Sylvia Browne Phone Reading fees lowered?

[RSLancastr]

This makes me wonder... why exactly is she bothering doing any readings at all? You'd figure that with all the money she's scammed off people she'd be able to retire comfortably. (And since she does have some followers, it would be better to protect what's left of her reputation rather than risk making even more foolish predictions.) Is she perhaps hard up for cash?

I have been told that she generally goes through money as soon as she has it, ut you'd think others would be keeping an eye on her finances for her by this point.

Its pretty obvious she knows she's a fraud, so its not like she's thinking she's actually helping people.

It's impossible to know for certain what she does and doesn't know, but I would think it pretty nearly impossible for her to be self-deluded about her "abilities" after all these years. So yes, I think it safe to say that she is a knowing fraud.

 

[ExMinister]

One part deluded and sincere, one part narcissistic personality/control/honesty issues, one part addicted to spendy lifestyle. Mix and speculate. Who knows, but that's how I've been led to understand it.

 

[RSLancastr]

Interesting, Ex-M!

 

[PiscesMercury]

I read about how she messed up with the Amanda Berry case. Very sad. Personally I hesitate to pay any psychic for their services. I contacted a free online psychic named Lawrence of LA, and another free online psychic contacted me. Both of them more or less had the same predictions for me, although the woman gave me a lot more information.

When I was about 9 years old my own mother went to see a psychic for a small fee. The psychic made a lot of predictions and even claimed she could foresee how she would die someday. I particularly remember my mother telling my gran that the psychic said she would soon get a new car. A few months after that we were in a nasty car crash, mother was forced to buy a new car. My mother, however, is a skeptic just like most of you.

 

[rjh01]

I read about how she messed up with the Amanda Berry case. Very sad. Personally I hesitate to pay any psychic for their services. I contacted a free online psychic named Lawrence of LA, and another free online psychic contacted me. Both of them more or less had the same predictions for me, although the woman gave me a lot more information.

When I was about 9 years old my own mother went to see a psychic for a small fee. The psychic made a lot of predictions and even claimed she could foresee how she would die someday. I particularly remember my mother telling my gran that the psychic said she would soon get a new car. A few months after that we were in a nasty car crash, mother was forced to buy a new car. My mother, however, is a skeptic just like most of you.

It is a safe prediction to say that a person will get a new car soon. Maybe people buy a car once every 5 years. So you got a 20% chance of being right by saying 'you will have a new car soon.' Even better odds if you know the car the person has is old. It is even safer if you make that one of heaps of predictions like that. Then a few will come true by chance alone. The rest will be forgotten about.

I note also the prediction was not that your mother would be in a car crash.

 

[John Jones]

I read about how she messed up with the Amanda Berry case. Very sad. Personally I hesitate to pay any psychic for their services. I contacted a free online psychic named Lawrence of LA, and another free online psychic contacted me. Both of them more or less had the same predictions for me, although the woman gave me a lot more information.

When I was about 9 years old my own mother went to see a psychic for a small fee. The psychic made a lot of predictions and even claimed she could foresee how she would die someday. I particularly remember my mother telling my gran that the psychic said she would soon get a new car. A few months after that we were in a nasty car crash, mother was forced to buy a new car. My mother, however, is a skeptic just like most of you.

Cool story, bro. You had me going for a moment there.

 

[PiscesMercury]

I was just recounting the events as they happened.

What truly fascinates me, though, is that certain skeptics appear to be making as much money from the paranormal as the charlatans. It's quite a beautiful yin and yang situation, isn't it?

 

[Garrette]

I was just recounting the events as they happened.

What truly fascinates me, though, is that certain skeptics appear to be making as much money from the paranormal as the charlatans. It's quite a beautiful yin and yang situation, isn't it?

No. It is no more beautiful than the fact that some law enforcement officials make comfortable livings fighting violent drug lords. Necessary, yes. Yin/yang and beautiful? No.

 

[DuvalHMFIC]

I have yet to see a skeptic charge 700 dollars for 20 minutes of their time.

Besides, you do understand the difference, right?

A skeptic who is charging, is selling you exactly what they say they are selling you. Skeptical/scientific information.

A charlatan is selling you something which they cannot provide. That's fraud.

 

[PiscesMercury]

Skeptics are churning out books ( which they sell ) about how people like me don't exist or are deranged, greedy or wicked. Then I get comments from academics saying I should "stop trying to scare them with accurate guesses about the future."

 

[gebobs]

Sylvia: $550
Chris: $200

Sweet knees of Jesus, where's my phone!

 

[gebobs]

Skeptics are churning out books ( which they sell ) about how people like me don't exist or are deranged, greedy or wicked. Then I get comments from academics saying I should "stop trying to scare them with accurate guesses about the future."

Care to share one? Make a bold prediction and I'll pay you.

 

[RSLancastr]

I know - get in line, gebobs!

 

[Doppelgangerv314]

This is ridiculously expensive.

