All in your head?
November 25, 2009 3:33 AM Subscribe
Does anyone still believe in phrenology?
Probably.
People also believe they were anal probed by aliens.
People can't be trusted.
Some background here.
posted by turgid dahlia at 3:50 AM on November 25, 2009 [2 favorites]
People also believe they were anal probed by aliens.
People can't be trusted.
Some background here.
posted by turgid dahlia at 3:50 AM on November 25, 2009 [2 favorites]
Apparently there are still some.
It's amazing what people will believe. The popularity of ghost hunting shows that the "ghost hunters" and their viewers put a lot of stock in not just the existence of ghosts, but their detectability. An "orb" of light in a photo tells most of us there was a reflective surface, a mote in the air or something on the camera lens, but to them it means ghost. They ask questions in the dark and then play the recording back really slowly and/or really loudly, identifying noises in the static that could be responses from beyond. These pareidolia suggest that, for some humans, the desire to believe in something vastly outweighs the facts at hand.
I wouldn't be surprised if it took off in popularity again. It's antiquity could give it added allure. "In such-and-such year, Dr. Whosits discovered the healing benefits of phrenology. But as big pharma began to influence the mainstream medical society, they decided to ostracize this valuable technique. Today, Dr. Whatsisname, a board certified practitioner of alternative medicine, is bringing this forgotten science to you." Etc. Something like that.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 4:03 AM on November 25, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's amazing what people will believe. The popularity of ghost hunting shows that the "ghost hunters" and their viewers put a lot of stock in not just the existence of ghosts, but their detectability. An "orb" of light in a photo tells most of us there was a reflective surface, a mote in the air or something on the camera lens, but to them it means ghost. They ask questions in the dark and then play the recording back really slowly and/or really loudly, identifying noises in the static that could be responses from beyond. These pareidolia suggest that, for some humans, the desire to believe in something vastly outweighs the facts at hand.
I wouldn't be surprised if it took off in popularity again. It's antiquity could give it added allure. "In such-and-such year, Dr. Whosits discovered the healing benefits of phrenology. But as big pharma began to influence the mainstream medical society, they decided to ostracize this valuable technique. Today, Dr. Whatsisname, a board certified practitioner of alternative medicine, is bringing this forgotten science to you." Etc. Something like that.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 4:03 AM on November 25, 2009 [1 favorite]
If it has healing benefits, it's presumably Retrophrenology.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 4:33 AM on November 25, 2009
posted by TheophileEscargot at 4:33 AM on November 25, 2009
I think the key to this question is in realizing that many--maybe most--people don't subject things in their lives to any kind of rigorous scientific inspection. People are pretty superstitious; that is, they might believe something to be true based purely on anecdotal evidence or hearsay. The people I've spoken to who pay "psychics" to tell them their future will tell you they're not sure they "believe in it," but they still go and pay money. I think a part of them doesn't care what the objective facts are. And I'm sure the psychics are happy to get paid regardless of how much truth they believe they have access to. So genuine belief in phrenology, and the ongoing casual practice of phrenology, might be a lot less correlated than one might instinctively assume.
Also, Terminal Verbosity--
"The popularity of ghost hunting shows that the "ghost hunters" and their viewers put a lot of stock in not just the existence of ghosts, but their detectability."
I'm not sure this is particularly sound. To wit:
"The popularity of vampire culture shows that the "vampires" and their viewers put a lot of stock in not just the existence of vampires, but their rich culture.
Sounds a bit silly when you recognize ghost hunting shows for what they are--entertainment, ultimately generated to get good enough ratings to sell ads. Which is all pretty much anything on television is. Positing that people who watch ghost hunting shows actually believe in ghosts is a pretty poor proposition.
posted by Phyltre at 5:36 AM on November 25, 2009
Also, Terminal Verbosity--
"The popularity of ghost hunting shows that the "ghost hunters" and their viewers put a lot of stock in not just the existence of ghosts, but their detectability."
