Ladewig
I lost an avatar bet.
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2001
- Messages
- 28,828
I will admit in an uncharacteristically gracious manner that your post is a far, far better post than mine.
"Real" Psis- for a game
- Thread starter DarkDaemon
- Start date
I will admit in an uncharacteristically gracious manner that your post is a far, far better post than mine.
xterra
So far, so good...
Glad you approve, Ladewig. I knew that it was a momentary lapse on your part and wanted to save you the trouble of having to correct it.
And of course, as we know, the applicants agree that the conditions are fair and that they had input into them and that nothing in the setup, absolutely nothing at all, can prevent their doing their woo.
Then when they can't do it, there will have been ... something in the setup that prevented them from doing their woo.
That doesn't matter here, because the internal parameters of the game universe allow paranormality. (And if that's not a recognized word, it should be.)
And of course, as we know, the applicants agree that the conditions are fair and that they had input into them and that nothing in the setup, absolutely nothing at all, can prevent their doing their woo.
Then when they can't do it, there will have been ... something in the setup that prevented them from doing their woo.
That doesn't matter here, because the internal parameters of the game universe allow paranormality. (And if that's not a recognized word, it should be.)
DarkDaemon
New Blood
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2013
- Messages
- 10
The bigger danger here is another psi sneaking in and ruining the test. Or using it as an opportunity for assassination. Or any of a dozen nefarious schemes.
xterra
So far, so good...
In the context of your game, yes, those are dangers.
In the real-world context of the MDC, Ladewig's judgement (wth my minor addition) is what happens. It's not a danger, but it's surely a self-justification, and a rationalization: "I really can do it, but something in the conditions prevented it."
In the real-world context of the MDC, Ladewig's judgement (wth my minor addition) is what happens. It's not a danger, but it's surely a self-justification, and a rationalization: "I really can do it, but something in the conditions prevented it."
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Speaking about the in-game fictional scenario:
The JREF has reasons for reserving the right to publicize the results of challenges, including some that would apply if a challenge were successful. As a non-profit organization, the JREF has fiduciary responsibility to spend its funds in ways that are legal for such an organization. Essentially, if they pay out a million dollars, they must prove that they had to by the terms of the challenge contract. Publicizing not only the results of the test, but the full raw data including video records, would help them do that.
One likely event in the aftermath, then, is a lot of skeptics, magicians, and even fake psychics poring over every frame of the video to see if they could spot a trick. Speculative theories of "how it was done" would proliferate, and if any such theory could manage to be complete and consistent with the evidence, it would likely become a popular explanation for "how the JREF was duped." Of course, preventing any such theory from being possible is the goal of the test design, but it's hard to say what people would come up with after the fact. More likely, there would be a few competing and variously flawed theories, each contradicting the known facts in different ways (and covering up those contradictions by asserting that some of the data or evidence was faked, one or more of the skeptics were in on it, and so forth).
If a strong theory arises, there would be calls to repeat the test with additional controls in place, and possibly, sponsors coming forth to offer to pay for such tests. So, your psychic character could have additional income from that, although that would probably be minor compared to things like appearance fees to be on talk shows and the like.
Now, the real million-dollar question in this scenario is, how successful at such public demonstrations would a real psychic have to be, before some "goat staring" types in the government got involved. I know the evil gubmint whisking fledgeling psychics (especially minors!) off to secret high-security laboratories is a horrible cliché but there are actually some pretty good reasons why governments would be concerned about psi powers if they had good evidence that they existed. You'd pretty much need a reason why the intelligence agencies wouldn't be doing that, if they don't, in the game. For instance, a high-level government official who blocks such plans because he's a mole for the Chinese and wants China to get a lead on psi research.
Wiser psychics might play it a little cooler than that, keeping their public exhibitions on the level of "better than Uri Geller but still probably just really good tricks," figuring that most of the public will believe it's real anyhow and will line their pockets accordingly, while at the same time they wouldn't be frightening the powers that be too much.
Respectfully,
Myriad
The JREF has reasons for reserving the right to publicize the results of challenges, including some that would apply if a challenge were successful. As a non-profit organization, the JREF has fiduciary responsibility to spend its funds in ways that are legal for such an organization. Essentially, if they pay out a million dollars, they must prove that they had to by the terms of the challenge contract. Publicizing not only the results of the test, but the full raw data including video records, would help them do that.
One likely event in the aftermath, then, is a lot of skeptics, magicians, and even fake psychics poring over every frame of the video to see if they could spot a trick. Speculative theories of "how it was done" would proliferate, and if any such theory could manage to be complete and consistent with the evidence, it would likely become a popular explanation for "how the JREF was duped." Of course, preventing any such theory from being possible is the goal of the test design, but it's hard to say what people would come up with after the fact. More likely, there would be a few competing and variously flawed theories, each contradicting the known facts in different ways (and covering up those contradictions by asserting that some of the data or evidence was faked, one or more of the skeptics were in on it, and so forth).
