1 00:00:26,470 --> 00:00:23,590 hello and welcome to the skeptic zone 2 00:00:27,670 --> 00:00:26,480 for the 22nd of january 3 00:00:30,230 --> 00:00:27,680 2010. 4 00:00:31,990 --> 00:00:30,240 episode number 66 richard saunders here 5 00:00:37,030 --> 00:00:32,000 with you once again 6 00:00:39,430 --> 00:00:37,040 episode 66 huh on the 22nd of 7 00:00:42,470 --> 00:00:39,440 january 6622 8 00:00:44,549 --> 00:00:42,480 okay all you numerologists out there 9 00:00:46,389 --> 00:00:44,559 get working and speaking of 10 00:00:49,270 --> 00:00:46,399 numerologists you have to be a bit of a 11 00:00:51,270 --> 00:00:49,280 numerologist to work out the fantastic 12 00:00:54,069 --> 00:00:51,280 numbers involved with the 13 00:00:55,750 --> 00:00:54,079 ludicrous bogus and quack modality known 14 00:00:57,990 --> 00:00:55,760 as homeopathy 15 00:01:00,310 --> 00:00:58,000 and a bit of a win for outsider this 16 00:01:02,630 --> 00:01:00,320 week where two websites run by 17 00:01:05,270 --> 00:01:02,640 homeopathy plus in this country have 18 00:01:07,429 --> 00:01:05,280 been ordered to remove misleading and 19 00:01:09,510 --> 00:01:07,439 unverified information 20 00:01:10,950 --> 00:01:09,520 from their websites about homeopathic 21 00:01:12,870 --> 00:01:10,960 vaccination 22 00:01:15,830 --> 00:01:12,880 now this order has been made by the 23 00:01:18,149 --> 00:01:15,840 therapeutics goods administration the 24 00:01:20,469 --> 00:01:18,159 tga here in this country 25 00:01:22,550 --> 00:01:20,479 the retraction that the homeopathy plus 26 00:01:24,710 --> 00:01:22,560 are required to put on their website 27 00:01:27,350 --> 00:01:24,720 reads as follows 28 00:01:30,149 --> 00:01:27,360 retraction an advertisement for 29 00:01:32,230 --> 00:01:30,159 homeopathic immunization products which 30 00:01:34,469 --> 00:01:32,240 we published on this website should not 31 00:01:36,630 --> 00:01:34,479 have been published in the advertisement 32 00:01:39,429 --> 00:01:36,640 we unlawfully made the claims that 33 00:01:42,390 --> 00:01:39,439 homeopathic immunization products could 34 00:01:45,109 --> 00:01:42,400 aid immunity were alternatives to 35 00:01:47,830 --> 00:01:45,119 vaccination and that they could prevent 36 00:01:50,950 --> 00:01:47,840 or protect against infectious diseases 37 00:01:54,069 --> 00:01:50,960 including serious infectious diseases 38 00:01:56,870 --> 00:01:54,079 we also made claims that an advertised 39 00:01:59,670 --> 00:01:56,880 homeopathic product was more effective 40 00:02:01,670 --> 00:01:59,680 than antiviral medication 41 00:02:03,670 --> 00:02:01,680 a complaint about the advertisement was 42 00:02:05,350 --> 00:02:03,680 recently upheld by the complaints 43 00:02:07,429 --> 00:02:05,360 resolution panel 44 00:02:08,869 --> 00:02:07,439 we did not provide adequate evidence to 45 00:02:10,949 --> 00:02:08,879 support the claims made in the 46 00:02:13,830 --> 00:02:10,959 advertisement and the panel found that 47 00:02:17,350 --> 00:02:13,840 the claims were unlawful misleading and 48 00:02:20,150 --> 00:02:17,360 unverified and breached the therapeutics 49 00:02:22,710 --> 00:02:20,160 goods advertising code the panel 50 00:02:25,030 --> 00:02:22,720 therefore requests that homeopathy plus 51 00:02:26,630 --> 00:02:25,040 publish this retraction 52 00:02:29,190 --> 00:02:26,640 so there you go 53 00:02:31,910 --> 00:02:29,200 a bit of a win for our side this week in 54 00:02:34,589 --> 00:02:31,920 australia more news about that can be 55 00:02:40,430 --> 00:02:37,509 www.skeptics.com or at dr h's very own 56 00:02:42,070 --> 00:02:40,440 blog the skeptics book of poopoo at 57 00:02:44,150 --> 00:02:42,080 skepticsbook.com 58 00:02:45,589 --> 00:02:44,160 but now on to this week's show 59 00:02:48,830 --> 00:02:45,599 this week's show we've got a sort of a 60 00:02:52,070 --> 00:02:48,840 double barrel kylie sturgis interview 61 00:02:54,390 --> 00:02:52,080 special she starts off by interviewing 62 00:02:56,869 --> 00:02:54,400 michael marshall from the merseyside 63 00:02:58,710 --> 00:02:56,879 skeptics there in the uk 64 00:03:01,430 --> 00:02:58,720 and he's going to be talking about many 65 00:03:02,830 --> 00:03:01,440 things including the upcoming 1023 66 00:03:06,149 --> 00:03:02,840 homeopathy 67 00:03:08,470 --> 00:03:06,159 campaign then kylie interviews a famous 68 00:03:09,430 --> 00:03:08,480 australian blogger sean the blogger 69 00:03:11,509 --> 00:03:09,440 naught 70 00:03:13,430 --> 00:03:11,519 after all that we can relax in the nice 71 00:03:15,750 --> 00:03:13,440 hot tub with me brian dunning and a 72 00:03:18,949 --> 00:03:15,760 bunch of skeptics in a special 73 00:03:21,350 --> 00:03:18,959 californian edition of the think tank 74 00:03:35,110 --> 00:03:21,360 so sit back grab that champagne and 75 00:03:38,789 --> 00:03:37,350 i'm carly sturgis and i'm talking to 76 00:03:43,430 --> 00:03:38,799 michael marshall 77 00:03:45,589 --> 00:03:43,440 amongst the merseyside skeptics is a 78 00:03:46,470 --> 00:03:45,599 presenter of the righteous indignation 79 00:03:48,390 --> 00:03:46,480 podcast 80 00:03:51,550 --> 00:03:48,400 and skeptics with a k 81 00:03:53,750 --> 00:03:51,560 the 1023 campaign found at 82 00:03:56,229 --> 00:03:53,760 1023.org dot uk 83 00:03:58,470 --> 00:03:56,239 is challenging homeopathy and hopefully 84 00:04:00,710 --> 00:03:58,480 will manage to do it worldwide 85 00:04:02,390 --> 00:04:00,720 the 1023 campaign aims to raise 86 00:04:04,789 --> 00:04:02,400 awareness about the realities of 87 00:04:07,270 --> 00:04:04,799 homeopathy not only investigating the 88 00:04:09,030 --> 00:04:07,280 claims but why people should care 