What is it about the unseen and the unseeable that fascinates humanity?
It might come from the limbic portion of our brains (popularly called the “reptile brain”) that works on an animal “fight or flight” level. Things we don’t see just might be there–we just can’t see them, and they might eat us. So we either fight them, or we run like hell.
This has all sorts of implications in our lives, from unreasoned fears (agoraphobia) to religious belief (Hey! the Big Guy is watching out for everything, so we don’t have to worry) to war (those guys over there are bad people–bomb them!).
The problems we have in today’s world mostly stem from those few who claim that they can see and understand the things the rest of us cannot, and for a price will help the rest of us see and understand. Insecure and credulous people flock to such.
Those who claim to “see” always turn out to be charlatans. Pat Robertson, Ted Haggard, and Benny Hinn (religious hucksters who claim a pipeline to God):
"They (the Haitians) were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal."
Deepak Chopra and Jean Houston (“holistic” healers who claim a pipeline to well-being):
"If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge."
concepts such as feng shui (which claims a pipeline to a sense of harmony):
"The direction your house faces arrives at information. It also divides your house into Eight areas of enrichments. These areas govern every area of your life."
most politicians (who claim a pipeline to benevolent rule)
"As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice."
How can you tell a true visionary from a charlatan?
- Life experience (known as your “bullshit meter”)
- When simple concepts are described in vague, undefined terms that sound lofty but contain no concrete meanings (“life energy”, “God’s will”)
- When the discussion turns quickly to “come spend money and you’ll see, too!“
