Messiah
June 2, 2008
PZ Myers at Pharyngula posted the beginning of the BBC special Messiah, in which Derren Brown travels from England to America to try and convince five paranormal leaders that he possesses the powers they apparently practice.
It’s a fantastic programme that really shows how people can be easily manipulated when someone knows how to pick the right targets, read people, and plant suggestions. It’s fascinating to watch.
My favourite bit comes near the end, when he makes a small audience and a professional medium believe he’s contacting the dead. I can ignore, or even see the entertainment value, in fortune tellers and palm readers, but I absolutely despise spirit mediums. It warms my heart whenever someone takes time to expose them as frauds. There are a lot of disgusting ways to make a living in this world, and taking money from people by pretending to relay messages from their dead mothers ranks quite high, as far as I’m concerned.