89 00:04:11,270 --> 00:04:09,040 as a member of the merseyside skeptic 90 00:04:13,429 --> 00:04:11,280 society a non-profit organization for 91 00:04:18,390 --> 00:04:13,439 the promotion of scientific skepticism 92 00:04:22,069 --> 00:04:20,310 okay marsh i guess my first question is 93 00:04:23,749 --> 00:04:22,079 is there anything that you don't do for 94 00:04:26,150 --> 00:04:23,759 skepticism 95 00:04:27,590 --> 00:04:26,160 well yeah that's a very good question um 96 00:04:29,990 --> 00:04:27,600 well first of all i uh i helped run the 97 00:04:32,550 --> 00:04:30,000 motorcycle skeptic society um which runs 98 00:04:34,710 --> 00:04:32,560 liverpool skeptics in the pub so i try 99 00:04:35,830 --> 00:04:34,720 uh as best i can and keep uh regular 100 00:04:38,230 --> 00:04:35,840 speakers come along there we've only 101 00:04:39,749 --> 00:04:38,240 been doing talks since i think october 102 00:04:42,710 --> 00:04:39,759 although we've existed since february so 103 00:04:44,310 --> 00:04:42,720 we had a bit of a kind of uh uh a run-up 104 00:04:46,070 --> 00:04:44,320 basically we just thought we'd uh try 105 00:04:47,590 --> 00:04:46,080 and gauge how much um interest and 106 00:04:48,790 --> 00:04:47,600 opinion there would be in in merseyside 107 00:04:50,390 --> 00:04:48,800 before we started and it turns out 108 00:04:51,830 --> 00:04:50,400 there's quite a lot so we went with it 109 00:04:53,909 --> 00:04:51,840 so yeah so i organized the liverpool 110 00:04:55,830 --> 00:04:53,919 skeptics in the pub um i'm on the 111 00:04:57,430 --> 00:04:55,840 skeptics for the care podcast i present 112 00:04:59,670 --> 00:04:57,440 that with uh with mike and with colin 113 00:05:01,590 --> 00:04:59,680 from uh from from the mss from most of 114 00:05:03,670 --> 00:05:01,600 our skeptics um which listens to the 115 00:05:06,150 --> 00:05:03,680 skeptics going skeptic zone might have 116 00:05:07,990 --> 00:05:06,160 actually heard um that's our really 117 00:05:09,590 --> 00:05:08,000 unprofessional sounding trailer in the 118 00:05:10,950 --> 00:05:09,600 middle of the skeptic zone every now and 119 00:05:13,029 --> 00:05:10,960 again where we kind of just mumble and 120 00:05:14,710 --> 00:05:13,039 things that would be us um i also 121 00:05:15,909 --> 00:05:14,720 presented yeah you shouldn't be so tough 122 00:05:17,830 --> 00:05:15,919 on yourself it's great to be able to 123 00:05:19,029 --> 00:05:17,840 support other podcasts it's great yeah 124 00:05:21,990 --> 00:05:19,039 well it was really fantastic for the 125 00:05:23,189 --> 00:05:22,000 skeptics on to run it um yeah i also um 126 00:05:25,350 --> 00:05:23,199 present the righteous indignation 127 00:05:27,749 --> 00:05:25,360 podcast uh as well which is a weekly uh 128 00:05:29,749 --> 00:05:27,759 show which is uh a bit more sort of 129 00:05:32,310 --> 00:05:29,759 formalized and structured uh another 130 00:05:33,749 --> 00:05:32,320 than that i'm called running the 1023 131 00:05:35,590 --> 00:05:33,759 campaign which is the big campaign 132 00:05:36,870 --> 00:05:35,600 that's happening in the uk and hopefully 133 00:05:39,749 --> 00:05:36,880 around the rest of the globe at the 134 00:05:41,189 --> 00:05:39,759 moment um to bring homeopathy to light 135 00:05:44,150 --> 00:05:41,199 in order for our audience to get a bit 136 00:05:45,830 --> 00:05:44,160 of context what exactly is boots and why 137 00:05:48,950 --> 00:05:45,840 are they in particular being challenged 138 00:05:51,110 --> 00:05:48,960 by the first leg of the 1023 campaign 139 00:05:53,029 --> 00:05:51,120 boots are around the leading pharmacy in 140 00:05:54,070 --> 00:05:53,039 the uk um they're they're huge they're 141 00:05:55,510 --> 00:05:54,080 on every high street and they're 142 00:05:58,870 --> 00:05:55,520 synonymous with healthcare really so 143 00:06:00,469 --> 00:05:58,880 they've got a a a incredibly um 144 00:06:02,629 --> 00:06:00,479 incredibly professional reputation and 145 00:06:04,230 --> 00:06:02,639 incredibly um legitimate reputation 146 00:06:05,430 --> 00:06:04,240 they're where people turn 147 00:06:07,189 --> 00:06:05,440 first and foremost for their 148 00:06:09,590 --> 00:06:07,199 pharmaceuticals which is why it's 149 00:06:11,830 --> 00:06:09,600 incredibly disappointing um that they 150 00:06:13,990 --> 00:06:11,840 sell their own brand of homeopathy as 151 00:06:15,909 --> 00:06:14,000 well as a leading brand of homeopathy 152 00:06:18,150 --> 00:06:15,919 right there in the in the shop next to 153 00:06:19,990 --> 00:06:18,160 the real medicines i was wondering if 154 00:06:22,390 --> 00:06:20,000 like in australia there's several 155 00:06:24,469 --> 00:06:22,400 different pharmacies or drug stores that 156 00:06:25,670 --> 00:06:24,479 could possibly be targeted in this 157 00:06:27,189 --> 00:06:25,680 campaign 158 00:06:29,110 --> 00:06:27,199 well there are but uh none with a 159 00:06:30,950 --> 00:06:29,120 legitimacy that a pharmacy with the 160 00:06:32,950 --> 00:06:30,960 reputation of boots can lend it um there 161 00:06:34,309 --> 00:06:32,960 are other shops in the uk things like 162 00:06:36,790 --> 00:06:34,319 holland and barrett's and health food 163 00:06:38,870 --> 00:06:36,800 shops that sell homeopathy but they 164 00:06:40,870 --> 00:06:38,880 don't sell prescription medicines and 165 00:06:42,710 --> 00:06:40,880 cough medicines and and flu remedies 166 00:06:44,309 --> 00:06:42,720 that are a genuine medicine in boots 167 00:06:46,629 --> 00:06:44,319 it's very very difficult to distinguish 168 00:06:47,909 --> 00:06:46,639 between um the real medicines and the 169 00:06:49,830 --> 00:06:47,919 alternative