I have a friend who goes to a psychic and I ask her his rate and she feels uncomfortable to tell me. I asked her for his information so I could go in for a "session" and see what kind of gig he's running.

Any advice on how to talk to my friend, informing her of psychics and helping her to get out of this scam.

 

[Flo]

I read about how she messed up with the Amanda Berry case. Very sad. Personally I hesitate to pay any psychic for their services. I contacted a free online psychic named Lawrence of LA, and another free online psychic contacted me. Both of them more or less had the same predictions for me, although the woman gave me a lot more information.

Hasn't it occured to you that the "free online psychics" are no doubt making tons of money (hence are not all that free) through advertisement and/or paying phone lines, and that the second one may very likely have received a lot of infos on you through the first, as well has had all the time in the world to research you ?

When I was about 9 years old my own mother went to see a psychic for a small fee. The psychic made a lot of predictions and even claimed she could foresee how she would die someday. I particularly remember my mother telling my gran that the psychic said she would soon get a new car. A few months after that we were in a nasty car crash, mother was forced to buy a new car. My mother, however, is a skeptic just like most of you.

Maybe she wisely realised that the "psychic" had missed the real important event in her life, the car crash, that most of the other predictions weren't all that great either, and that she shouldn't rely on such baloney to conduct her life ...

 

[PiscesMercury]

Hasn't it occured to you that the "free online psychics" are no doubt making tons of money (hence are not all that free) through advertisement and/or paying phone lines, and that the second one may very likely have received a lot of infos on you through the first, as well has had all the time in the world to research you ?



Maybe she wisely realised that the "psychic" had missed the real important event in her life, the car crash, that most of the other predictions weren't all that great either, and that she shouldn't rely on such baloney to conduct her life ...

No Flo, the woman contacted me before I contacted Lawrence. I never told them about each other, the woman did not recommend or speak of Lawrence. She seemed to know a lot about my past. She is American, and seems to have as much knowledge as a set of encyclopedias...it's just overwhelming.

 

[Garrette]

Skeptics are churning out books ( which they sell )

Skeptics do write and sell books. Whether it is equivalent to the number of believers is somewhat irrelevant, though interesting. I'll wager anything you like that the Amazon section of books by skeptics is vastly outnumbered by the section of believer books.

about how people like me don't exist

No. There are no skeptics who say you do not exist.

For the record: I know what you meant to say, but the fact you didn't actually say it in regard to such an important claim is indicative of the whole debate. Be precise. Be specific. Be accurate. Don't argue via generalities.

or are deranged,

I don't recall ever reading of a skeptic using that word in regard to true believers. They have used other words which the target might understandably find unflattering, but which do not have the connotation you give it here.

greedy or wicked.

Possible and possible. Did you leave out "simply mistaken due to mechanisms well understood" on purpose?

Then I get comments from academics saying I should "stop trying to scare them with accurate guesses about the future."

I find this hard to believe.

 

[Minarvia]

One part deluded and sincere, one part narcissistic personality/control/honesty issues, one part addicted to spendy lifestyle. Mix and speculate. Who knows, but that's how I've been led to understand it.

Interesting, and quite possibly true. I also think it's quite possible that she is "in too deep," as the saying goes. Pride may push her to feel that if she quits then that means skeptics win and she loses, and also that perhaps if she quits then that's basically telling the whole world that she always knew she was a fraud and she can't stomach that thought.

Besides, she built the family empire. What would her quitting at such a crucial time do to them? Would they have to admit to being frauds, too?

I know what I'm trying to say; I just hope I made myself understood here!

 

[Garrette]

No Flo, the woman contacted me before I contacted Lawrence.

I doubt this.

First, it is counter to your original description.

Second, it is counter to common practice. Psychic cold calling is virtually non-existent, at least in the U.S. If the woman contacted you, it wasn't out of the blue; she had a reason, a reason most likely associated with your prior contact with someone in a similar line of work.

Third, your memory is as fallible as everyone else's and as prone to reconstruction as you repeatedly recall the event.

I never told them about each other,

It wouldn't be necessary.

the woman did not recommend or speak of Lawrence.

It wouldn't be necessary.

She seemed to know a lot about my past.

I believe this. The important word being "seemed." It is not all that difficult to "seem" to know a lot of things which are in actuality not known at all.

She is American, and seems to have as much knowledge as a set of encyclopedias...it's just overwhelming.

First, there's that word "seemed" again.

Second, I doubt you actually spent enough time with her to accurately guage the depth of her knowledge.

Third, Ken Jennings, who is not psychic in the least and does not claim to be, does have as much knowledge as a set of encylopedias. Such a demonstration is not evidence of psychic ability.

 

[PiscesMercury]

Just because I mentioned the one event before I mentioned the other, does not mean that the one happened before the other. It might just indicate that the one event had more significance ( to me ) than the other. You should be aware of this kind of thing by now.