I'm not sure this is particularly sound. To wit:
"The popularity of vampire culture shows that the "vampires" and their viewers put a lot of stock in not just the existence of vampires, but their rich culture.
Sounds a bit silly when you recognize ghost hunting shows for what they are--entertainment, ultimately generated to get good enough ratings to sell ads. Which is all pretty much anything on television is. Positing that people who watch ghost hunting shows actually believe in ghosts is a pretty poor proposition.
posted by Phyltre at 5:36 AM on November 25, 2009
Positing that people who watch ghost hunting shows actually believe in ghosts is a pretty poor proposition.
Positing that you know why people watch a particular show is a pretty poor proposition.
For all we know some people who watch ghost hunting TV shows genuinely believe in ghosts. As another commenter noted above, there is a phrenology web site out there.
People are willing to believe all manner of things, no matter how absurd.
posted by dfriedman at 6:17 AM on November 25, 2009
Positing that you know why people watch a particular show is a pretty poor proposition.
For all we know some people who watch ghost hunting TV shows genuinely believe in ghosts. As another commenter noted above, there is a phrenology web site out there.
People are willing to believe all manner of things, no matter how absurd.
posted by dfriedman at 6:17 AM on November 25, 2009
*bump*
Ok, only kidding -- here in London there seems to be a business based in a somewhat swanky location (St Martins Lane in the West End) selling phrenology products:
http://www.london-phrenology.com/
(Though, admittedly, a search under Companies House reveals that this is a dormant company, so I'm guessing interest is limited.)
posted by laumry at 7:33 AM on November 25, 2009
Ok, only kidding -- here in London there seems to be a business based in a somewhat swanky location (St Martins Lane in the West End) selling phrenology products:
http://www.london-phrenology.com/
(Though, admittedly, a search under Companies House reveals that this is a dormant company, so I'm guessing interest is limited.)
posted by laumry at 7:33 AM on November 25, 2009
Yes, but these days we call it fMRI.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 8:19 AM on November 25, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by solipsophistocracy at 8:19 AM on November 25, 2009 [1 favorite]
I always fill it out on forms where I needlessly have to give a college major or occupation, but I don't believe in it.
Psychokinesis though, that's a different can of worms!
posted by Pollomacho at 8:46 AM on November 25, 2009
Psychokinesis though, that's a different can of worms!
posted by Pollomacho at 8:46 AM on November 25, 2009
I recently wasted my time with a poorly written and idiotically plotted best seller called The Lace Reader, in which an important character practices phrenology, and the author treats this as if it were meritorious. I repeat, this book was a best seller.
posted by bearwife at 9:34 AM on November 25, 2009
posted by bearwife at 9:34 AM on November 25, 2009
"The popularity of vampire culture shows that the "vampires" and their viewers...
Except that no vampire shows, that I'm aware of anyway, purport to present those fictional characters as anything but. Are ghost hunter shows entertainment? Of course (though for me, not entertaining). But the quasi-documentary "scientific inquiry" tones they adopt are a far cry from Twilight, or whatever the kids these days are accepting as vampires.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 5:26 PM on November 25, 2009
Except that no vampire shows, that I'm aware of anyway, purport to present those fictional characters as anything but. Are ghost hunter shows entertainment? Of course (though for me, not entertaining). But the quasi-documentary "scientific inquiry" tones they adopt are a far cry from Twilight, or whatever the kids these days are accepting as vampires.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 5:26 PM on November 25, 2009
Out of nowhere, your question reminded me of the recent coining of the phrase "gay face." It's controversial and derogatory, but the notion that you can tell some personal characteristic about someone from physical features of the face seems to me that "gay face" is one way in which people still 'believe' in phrenology.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 5:33 PM on November 25, 2009
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 5:33 PM on November 25, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Abiezer at 3:49 AM on November 25, 2009