medicines there's just a 170 00:06:50,629 --> 00:06:49,840 little a little side 171 00:06:52,790 --> 00:06:50,639 side 172 00:06:54,870 --> 00:06:52,800 stall a shelf with the words alternative 173 00:06:56,870 --> 00:06:54,880 medicines and uh all the homeopathy and 174 00:06:58,230 --> 00:06:56,880 the herbal stuff right on there and 175 00:07:00,469 --> 00:06:58,240 there's nothing to say that this stuff 176 00:07:02,790 --> 00:07:00,479 isn't proven if i'm not mistaken there's 177 00:07:04,870 --> 00:07:02,800 quite a history of political and popular 178 00:07:06,390 --> 00:07:04,880 support for homeopathy in the uk isn't 179 00:07:08,710 --> 00:07:06,400 there 180 00:07:10,309 --> 00:07:08,720 yeah it's it's um i'd say it's more 181 00:07:11,990 --> 00:07:10,319 pervasive than a lot of people would 182 00:07:13,749 --> 00:07:12,000 realize i don't think it's uh 183 00:07:15,670 --> 00:07:13,759 necessarily something that your ev your 184 00:07:17,670 --> 00:07:15,680 average man on the street has tried um 185 00:07:19,830 --> 00:07:17,680 but it's uh the industry's worth around 186 00:07:21,350 --> 00:07:19,840 about 40 million pounds i believe um 187 00:07:23,510 --> 00:07:21,360 plus the nhs actually supports 188 00:07:25,830 --> 00:07:23,520 homeopathy um it's uh spends around 189 00:07:28,629 --> 00:07:25,840 about four million pounds a year on um 190 00:07:30,230 --> 00:07:28,639 four homeopathic hospitals um one of 191 00:07:32,469 --> 00:07:30,240 which is actually situated in liverpool 192 00:07:33,830 --> 00:07:32,479 which is uh where where uh where i live 193 00:07:36,070 --> 00:07:33,840 which is uh why it's a particular bug 194 00:07:37,670 --> 00:07:36,080 bearer of ours 195 00:07:39,589 --> 00:07:37,680 yeah i can imagine why it would be quite 196 00:07:41,510 --> 00:07:39,599 insulting to have that appear right on 197 00:07:43,749 --> 00:07:41,520 your yeah endorsed it it's absolutely 198 00:07:45,110 --> 00:07:43,759 crazy that uh that that the government 199 00:07:46,710 --> 00:07:45,120 health service the national health 200 00:07:48,150 --> 00:07:46,720 service actually supports this stuff 201 00:07:49,749 --> 00:07:48,160 even though it's been proven and 202 00:07:51,589 --> 00:07:49,759 whenever uh they're asked about it they 203 00:07:52,950 --> 00:07:51,599 tend to say well people wanted so we 204 00:07:55,270 --> 00:07:52,960 provide it which is a bit of a cop-out 205 00:07:56,869 --> 00:07:55,280 when it comes to medicine because 206 00:07:59,029 --> 00:07:56,879 you don't give people what they want you 207 00:08:01,350 --> 00:07:59,039 give them what can be proven to work 208 00:08:03,510 --> 00:08:01,360 so what initially inspired the 1023 209 00:08:04,869 --> 00:08:03,520 campaign um that's a very good question 210 00:08:06,629 --> 00:08:04,879 actually it was it was something i came 211 00:08:07,990 --> 00:08:06,639 up while we were at one of our skeptics 212 00:08:09,270 --> 00:08:08,000 and pub socials up in liverpool and we 213 00:08:10,950 --> 00:08:09,280 saw that um 214 00:08:12,550 --> 00:08:10,960 all there were many bloggers doing some 215 00:08:15,110 --> 00:08:12,560 great work when it came to the simon 216 00:08:16,550 --> 00:08:15,120 singh um case and the chiropractic the 217 00:08:19,270 --> 00:08:16,560 general chiropractic council and the 218 00:08:20,469 --> 00:08:19,280 beca um there were some great bloggers 219 00:08:22,550 --> 00:08:20,479 who were taking apart the claims of 220 00:08:23,670 --> 00:08:22,560 chiropractors and um calling into task 221 00:08:25,350 --> 00:08:23,680 for some of the more outrageous 222 00:08:28,550 --> 00:08:25,360 statements you were making um and it 223 00:08:30,550 --> 00:08:28,560 occurred to us that that was a really um 224 00:08:32,230 --> 00:08:30,560 powerful way for your average sort of 225 00:08:34,230 --> 00:08:32,240 skeptic to get involved and to really 226 00:08:35,670 --> 00:08:34,240 lend a hand but while everyone's 227 00:08:37,670 --> 00:08:35,680 attention was turned to chiropractic 228 00:08:39,909 --> 00:08:37,680 manipulation and chiropractors there was 229 00:08:41,670 --> 00:08:39,919 a real possibility that other forms of 230 00:08:43,990 --> 00:08:41,680 pseudoscience and pseudomedicine might 231 00:08:45,750 --> 00:08:44,000 sort of uh flourish with the the 232 00:08:47,910 --> 00:08:45,760 spotlight turned off them so we thought 233 00:08:49,190 --> 00:08:47,920 why not uh let other people take care of 234 00:08:51,030 --> 00:08:49,200 the chiropractors and we'll try and put 235 00:08:52,550 --> 00:08:51,040 something together where um a similar 236 00:08:54,310 --> 00:08:52,560 band of bloggers anyone who wants to get 237 00:08:55,910 --> 00:08:54,320 involved can gather together under the 238 00:08:57,190 --> 00:08:55,920 umbrella of one campaign and take a look 239 00:08:59,350 --> 00:08:57,200 at homeopathy 240 00:09:01,190 --> 00:08:59,360 i've noticed on social networking sites 241 00:09:03,910 --> 00:09:01,200 like twitter that there's even an effort 242 00:09:05,430 --> 00:09:03,920 to get overseas people involved 243 00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:05,440 absolutely we're trying to encourage it 244 00:09:09,269 --> 00:09:07,360 to spread as wide as possible um 245 00:09:11,030 --> 00:09:09,279 although the campaign itself is largely 246 00:09:12,550 --> 00:09:11,040 uk focused we really want to support uh 247 00:09:14,550 --> 00:09:12,560 international international blogs and 248 00:09:16,550 --> 00:09:14,560 international skeptics um so it's a case 249 00:09:18,870 --> 00:09:16,560 of um look around you you know keep an 250 00:09:20,870 --> 00:09:18,880 eye out for for