Guy and deaths after a story... Logical thoughts.

[psy_guy]

Hi everyone. I've spoken with a friend of mine, a smart guy actually. It's his bad day today. He had many problems, got angry with his girlfriend, etc...

So he told me what's wrong, I've seen, that he's not telling it all, so I asked: what's wrong, dude? He's told me, that it's related with paranormal things, which would mean parapsychology. I said: Tell me... He: No, I've told this thing to other 4 people and they died. 2 of them, when I was a kid, and the other two - not long ago. Few days after I've told them this. I don't want you to die...

Since He believes in paranormal things very much, like ghosts, afterlife, people helping from up the sky and other stuff like that, I didn't wanted to hurt his feelings, so I said Ok, dude, okay...

Then I was thinking of a logical explanation of this: Since they did died, because he used to tell me, that his friends have died, and this is true that means... That could mean, that he is telling the truth. So my logical thoughts on this "say a phrase to someone and he will die":

He's told him, that it's a risk to his life, told them, that other people have died, etc... So they in their minds set up, that this is dangerous, and they probably believed in such things, at least deep inside were in doubt. (For example me - I know, that there is no such things, I think so, but I cannot help that feeling deep inside, which is telling "maybe". That happens for a lot of things. I especially hate it, when I need to trust myself, like "I did the job great", but that deep feeling is telling me no. After all, it turns out, that it was a great job... So anyway) So, he didn't wanted that, but messed up their heads, they at least deep inside thought, that they could die, and still asked him, because of curiosity and not respect for his feelings and understandings. Then when he told them, they at least deep inside were scared and thought so... Human mind is a powerful thing... It can force your organism into doing many things unconciously...

Anyway, that's my thoughts. What's yours? I am interested about peoples' opinions about everything, as it's interesting for me to study how people think, how they feel, what they feel, it's interesting.

[gone]

I don't know where you're from but I observe similar patterns in your writings & those of a friend I have in Africa (a kenyan national).. I've known him for over 10 years, 10 years ago he would talk of witches and spells and superstitions, he's since spend much time in the west,currently in Denmark and his attitude over the years has become more 'rational'.. he's shaken superstition off.
I don't know where you're from, but people in Africa & undeveloped countries die all the time (it's tragic), but if where you live is similar, you have to take into account the cuture (of superstitin) then the death rate (very high) and then stastistics.
The guy could well have told people this thing and they died, but he could have told 20 people and just 3 of them died and he's engaging in subjective validation http://www.skepdic.com/subjectivevalidation.html (remembering only what he wants to re-inforce his belief).

It sounds like the feelings you are experiencing are Intuition and Doubt..

Superstitions like this don't really exist in the western world anymore. He sounds like a troubled mind, which is what superstitions do, they play with your mind and usually involve fear (and fear is a recognised control tool that people use to control others). As if it's not controlling you, it's certainly playing with your mind. Therefore it's been effective.

[psy_guy]

I'm from a poor country, death rate is high over here, as many poor people are around here... However, his friends were rich ones.
Anyway, I agree and use that "subjective validation" thing you gave me a link to. People I know are tend to remember, what they want to remember. Some of them, and those are the ones, I've business often with. That is a possibility too, however, he sounded pretty serious about this thing, so it's doubtful, but everything's possible, isn't it?
"It sounds like the feelings you are experiencing are Intuition and Doubt.. "
Yes, doubt, I hate doubt... Not sure where the intuition comes in though. But doubt is not a good thing, I'd like to lower it...
"He sounds like a troubled mind, which is what superstitions do, they play with your mind and usually involve fear (and fear is a recognised control tool that people use to control others). " Yes, he is a little bit of trouble minded, he believes in paranormal things, he thinks, that there is no god however, which is strange in the circumstances, he is smart, however, he does bad things to himself. He even thought of killing himself once, I believe. He's one of those few friends I have, who are very emotional. And since he can be an ass to not as smart as him guy/girl, and he's getting smarter, girls and friends are leaving him, which causes him to be... sad let's say. Also, he's finding a new girl, being friends with her for 2 months, tells her the most secret secrets of his and then she leaves him. He feels terrible, as you can imagine. And still - he's smart, he understands that, but he keeps doing it. So yea, he's a little trouble minded guy.
"As if it's not controlling you, it's certainly playing with your mind. Therefore it's been effective. " Well... I can tell, that I am hardly controlled by something, like religion, force, mental force, brutality or imaginary/'deformed' rights. But yes, it is playing with my mind... All these parapsychological things are playing with my mind, especially after such videos as http://movie25.com/visions-and-miracles-2010_7967.html such. The things, that just doesn't make sense, and you don't have anyone to speak about them, discuss them with somebody, who is above high IQ level, and when you can't think of a logical explanation, it's really playing with your mind.
Even when I can think of a logical explanation, as now for example, it still plays with my mind. Doubt. Why am I doubtful? I don't believe my own theory. Why do I believe him? How to make myself believe in myself, not some other guy? Makes no sense to me... It definently plays with my mind, and it isn't good.

