Debunking Sylvia Browne: Are Television Psychics Real?

Do You Believe?

By Michelle L Devon (Michy), published Dec 22, 2006
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I have long watched Ms. Sylvia Browne in her performances, particularly on the Montel William's show, with a mixed reaction of wonder and anger - Wonder that anyone could be as cold and calculatingly callous as she and anger at the same thing. Yet, still I watch... and after all, this is the point of her appearing on television. Love her or hate her, believe in her ability of not, Sylvia Browne receives high ratings, and high ratings mean money, for her and the network. But is she really a psychic?

Well, the debate is still open on exactly what a psychic is anyway, so it's hard to really put a finger on the crux of the question about Sylvia Browne's psychic ability, but I'm going to take a brave stance and say - sure! Why not? Or maybe, No! She's not! I'm so confused!

I was looking up what the definition of what a psychic was, because I wanted to see if Sylvia Browne qualified under the standard definition. What I found was a bit duplicitous. One definition said: "denoting the supernormal character of certain phenomena. (psychic ability)" Supernormal, supernatural... okay what's THAT mean?

According to Wikipedia, it means "forces and phenomena that cannot be perceived by natural or empirical senses, and whose understanding may be said to lie with religious, magical, or otherwise mysterious explanation -yet remains firmly outside of the realm of science."

That made me wonder about exactly what the word science means, but then I realized I could very possibly be looking up definitions all day and not truly get down to what being a psychic really is, because it's not the same for every person, and not being a part of science, it cannot be defined, uhm, definitively.

Let's look at another definition of psychic though: "A person with the ability to see, hear and feel by use of senses other than the natural senses."

Okay, do I believe that Sylvia Browne is a real psychic? I said yes and no, right? No, under the first definition of the word psychic, I do not believe Sylvia Browne is a real psychic. Yes, under the second definition of the word, I do.

Sort of.

 
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Debunking Sylvia Browne: Are Television Psychics Real?

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Credit: Steve Knight

Copyright: Steve Knight

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Takeaways
  • James Randi has offered Sylvia Browne 1-Million Dollars to prove she has psychic ability.
  • Sylvia Browne consented to being tested for psychic ability on national television, but has yet to submit to the tests.
  • The psychic industry is a multi-BILLION dollar industry. PFN alone raked in between 1.4-2 BILLION last year.
Did You Know?
"On a per-minute basis, no information available by telephone is more expensive than the predictions of phone psychics." --Roger van Bakel
Comments
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For someone that hasn't experinced getting a true psychic reading, it's very opinionated, which is what free speach is all about. Speaking from personal experience, I didn't get a reading from sylvia, I got a reading from Chris, her son. And it was amazing. For someone that had only heard me say Hello, he knew ALOT about me. He knew my mother was Bi-polar, he knew that my boyfriend and I were getting married this month, he knew about my son, and my restraining order on my ex-husband. There is no way he got that off of my voice from saying Hello. ;-P Don't debunk it, til you try it.

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Posted on 10/02/2007 at 5:10:00 PM

 
Michelle, I appreciated your thoughts, As for me , I do beleave people can have God given insight to the spiritual realm. But, I also beleave some receive their gift's from the evil side. I personally would like to see more prophets of God predicting things. And watching as their predictions came to pass. Then we would know for sure if they were true & or false. Amen !

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Posted on 08/22/2007 at 6:08:00 PM

 
Thanks Michelle. I must honestly admit I feel relief that somebody poked at her. The am't of money they rake in for a tid-bit advice is fraudulent by itself. ;-)

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Posted on 03/12/2007 at 7:03:00 AM

 
Well written although I disagree with some of what you say. Still, I'll defend your right to say it because you do it so well!

