seeing a medium

Kynthia

It's a waste of money but can be entertaining. Unless she's vulnerable due to a loss and could end up spending a fortune wanting to hear from this departed person I wouldn't worry.

heartbreak_star

I'd say it's a massive waste of money on a load of bunkum. And I'd tell my daughter that too.

HBS x

reehsetin

I'd make sure they know about the dodgy history of 'mediums'
Essentially no one has ANY solid proof that they've been able to contact the dead.

The James Randi foundations offers a 1 million dollar prize to anyone who can prove that they have supernatural abilities. In decades no one has proved a thing. The first thing I'd ask anyone who claims to have any supernatural abilities is why aren't they a millionaire. If they can actually prove something that millions of people over the years have never managed to prove - they should be!

After knowing all of this if someone says they still wanted to go I'd make sure they're very aware of the mechanisms these fraudsters use (cold reading etc)

unholyangel

Anyone ever seen the mentalist with simon baker? Its basically about a guy who is extremely good at reading people and used to pretend to be a physic/medium.

Even Derek Acorah was exposed as a fraud.

That said, I know from first hand experience that intuition type physic-ness exists. But apparently that can be proven as they've managed to study it enough to say that women do have better intuition than men (or so I remember reading years ago).

However just to add, sometimes even fakes can provide peace of mind after losing a loved one. That's not to say I agree with them conning people, more that I understand why people flock to them. People don't like thinking that theres nothing at the end of life. These people help ease that worry for some.

marisco_2

The more you try to discourage her from doing this, the bigger deal going along will become. Is she really a gullible girl likely to swallow all the bull one of these types will spout? She will most likely come away thinking of it all as a bit of a laugh and think no more of it.

Chlorine7

If she wants to be entertained send her to the cinema or a show. Don't encourage the charlatans.

Morglin

Filey wrote: »

My 15 y.o. granddaughter wants to go with a friend to visit a medium.(friend's suggestion.) Her mother is worried that she is too young for such things. As a family we do not believe in the supernatural, but her mother is worried that granddaughter could be influenced in some way. She couldn't give an example but is just a bit worried. But then she is a worrier.

Granddaughter has not had any relatives she has known who have died, and doesn't believe in ghosts or spirits.

So I wondered what you all thought.

I think these things are all a massive con - tell her to spend her money on something useful.

These charlatans con the gullible and the vulnerable.:mad:

Lin

HPoirot

Nah, my friends and I were giggling for weeks afterwards over the leading questions the lady asked each of us and the reading she then gave, it was great fun and I can think of 10 more harmful scrapes a bunch of teenage girls can get up to to pass the time.

Filey

Thanks to you all for your input. It turns out it is going to be one of those 'performances' with an audience. I have told her about cold reading and suchlike, and let her read all your replies. I have also convinced her mother that her daughter is unlikely to be led astray as she is a sensible girl and a well trained sceptic I'm pleased to say.

And it only costs £3.50 or thereabouts so is no great loss for an 'educational' experience. Friend's mother is going too and I have the impression the mother is more likely to be taken in than the girls.

Mojisola

Filey wrote: »

It turns out it is going to be one of those 'performances' with an audience. I have told her about cold reading and suchlike, and let her read all your replies. I have also convinced her mother that her daughter is unlikely to be led astray as she is a sensible girl and a well trained sceptic I'm pleased to say.

I would be so tempted to feed the performer some wrong information so see how far he/she would run with it.