Thanks for input.

[gone]

I can't view the video sorry. But by the title and others in category I can guess the content. (BELIEF I'll talk more of this below) You are very intelligent it's obvious and the internet allows you to communicate your thoughts as you seek answers. You seek to understand people it seems. Including yourself as you ask 'Why do I believe him'...
I've just been reading something, as time and again I observe belief being responsible for a lot of irresponsible actions. For example I had a friend who bough a health necklace, it had 3 stones which represented one for Energy, one For Health and one for Guidance she believes in the power of this necklase and paid £550 for it (a shit lot of money).. You see western supersticians have shifted from paranormal to health but still based upon FEAR.. fear of not living to full potential, fear of having no energy, fear of ill health.. so advertisers tap into this and produce gimmicks that people believe in.. Again I can't STRESS the factor here is BELIEF

Repetition form belifs. The more a person is subject to something the more they believe it.. "The primary thrust of the advertising industry is that repetition forms beliefs, as do associations of beliefs with images of sex, love, and other strong positive emotions"

BELIEF please read this for more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belief

You hear a song and thing it's shit awful, you hear another 20times played on the radio until you think "Actually it's alright this" video to demonstate here by the great David Firth

Ask yourself do your beliefs take priority over logic?

[psy_guy]

"The primary thrust of the advertising industry is that repetition forms beliefs, as do associations of beliefs with images of sex, love, and other strong positive emotions" Hehe, figured that, when I was 14, been trying to convince my parents, that ads doesn't mean everything... Oh well.

"You hear a song and thing it's shit awful, you hear another 20times played on the radio until you think "Actually it's alright this" video to demonstate here by the great David Firth " That's one of the reasons I don't watch TV nor listen radio no more... Another reason is crappy translations, crappy movies, boring shows and crappy songs. Want a movie? A song? You got internet? That makes more sense...

"Ask yourself do your beliefs take priority over logic?" Of course not. I stopped believing in many things like ~2 years ago, when i started investigating human psychology more deeply, and started to do many other things, that are more logical... However, I still feel the doubt. When you think about it, I don't trust myself. Don't trust myself VERY much. That could be the reason for doubt, as I don't trust my logic, I doubt at some point, that it's true, and that raises the problem. That would make sense.

P.S. by not trusting myself, I mean, that I often think, that I do something wrong, etc. That's not paranoia though, It's not like "i will get run over, i better wait for all cars to clear and for another light to come up" or "That thing will fall down, I need to move it". It's like "Okay, I'm done with this test... Only 15 minutes have passed, it was easy... Everyone else is still writing. 'check the test once and go give it to the teacher' Again: I must've done many mistakes, I must get some wrong mark on it". That's often comes true though, I tend to think, that most of the things we are learning at school, will not be used in real life. For example most of algebra. In US they are learning calculus, which is actually useful... So I'm learning at home, what I think is interesting and needful. Another example of me thinking... Teacher asks me a question. My mind clears up sometimes, sometimes it doesn't. Then I think: "I will answer it bad... Should I just say, that I don't know, or try?" Usually, if I try, i get it right. However, I still think every time, that I will get it wrong. Well, most of the time. Also, I tend to think sometimes, that I did something not as I could've done. I think, that I could've done it much better. I think of a possiblity, and I instantly think of a better way to do it.

So yea, I've trouble in my own trust of myself. Even though I know it won't probably be true, what I am thinking and that I should trust myself about that.

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So in simple words, I think, that I should work on trust of myself (bet there's a better way to say it in some nice expression...), instead of trying to neglect the doubt. Am I right somewhere about this theory?

[gone]

It's isn't 'trust' as you put it. When I said 'doubt' I nearly mentioned 'self confidence' but I didn't because I just didn't. But from your more recent writing it seems you lack confidence.. But doubt is good, it's a regulation system that creaps in and is a sign of awareness, it's not bad it stops one from being deluded. But just observe the balance.

The story you give of the test, it's normal, finish before everyone else and think great, then you observe the situation more and wonder why no one else has finished, the logic and statistics hint towards yourself as the odd one out, therefore have you done something wrong.. It's a logical and self regulating process. You could be arrogant or deluded if this 'doubt' didn't creep in. But what I suspect will happen is that time and again you encounter this situation and realise there was no need to doubt yourself. And that will build your confidence, through experience and as you say 'trusting' your self.. You will gain in experience, knowledge and with it comes self confidence. :-)

[psy_guy]

I see. I guess, I'm slow at building self-confidence (that's the expression, not "trust in myself", hehehe.) then.

Glad we sorted this out though.