managed to let some of the shoulder chips I’ve had lying about, to fall to the ground. Then again, my experience with several UK residents have likewise proved to me that the schmuck factor isn’t as big a constant as it sometimes seem; it’s just the squeaky wheel that gets the most attention. I’d suggest lubricating it but I’m certain someone would take affront to the suggestion (while others might be eager to give it a try).
I do get rather tired of the fact that so many people belonging to the same group host a very wrong view of me and for unjustified reasons. That is the reason for this rather extensive post; to hopefully help you see things a bit clearer and less “tainted”. Maybe it will remind some of you as to how I was originally received to this forum and help you question some of the things you’ve heard or come to assume.
Three weeks ago I nearly died (literally!). While my docs say it will be another 4-6 weeks before I’m truly on my feet again, the experience inspired me to “clean house” and that happens to include sweeping out some of the B.S. that’s been hurting me for some time – only a small kernel of which stems from nickj’s remarks found at the start of this thread.
I’m not out to start some kind of childish back & forth with ANYONE. If you have a legit question, ask it. Know up-front that I will not go out of my way to document and defend my life on any level. My accusers have failed thus far, to reveal certain information that would be needed by anyone seeking to “prove” me some sort of fraud or braggart. I think that says more than enough when it comes to their rumors, theories and general negativity towards me… so let’s leave that B.S. alone in that it cannot be substantiated.
Ask the questions you have that can help us know one another better… that can help you better understand where I’m coming from with things.
Life is simply too short and we all have so many good things to do, so why leave the air stale and the waters murky?
Thanks so much to those that took the time to actually read these words, especially those that actually invested the time to digest things rather than skirt through looking for holes, snares and other hooks by which to “trip me up”… sorry, but I’m not playing that game… life is way too short!
Thanks again, to everyone!