um claims made by 251 00:09:22,949 --> 00:09:20,880 homeopaths visit your local homeopaths 252 00:09:25,190 --> 00:09:22,959 visit pharmacies that sell homeopathic 253 00:09:27,110 --> 00:09:25,200 remedies and try and get a good uh a 254 00:09:29,030 --> 00:09:27,120 good idea of the lie of the land locally 255 00:09:31,990 --> 00:09:29,040 and then use the 10 23 256 00:09:33,910 --> 00:09:32,000 umbrella the 10 23 band to uh to start 257 00:09:36,070 --> 00:09:33,920 taking apart the claims of homeopaths to 258 00:09:37,670 --> 00:09:36,080 start drawing attention to them and and 259 00:09:39,829 --> 00:09:37,680 subjecting them to criticism and 260 00:09:41,829 --> 00:09:39,839 analysis and also to make people aware 261 00:09:43,829 --> 00:09:41,839 of what homeopathy is and fundamentally 262 00:09:46,310 --> 00:09:43,839 what it isn't which is it isn't real 263 00:09:48,230 --> 00:09:46,320 medicine i've read in the news that the 264 00:09:50,630 --> 00:09:48,240 house of commons parliamentary science 265 00:09:53,030 --> 00:09:50,640 watchdog about boots insistence on 266 00:09:54,870 --> 00:09:53,040 selling homeopathic preparations their 267 00:09:57,030 --> 00:09:54,880 chief pharmacist professional standards 268 00:09:59,509 --> 00:09:57,040 director paul bennett admitted that they 269 00:10:01,750 --> 00:09:59,519 had no evidence so doesn't this possibly 270 00:10:03,509 --> 00:10:01,760 contravene consumer rights or trade 271 00:10:05,110 --> 00:10:03,519 practices acts well that's certainly 272 00:10:06,230 --> 00:10:05,120 something we're looking into um what 273 00:10:07,910 --> 00:10:06,240 we're doing at the moment with the 274 00:10:10,310 --> 00:10:07,920 campaign and uh 275 00:10:11,990 --> 00:10:10,320 i i will stress that the 10 23 campaign 276 00:10:13,910 --> 00:10:12,000 is more directed to homeopaths in 277 00:10:15,590 --> 00:10:13,920 general than homeopathy the system of 278 00:10:17,269 --> 00:10:15,600 homeopathy in general but at the moment 279 00:10:19,350 --> 00:10:17,279 we've chosen to focus an arm of the 280 00:10:21,110 --> 00:10:19,360 campaign on boots because in part of 281 00:10:23,829 --> 00:10:21,120 this admission by uh by paul bennett 282 00:10:25,509 --> 00:10:23,839 that boots sell homeopathy not because 283 00:10:27,590 --> 00:10:25,519 they can prove it works or because the 284 00:10:29,430 --> 00:10:27,600 the evidence is there to support it but 285 00:10:30,949 --> 00:10:29,440 just because it sells and no it's 286 00:10:32,949 --> 00:10:30,959 absolutely not a good number he's an 287 00:10:34,230 --> 00:10:32,959 absolutely yeah it's really not a good 288 00:10:37,269 --> 00:10:34,240 enough reason at all and it certainly 289 00:10:38,630 --> 00:10:37,279 doesn't um stand to the the policy of 290 00:10:40,710 --> 00:10:38,640 exceptional patient care which the 291 00:10:43,350 --> 00:10:40,720 pharmacy um proclaims 292 00:10:45,030 --> 00:10:43,360 uh so i i think absolutely uh that it's 293 00:10:47,509 --> 00:10:45,040 worth taking we are taking a look at uh 294 00:10:48,710 --> 00:10:47,519 whether it is uh a remit there of 295 00:10:49,910 --> 00:10:48,720 trading standards and advertising 296 00:10:52,630 --> 00:10:49,920 standards and things like that i know in 297 00:10:54,470 --> 00:10:52,640 the uk you have to make direct claims of 298 00:10:56,389 --> 00:10:54,480 efficacy and direct claims of what it 299 00:10:58,470 --> 00:10:56,399 can cure before you can be called to 300 00:10:59,670 --> 00:10:58,480 action or call to task but that's 301 00:11:01,910 --> 00:10:59,680 something we're definitely looking into 302 00:11:03,269 --> 00:11:01,920 but i think as much as anything um the 303 00:11:05,990 --> 00:11:03,279 what we have on the side which is an 304 00:11:08,470 --> 00:11:06,000 open letter appealing to boots to to 305 00:11:09,670 --> 00:11:08,480 reconsider the sale of homeopathy um i 306 00:11:12,069 --> 00:11:09,680 think that's the first step because we 307 00:11:13,430 --> 00:11:12,079 don't want to go in um all guns blazing 308 00:11:15,269 --> 00:11:13,440 and and start 309 00:11:17,030 --> 00:11:15,279 laying down the law it's a much much 310 00:11:18,949 --> 00:11:17,040 better situation if boots realize that 311 00:11:20,389 --> 00:11:18,959 this that selling something that they 312 00:11:22,870 --> 00:11:20,399 can't prove works and that has been 313 00:11:24,389 --> 00:11:22,880 proven not to work is bad patient care 314 00:11:26,389 --> 00:11:24,399 and if they can take it off the shelves 315 00:11:28,389 --> 00:11:26,399 themselves you know we we will continue 316 00:11:29,910 --> 00:11:28,399 to support boots and their uh their 317 00:11:32,470 --> 00:11:29,920 excellent reputation but until that 318 00:11:34,150 --> 00:11:32,480 happens um it's a bit of a bit of a big 319 00:11:35,829 --> 00:11:34,160 black mark on their on their conscience 320 00:11:37,590 --> 00:11:35,839 and on their reputation i think when i 321 00:11:39,670 --> 00:11:37,600 first heard about the campaign i was 322 00:11:42,630 --> 00:11:39,680 reminded of the australian skeptic's 323 00:11:45,190 --> 00:11:42,640 open letter to pharmacies yes i mean we 324 00:11:47,590 --> 00:11:45,200 did actually uh i'll admit we lifted 325 00:11:49,430 --> 00:11:47,600 fairly wholesale from your uh from your 326 00:11:51,509 --> 00:11:49,440 letter certainly about ear candling and 327 00:11:52,949 --> 00:11:51,519 um 328 00:11:55,030 --> 00:11:52,959 you'll be getting a letter from richard 329 00:11:57,030 --> 00:11:55,040 saunders now dear 330 00:11:58,150 --> 00:11:57,040 well fortunately enough once we put our 331 00:11:59,990 --> 00:11:58,160 letter to boots out