If a strong theory arises, there would be calls to repeat the test with additional controls in place, and possibly, sponsors coming forth to offer to pay for such tests. So, your psychic character could have additional income from that, although that would probably be minor compared to things like appearance fees to be on talk shows and the like.
Now, the real million-dollar question in this scenario is, how successful at such public demonstrations would a real psychic have to be, before some "goat staring" types in the government got involved. I know the evil gubmint whisking fledgeling psychics (especially minors!) off to secret high-security laboratories is a horrible cliché but there are actually some pretty good reasons why governments would be concerned about psi powers if they had good evidence that they existed. You'd pretty much need a reason why the intelligence agencies wouldn't be doing that, if they don't, in the game. For instance, a high-level government official who blocks such plans because he's a mole for the Chinese and wants China to get a lead on psi research.
Wiser psychics might play it a little cooler than that, keeping their public exhibitions on the level of "better than Uri Geller but still probably just really good tricks," figuring that most of the public will believe it's real anyhow and will line their pockets accordingly, while at the same time they wouldn't be frightening the powers that be too much.
Respectfully,
Myriad
xterra
So far, so good...
One possibility is that the psychic is incredibly psychic -- and uses only enough of her power to succeed at the task. Then when the "evil gubmint" tries to abduct her, she puts forth her full power and foils the agents.
All sorts of good plot turns are possible here. (And many or most have been used in various science-fiction works. Doesn't mean they're not still good.)
ETA I would have said there are a myriad of plot turns, but don't want Myriad turning on me.
All sorts of good plot turns are possible here. (And many or most have been used in various science-fiction works. Doesn't mean they're not still good.)
ETA I would have said there are a myriad of plot turns, but don't want Myriad turning on me.
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DarkDaemon
New Blood
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2013
- Messages
- 10
Heh. The fun part? The psychic planning to take on the challenge? Part of the "evil gubmint". Sitting senator. I believe the plan might be to create an agency or something to deal with the psis cropping up. I'll have to see. Still, a great post, Myriad. It's good to have a perspective on what the aftereffects might be.
What are some ideas for ways people could call "hoax" on the challenge? Small muscle twitches on part of the applicant/someone watching = signals? Bribery of people running the test?
What are some ideas for ways people could call "hoax" on the challenge? Small muscle twitches on part of the applicant/someone watching = signals? Bribery of people running the test?
Interesting. I'd have to say that our senator's chances of getting re-elected would be rather in jeopardy if he or she won the challenge. Between those who would consider psychic powers as a form of satanic witchcraft, those who regard the whole thing as a distasteful hoax, those who are perfectly willing to believe in psychic powers but don't think it's an appropriately dignified hobby for a senator, and those afraid of being "mind controlled," there would be a lot of political hay for the opposition party to make.
Taking the challenge and losing it for whatever reason (interference by another psychic, for instance) would be even more damaging. The ridicule would be ceaseless, and it would have some teeth, because there are rational reasons for doubting whether a person who (as far as anyone could tell) either had delusions of being psychic or had planned a hoax and failed to even carry it off would be suitable for such a high office.
(When it comes to fears of being mind controlled or having the senator use mind control on other government officials, it doesn't matter whether or not the psychic's abilities actually include mind control. People don't make fine distinctions in such things. Among all the superpowers and deities and so forth in the Marvel universe, I find the single least plausible thing about it is how the public goes around saying things like "The Fantastic Four are okay because they got their super powers from mysterious cosmic rays, but we should kill all the mutants!" If they really hate and fear mutants so much, why would they believe anyone with super powers who claimed not to be a mutant? And contrariwise, why wouldn't the poor persecuted mutants go around saying, "Mutant? Me? Nah, I got these powers from a, um... radioactive... experimental serum... from a mummy's tomb... in the Bermuda Triangle.")
Basically, yes. If the challenge is properly conducted, there won't be any actual signals or bribery to find, and in fact such signals or bribery would not even be able to produce the results obtained. (It becomes more plausible with bribery/collusion of several people.) But look at the kind of things moon landing hoax theorists and 9/11 conspiracy theorists latch onto. If the middle name of one of the testers happens to be similar to the surname of a relative of the psychic, they'll be accused of being relatives and therefore of being complicit. The simplest explanation would be that everyone involved is in on it.
Respectfully,
Myriad
xterra
So far, so good...
As a friend and I are fond of saying about almost everything, "It's a conspiracy."