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Posted on 01/23/2007 at 2:01:00 PM

 
Michelle, This has been a real source of confusion for me. I had never believed in this stuff remotely. I've had people tell me that I have psychic tendencies. Like you, there's something to do with the profession here. I'm empathetic, and I notice things--tune into the obscure actions that give human behavior away. That doesn't make me psychic, just observant. An editor at the papers I was with did a story on a local psychic. No names, no background, just birth time and date. This editor had an odd background, and the woman nailed it. The editor's husband had killed himself in front of her. It wasn't reported on, and it had happened years before. The editor believed in none of this like me. She asked me to do it. I did. I had just gotten divorced and had started dating. The woman named in order the professions of the people I had dated. It was creepy to say the least. I guess where I came down on the "it's possible" side involves my field of writing, crime/law

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Posted on 01/06/2007 at 11:01:00 PM

 
Ever-amazed with your articles! You never fail to show instead of tell. And, as usual, you stir-up conversation and commentary within our AC circles. Yes, "free will" is very predictable. After all, we're only human - ha, ha ha. Thank you for all you share, Michelle.

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Posted on 01/06/2007 at 11:01:00 AM

 
Of course she's not real, only those who are desperate for someone to tell them what they want to hear, rather than the truth, believe in her. There are however, empathic people, they are psychic is a sense, they are highly emotionally sensitive, they pick up on things in others, vibes, hey can decipher them, help people. No true psychic can give specific answers, those are scammers, they work on needy people. Read this Blog post http://diary-of-a-carny.blogspot.com/2006/05/circles-of-life-2-secret.html

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Posted on 01/05/2007 at 3:01:00 AM

 
Hey M, see what I mean about how psychic predictions are bound to have a failure rate? See, your prediction was wrong...LOL Thanks for the page views though, much appreciated.

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Posted on 12/30/2006 at 9:12:00 PM

 
Nice article. I think she's a shill for satan. (Just kidding). However, while I have seen the most minute psychic ability demonstrated personally, I think she is just a great actress. There is a website I used to frequent for skeptics, and they had a standing offer to ms. brown of $1million or some such figure for proof of said ability. She was going to take that offer and then never did. She could have donated to charity or the old psychic's home if the money was insulting her talents...

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Posted on 12/29/2006 at 6:12:00 AM

 
I predict that you'll stroke your own ego by making sure this article stays on the "Top Rated" page all week.

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Posted on 12/28/2006 at 8:12:00 PM

 
I know my mom has flashes of psycic ability. Only brief things and always when somebody close to her is going to die or get hurt. But it has happend less than 10 times in her 57 years. I believe most TV psycics are full of crap. I do watch them from time to time. Ive also been known to watch pro wrestling as well though lol.

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Posted on 12/28/2006 at 1:12:00 PM

 
Michelle--thanks for yet another insightful and (Yay!!!)well-written article. Check out Michael Crichton's "Travels", too. It's an autobiographical piece that includes details of his personal experiences in debunking psychics, with some startling results. By the way--is everything okay? Thanks again..

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Posted on 12/27/2006 at 6:12:00 PM

 
I agree about Sylvia Browne wholehartedly. I know someone who had a reading with her- it was $800 for a half hour phone reading, and the reading was crap. She was non-specific and went out of her way to not really say anything. There are real psychics who charge, though, they are people who want to do that with their lives full time, but have bills to pay too. And there are many Christian psychics, not just pagans. Unfortunately, since psychic ability is unpredictable and hard to prove, it will attract its share of charlatans.

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Posted on 12/27/2006 at 10:12:00 AM

 
I predict that someone with dark hair will vote on your story (or is it light hair? 50/50) It will probably be a man ...or woman. 50/50 again) that is short (or tall. that's a tough one, b/c it's 33/33/33 now)

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Posted on 12/26/2006 at 8:12:00 PM

 
In defense to Sylvia Browne, she does do pro bono work for hurting families and police departments. As for the hundreds of people that have jobs through the telephone, it comes down to money and the time the client spends on the phone.

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Posted on 12/24/2006 at 12:12:00 PM

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