i actually got an 332 00:12:01,750 --> 00:12:00,000 email from uh from iran and from richard 333 00:12:02,949 --> 00:12:01,760 who were uh they were supportive of our 334 00:12:06,230 --> 00:12:02,959 campaign and were 335 00:12:07,990 --> 00:12:06,240 quite happy for us to to use uh the the 336 00:12:11,350 --> 00:12:08,000 jumping ground the jumping butt and it 337 00:12:12,550 --> 00:12:11,360 doesn't make sense 338 00:12:13,829 --> 00:12:12,560 the launching pad that's the one they 339 00:12:15,350 --> 00:12:13,839 were quite happy for us to use your 340 00:12:16,790 --> 00:12:15,360 letter as a launching pad for our letter 341 00:12:18,790 --> 00:12:16,800 because i think uh 342 00:12:20,629 --> 00:12:18,800 ultimately what we what we as skeptics 343 00:12:22,550 --> 00:12:20,639 need to do in general is is stop 344 00:12:23,430 --> 00:12:22,560 reinventing the wheel um and i think 345 00:12:25,590 --> 00:12:23,440 that was something that we were trying 346 00:12:26,470 --> 00:12:25,600 to do with the 10 23 campaign it was 347 00:12:28,150 --> 00:12:26,480 there were a lot of people who were 348 00:12:30,790 --> 00:12:28,160 individually taking homeopathy 349 00:12:32,310 --> 00:12:30,800 homeopathy and the claims mid apart um 350 00:12:33,750 --> 00:12:32,320 but they were doing it individually in 351 00:12:35,350 --> 00:12:33,760 the same kind of way as each other 352 00:12:36,629 --> 00:12:35,360 whereas now we've tried to sort of put a 353 00:12:38,389 --> 00:12:36,639 little system in place when you say 354 00:12:40,069 --> 00:12:38,399 right this one's done someone's done 355 00:12:41,910 --> 00:12:40,079 this part of it so you can focus your 356 00:12:43,910 --> 00:12:41,920 attention elsewhere and everyone doesn't 357 00:12:45,910 --> 00:12:43,920 have to be doing the same thing um the 358 00:12:47,910 --> 00:12:45,920 ground works there is already done for 359 00:12:49,670 --> 00:12:47,920 them and they can use it to uh to go 360 00:12:51,910 --> 00:12:49,680 further really so this is just the 361 00:12:53,350 --> 00:12:51,920 beginning of the 1023 campaign and i'm 362 00:12:55,750 --> 00:12:53,360 certain that you've got a lot more on 363 00:12:57,509 --> 00:12:55,760 the cards can overseas people perhaps 364 00:12:59,670 --> 00:12:57,519 contribute more 365 00:13:00,790 --> 00:12:59,680 yeah absolutely um if anyone wants to to 366 00:13:02,470 --> 00:13:00,800 check out what we've got on the site at 367 00:13:04,629 --> 00:13:02,480 the moment um we've got um an 368 00:13:07,110 --> 00:13:04,639 explanation of what homeopathy is about 369 00:13:09,269 --> 00:13:07,120 we've also got uh 10 reasons not to use 370 00:13:11,670 --> 00:13:09,279 homeopathy um which was something that 371 00:13:12,949 --> 00:13:11,680 we felt was a strong 372 00:13:14,389 --> 00:13:12,959 piece of content for the site because a 373 00:13:16,150 --> 00:13:14,399 lot of people say well you know we can 374 00:13:18,470 --> 00:13:16,160 still use homeopathy it works alongside 375 00:13:20,069 --> 00:13:18,480 real medicine well it doesn't and if you 376 00:13:22,230 --> 00:13:20,079 check out those 10 reasons it's things 377 00:13:23,990 --> 00:13:22,240 like it's a waste of your money as a 378 00:13:25,509 --> 00:13:24,000 customer but it's also waste of 379 00:13:28,150 --> 00:13:25,519 everyone's money with with the tax 380 00:13:29,750 --> 00:13:28,160 dollar the tax uh money going into it 381 00:13:31,030 --> 00:13:29,760 from the nhs and also it's a waste of 382 00:13:32,710 --> 00:13:31,040 your time you could be getting better 383 00:13:33,829 --> 00:13:32,720 care and it's worth everyone's time 384 00:13:35,030 --> 00:13:33,839 because we could be researching 385 00:13:37,350 --> 00:13:35,040 something else you know we could spend 386 00:13:38,150 --> 00:13:37,360 that time actually finding more cures 387 00:13:41,590 --> 00:13:38,160 more 388 00:13:43,509 --> 00:13:41,600 work um so on the site there's a there's 389 00:13:45,110 --> 00:13:43,519 an essay on that um and there's also a 390 00:13:46,470 --> 00:13:45,120 way of getting involved we've got videos 391 00:13:48,629 --> 00:13:46,480 up there so 392 00:13:50,470 --> 00:13:48,639 there's plenty on there for people to uh 393 00:13:51,990 --> 00:13:50,480 to to pick up information on homeopathy 394 00:13:53,590 --> 00:13:52,000 and hopefully then spread it around 395 00:13:55,990 --> 00:13:53,600 people they know so if next time 396 00:13:58,550 --> 00:13:56,000 someone's recommending homeopathy or uh 397 00:14:00,470 --> 00:13:58,560 or or contemplating trying it um people 398 00:14:02,150 --> 00:14:00,480 can be in a position to to explain what 399 00:14:03,829 --> 00:14:02,160 it is and what it isn't uh well it 400 00:14:06,550 --> 00:14:03,839 started already if you go to the uh the 401 00:14:08,949 --> 00:14:06,560 website 1023.org dot uk uh that's all in 402 00:14:10,470 --> 00:14:08,959 numbers one or two three dot uk um 403 00:14:13,189 --> 00:14:10,480 there's a there's a form there's people 404 00:14:14,949 --> 00:14:13,199 to get involved um so far we've put our 405 00:14:16,629 --> 00:14:14,959 first piece of activism out there so we 406 00:14:18,550 --> 00:14:16,639 want to try and set people uh small 407 00:14:20,629 --> 00:14:18,560 actions that they can get involved in 408 00:14:22,629 --> 00:14:20,639 and hopefully it will contribute to a a 409 00:14:24,230 --> 00:14:22,639 larger movement um so the first piece of 410 00:14:26,470 --> 00:14:24,240 action is to sign the letter to boots 411 00:14:27,910 --> 00:14:26,480 and and uh appeal to them to stop 412 00:14:29,430 --> 00:14:27,920 selling something that doesn't work yeah 413 00:14:31,269 --> 00:14:29,440 so that's the first piece of action um 414 00:14:33,269 --> 00:14:31,279 we've actually just launched the second 415 00:14:35,110 --> 00:14:33,279 piece of action uh which involves a few 416 00:14:36,550 --> 00:14:35,120 little tasks for people to do 417 00:14:38,710 --> 00:14:36,560 one of which is to sign a petition to 418 00:14:40,069 --> 00:14:38,720 the government to uh have the the 419 00:14:41,430 --> 00:14:40,079 government regulatory body take a look 420 00:14:43,670 --> 00:14:41,440 at homeopathy and whether it should be 421 00:14:45,350 --> 00:14:43,680 funded by the nhs um so they can sign 422 00:14:48,069 --> 00:14:45,360 that petition if you're based in the uk 423 00:14:50,069 --> 00:14:48,079 um we also have up there a flyer 424 00:14:51,990 --> 00:14:50,079 which can be downloaded and 425 00:14:54,949 --> 00:14:52,000 given to people given to people given to 426 00:14:55,670 --> 00:14:54,959 homeopaths left in pharmacies in that 427 00:14:57,829 --> 00:14:55,680 that 428 00:14:59,590 --> 00:14:57,839 sell homeopathy which explains what 429 00:15:01,030 --> 00:14:59,600 homeopathy is and what it isn't and why 430 00:15:02,310 --> 00:15:01,040 it shouldn't be considered an 431 00:15:04,550 --> 00:15:02,320 alternative to real medicine so you can 432 00:15:05,350 --> 00:15:04,560 download that flyer and distribute that 433 00:15:09,990 --> 00:15:05,360 um 434 00:15:12,470 --> 00:15:10,000 not stay quiet so if they see a story on 435 00:15:14,230 --> 00:15:12,480 in an online newspaper or on a blog um 436 00:15:15,509 --> 00:15:14,240 feel free to comment on that blog to 437 00:15:17,910 --> 00:15:15,519 point them to the in the direction of 438 00:15:21,189 --> 00:15:17,920 our website to explain to them the the 439 00:15:23,509 --> 00:15:21,199 rules behind homeopathy and uh to 440 00:15:25,189 --> 00:15:23,519 to stop being uh as much as possible the 441 00:15:26,949 --> 00:15:25,199 armchair skeptic and and to sort of roll 442 00:15:28,389 --> 00:15:26,959 up their sleeves and try and help out 443 00:15:30,150 --> 00:15:28,399 well i'm very pleased to say that 444 00:15:32,150 --> 00:15:30,160 there's a few australian skeptical 445 00:15:35,269 --> 00:15:32,160 groups out there who are hoping to test 446 00:15:37,350 --> 00:15:35,279 out the uh efficacy or inefficacy of 447 00:15:39,269 --> 00:15:37,360 homeopathy over the weekend 448 00:15:41,110 --> 00:15:39,279 i think it's particularly wonderful that 449 00:15:43,710 --> 00:15:41,120 we've just started hearing about how 450 00:15:46,069 --> 00:15:43,720 websites like homeopathy plus and 451 00:15:47,750 --> 00:15:46,079 dnh.org have been ordered to remove 452 00:15:50,550 --> 00:15:47,760 information suggesting that they can 453 00:15:52,069 --> 00:15:50,560 provide homeopathic immunization after 454 00:15:54,069 --> 00:15:52,079 there was a complaint made to the 455 00:15:55,829 --> 00:15:54,079 therapeutic goods administration 456 00:15:58,230 --> 00:15:55,839 absolutely and i think um the internet 457 00:16:00,550 --> 00:15:58,240 is uh is proving more and more to be the 458 00:16:02,310 --> 00:16:00,560 uh the most amazing tool for getting 459 00:16:04,550 --> 00:16:02,320 people involved and we see that time and 460 00:16:06,470 --> 00:16:04,560 time again with bloggers and and even 461 00:16:08,389 --> 00:16:06,480 with the advent of uh with the advent of 462 00:16:09,670 --> 00:16:08,399 twitter um i think this campaign is 463 00:16:11,030 --> 00:16:09,680 really taking off as much as anything on 464 00:16:13,110 --> 00:16:11,040 twitter if if people want to check out 465 00:16:16,550 --> 00:16:13,120 on twitter um search for the 466 00:16:18,150 --> 00:16:16,560 1023 that's ten23 because twitter 467 00:16:19,350 --> 00:16:18,160 doesn't really like numbers too much uh 468 00:16:20,550 --> 00:16:19,360 if you want to search for that hashtag 469 00:16:23,189 --> 00:16:20,560 on twitter you'll see there's a whole 470 00:16:25,829 --> 00:16:23,199 flurry of activity on a fairly constant 471 00:16:27,110 --> 00:16:25,839 basis of people putting up information 472 00:16:30,150 --> 00:16:27,120 about the site and about the the 473 00:16:32,470 --> 00:16:30,160 campaigns 1023.org.uk 474 00:16:34,230 --> 00:16:32,480 and that's 1023 in numbers thanks again 475 00:16:35,910 --> 00:16:34,240 marsh for being a part of our show 476 00:16:37,590 --> 00:16:35,920 excellent thank you very much and you 477 00:16:39,910 --> 00:16:37,600 can find more of his work on the 478 00:16:42,790 --> 00:16:39,920 righteous indignation podcast the 479 00:16:46,629 --> 00:16:42,800 skeptics with a k podcast the merseyside 480 00:17:01,269 --> 00:16:46,639 skeptics and of course the 1023.org 481 00:17:05,270 --> 00:17:03,269 astronomy cast takes a fact-based 482 00:17:07,029 --> 00:17:05,280 journey through the cosmos as it offers 483 00:17:09,669 --> 00:17:07,039 listeners weekly discussions on 484 00:17:11,029 --> 00:17:09,679 astronomical topics ranging from planets 485 00:17:13,510 --> 00:17:11,039 to cosmology 486 00:17:15,510 --> 00:17:13,520 hosted by fraser kane of universe today 487 00:17:17,829 --> 00:17:15,520 and myself dr pamela gay of southern 488 00:17:19,590 --> 00:17:17,839 illinois university edwardsville this 489 00:17:21,350 --> 00:17:19,600 show brings the questions of an avid 490 00:17:22,470 --> 00:17:21,360 astronomy lover directly to an 491 00:17:24,470 --> 00:17:22,480 astronomer 492 00:17:26,069 --> 00:17:24,480 together fraser and i explore what is 493 00:17:27,669 --> 00:17:26,079 known and being discovered about the 494 00:17:29,270 --> 00:17:27,679 universe around us 495 00:17:31,350 --> 00:17:29,280 join us each week as we take a 496 00:17:41,510 --> 00:17:31,360 fact-based journey through the cosmos at 497 00:17:45,350 --> 00:17:44,150 i'm kylie sturgis and i'm talking to 498 00:17:48,630 --> 00:17:45,360 sean wright 499 00:17:50,870 --> 00:17:48,640 in 2009 shaun wright won the nexus monte 500 00:17:52,950 --> 00:17:50,880 miller award it is named after a 501 00:17:55,190 --> 00:17:52,960 prominent 19th century pre-thought 502 00:17:57,669 --> 00:17:55,200 advocate monty miller and is presented 503 00:17:59,750 --> 00:17:57,679 annually to an australian new zealand or 504 00:18:01,669 --> 00:17:59,760 south pacific atheist who has made an 505 00:18:04,070 --> 00:18:01,679 outstanding contribution to advancing 506 00:18:05,590 --> 00:18:04,080 the cause of free thought in this region 507 00:18:09,270 --> 00:18:05,600 it may involve work in the fields of 508 00:18:12,710 --> 00:18:09,280 atheism skepticism humanism rationalism 509 00:18:14,150 --> 00:18:12,720 or in the case of 2009 all of these 510 00:18:16,150 --> 00:18:14,160 thanks for joining us on this skeptic 511 00:18:17,909 --> 00:18:16,160 zone sean now people might recognize 512 00:18:20,870 --> 00:18:17,919 your name as the author of a rather 513 00:18:22,549 --> 00:18:20,880 spiffy looking steampunk themed blog 514 00:18:24,630 --> 00:18:22,559 in the press release from the atheist 515 00:18:26,230 --> 00:18:24,640 nexus for the monty miller award you're 516 00:18:29,110 --> 00:18:26,240 described as an advocate for those 517 00:18:31,029 --> 00:18:29,120 survivors of the mercy ministries church 518 00:18:32,950 --> 00:18:31,039 and also an investigator of the 519 00:18:34,710 --> 00:18:32,960 activities of hillsong church and 520 00:18:37,110 --> 00:18:34,720 committed to challenging the claims of 521 00:18:39,029 --> 00:18:37,120 meryl dory's australian vaccination 522 00:18:40,230 --> 00:18:39,039 network so how would you describe 523 00:18:43,190 --> 00:18:40,240 yourself 524 00:18:45,270 --> 00:18:43,200 how would i describe myself 525 00:18:47,990 --> 00:18:45,280 i always find that sort of question a 526 00:18:49,909 --> 00:18:48,000 bit a bit difficult it's like answering 527 00:18:53,350 --> 00:18:49,919 uh an interview question when they ask 528 00:18:54,470 --> 00:18:53,360 you to uh tell us about yourself tell us 529 00:18:58,150 --> 00:18:54,480 why 530 00:18:59,510 --> 00:18:58,160 good enough for the position or whatever 531 00:19:01,190 --> 00:18:59,520 so 532 00:19:02,710 --> 00:19:01,200 yeah i suppose it's a bit difficult but 533 00:19:10,150 --> 00:19:02,720 uh 534 00:19:11,430 --> 00:19:10,160 atheist a skeptic and a humanist 535 00:19:13,350 --> 00:19:11,440 so 536 00:19:15,270 --> 00:19:13,360 i guess that's that is how i describe 537 00:19:18,230 --> 00:19:15,280 myself uh 538 00:19:20,310 --> 00:19:18,240 i think it necessary to be upfront and 539 00:19:22,070 --> 00:19:20,320 open about my atheism 540 00:19:24,070 --> 00:19:22,080 i'd like to see that change in the long 541 00:19:27,110 --> 00:19:24,080 term perhaps 20 30 years down the track 542 00:19:30,549 --> 00:19:27,120 where you don't have to 543 00:19:32,150 --> 00:19:30,559 to be so upfront about that part of your 544 00:19:34,390 --> 00:19:32,160 um 545 00:19:36,549 --> 00:19:34,400 your life uh you know what what you 546 00:19:38,310 --> 00:19:36,559 believe in but um 547 00:19:40,230 --> 00:19:38,320 yeah i think at this point in time it's 548 00:19:42,230 --> 00:19:40,240 necessary to be up front 549 00:19:44,230 --> 00:19:42,240 uh to say 550 00:19:46,789 --> 00:19:44,240 as an atheist here i am i'm a good 551 00:19:49,590 --> 00:19:46,799 person i'm a community-minded person 552 00:19:52,070 --> 00:19:49,600 i'm a deep thinker 553 00:19:55,750 --> 00:19:52,080 and none of that is down to an 554 00:19:57,990 --> 00:19:55,760 omniscient uh or knowing or seeing 555 00:19:59,430 --> 00:19:58,000 all doing god so 556 00:20:02,230 --> 00:19:59,440 that's why i think it's important to be 557 00:20:03,990 --> 00:20:02,240 open and up front as an atheist 558 00:20:07,909 --> 00:20:04,000 as a skeptic yeah i think i see 559 00:20:10,310 --> 00:20:07,919 skepticism as tied in with my atheism 560 00:20:12,710 --> 00:20:10,320 i like to think i've the decisions i 561 00:20:15,510 --> 00:20:12,720 make in life are based on thinking 562 00:20:18,070 --> 00:20:15,520 deeply about a situation 563 00:20:20,310 --> 00:20:18,080 uh examining all the claims so yeah and 564 00:20:22,310 --> 00:20:20,320 being aware of uh 565 00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:22,320 you know the things about our our 566 00:20:27,430 --> 00:20:25,200 humanity you know cognitive biases that 567 00:20:29,750 --> 00:20:27,440 sort of thing the way 568 00:20:31,830 --> 00:20:29,760 perception can be altered by our 569 00:20:32,789 --> 00:20:31,840 emotional state at the time that sort of 570 00:20:37,430 --> 00:20:32,799 thing 571 00:20:40,870 --> 00:20:37,440 there and affect our views on the world 572 00:20:42,950 --> 00:20:40,880 and yeah so i think i define myself as a 573 00:20:44,710 --> 00:20:42,960 big ass skeptic as as 574 00:20:48,390 --> 00:20:44,720 as opposed to a little less skeptic i 575 00:20:49,350 --> 00:20:48,400 think i think i've always been skeptical 576 00:20:51,110 --> 00:20:49,360 about 577 00:20:54,230 --> 00:20:51,120 most things i think a good decent 578 00:20:56,310 --> 00:20:54,240 education in australia 579 00:20:58,789 --> 00:20:56,320 sort of does give you a 580 00:21:01,029 --> 00:20:58,799 a reasonable skepticism and then as a 581 00:21:03,909 --> 00:21:01,039 humanist i'm not not a card carrying 582 00:21:05,830 --> 00:21:03,919 member of any humanist organization but 583 00:21:08,149 --> 00:21:05,840 i suppose that's 584 00:21:11,270 --> 00:21:08,159 that's the opposite to my atheism my 585 00:21:13,110 --> 00:21:11,280 atheism is is what i don't believe in 586 00:21:15,270 --> 00:21:13,120 whereas the humanist side of me is you 587 00:21:17,750 --> 00:21:15,280 know these are the 588 00:21:20,149 --> 00:21:17,760 the aspirations uh 589 00:21:22,310 --> 00:21:20,159 you know the principles that i that i 590 00:21:25,510 --> 00:21:22,320 you know try to live by so in a general 591 00:21:27,029 --> 00:21:25,520 sense i'd say i'm humanist i i i believe 592 00:21:28,390 --> 00:21:27,039 in being uh 593 00:21:31,110 --> 00:21:28,400 active in the community and that's 594 00:21:33,510 --> 00:21:31,120 active for everyone not just skeptics or 595 00:21:36,070 --> 00:21:33,520 atheists you know i believe in in 596 00:21:38,549 --> 00:21:36,080 doing the least harm 597 00:21:40,470 --> 00:21:38,559 in all situations or you know do no harm 598 00:21:41,190 --> 00:21:40,480 but sometimes we don't have that choice 599 00:21:42,789 --> 00:21:41,200 but 600 00:21:45,029 --> 00:21:42,799 some of the topics you've investigated 601 00:21:47,190 --> 00:21:45,039 in your writings include hillsong church 602 00:21:48,470 --> 00:21:47,200 and their activities in australia can 603 00:21:50,630 --> 00:21:48,480 you tell us how you came to be 604 00:21:52,870 --> 00:21:50,640 interested i suppose i've been writing 605 00:21:54,230 --> 00:21:52,880 about them over the last two years 606 00:21:56,549 --> 00:21:54,240 i think it probably comes down to a 607 00:21:58,390 --> 00:21:56,559 number of different circumstances led me 608 00:22:00,710 --> 00:21:58,400 to write about hillsong one that sticks 609 00:22:03,110 --> 00:22:00,720 out in my mind is of course reading tony 610 00:22:05,350 --> 00:22:03,120 11's book people in glass houses they 611 00:22:08,230 --> 00:22:05,360 gave me a sort of a broader background 612 00:22:12,549 --> 00:22:08,240 on the church i've always been 613 00:22:14,149 --> 00:22:12,559 somewhat wary of evangelical churches uh 614 00:22:15,590 --> 00:22:14,159 that stems from sort of earlier 615 00:22:18,390 --> 00:22:15,600 experiences 616 00:22:20,230 --> 00:22:18,400 in my formative years i guess you'd say 617 00:22:21,909 --> 00:22:20,240 when i was still a practicing christian 618 00:22:25,270 --> 00:22:21,919 i was invited along by a couple of 619 00:22:27,029 --> 00:22:25,280 friends to an assemblies of god church 620 00:22:29,110 --> 00:22:27,039 the assemblies of god were a precursor 621 00:22:31,110 --> 00:22:29,120 to to the group of churches of which 622 00:22:32,630 --> 00:22:31,120 hillsong is a 623 00:22:34,950 --> 00:22:32,640 more prominent 624 00:22:37,110 --> 00:22:34,960 member but yeah i was invited along to 625 00:22:38,149 --> 00:22:37,120 these assemblies of god church didn't 626 00:22:39,830 --> 00:22:38,159 mind the 627 00:22:42,310 --> 00:22:39,840 the rock band uh 628 00:22:44,950 --> 00:22:42,320 the rock style music we found the la la 629 00:22:47,590 --> 00:22:44,960 the lyrics are a bit naff and a bit 630 00:22:50,390 --> 00:22:47,600 bit out of place i guess you could say 631 00:22:52,390 --> 00:22:50,400 but uh you know that side of it the the 632 00:22:54,310 --> 00:22:52,400 jubilant nature 633 00:22:57,029 --> 00:22:54,320 of the service i suppose was was 634 00:22:59,430 --> 00:22:57,039 interesting and refreshing what scared 635 00:23:01,430 --> 00:22:59,440 me and scared me in the sense that um 636 00:23:04,950 --> 00:23:01,440 not that i was actually 637 00:23:06,789 --> 00:23:04,960 in fear of uh the holy spirit or 638 00:23:09,350 --> 00:23:06,799 some sort of spirit possessing people 639 00:23:12,789 --> 00:23:09,360 would but it was witnessing uh adults 640 00:23:14,549 --> 00:23:12,799 and in some cases people that i knew 641 00:23:17,430 --> 00:23:14,559 uh waving their hands in the air and 642 00:23:19,750 --> 00:23:17,440 then and then talking in tongues that uh 643 00:23:23,350 --> 00:23:19,760 it scared me because you were 644 00:23:26,310 --> 00:23:23,360 intelligent adults some of whom i i had 645 00:23:29,190 --> 00:23:26,320 respect for behaving in a way that i i 646 00:23:32,230 --> 00:23:29,200 thought was um extremely weird i suppose 647 00:23:34,950 --> 00:23:32,240 i've you know i've always had a certain 648 00:23:36,470 --> 00:23:34,960 degree of skepticism and now that that 649 00:23:38,070 --> 00:23:36,480 demonstration 650 00:23:39,990 --> 00:23:38,080 just felt uh 651 00:23:43,190 --> 00:23:40,000 i suppose dishonest to me 652 00:23:45,350 --> 00:23:43,200 so yeah i've had this weariness of 653 00:23:46,789 --> 00:23:45,360 the evangelical approach to things and 654 00:23:48,310 --> 00:23:46,799 then of course my two friends that 655 00:23:51,750 --> 00:23:48,320 invited me along to that service then 656 00:23:53,029 --> 00:23:51,760 went on to join another church uh even 657 00:23:56,710 --> 00:23:53,039 more 658 00:23:58,310 --> 00:23:56,720 than hillsong 659 00:24:00,390 --> 00:23:58,320 called the potter's house and they're 660 00:24:02,310 --> 00:24:00,400 they're still active in my my hometown 661 00:24:04,870 --> 00:24:02,320 and i've had 662 00:24:07,909 --> 00:24:04,880 run-ins with their pastor on the street 663 00:24:09,590 --> 00:24:07,919 um and uses pretty underhanded preaching 664 00:24:11,750 --> 00:24:09,600 techniques you know emotional 665 00:24:13,909 --> 00:24:11,760 steamrolling that sort of thing so even 666 00:24:16,149 --> 00:24:13,919 as a christian then continuing when i 667 00:24:19,190 --> 00:24:16,159 became an atheist i've i've had an 668 00:24:21,190 --> 00:24:19,200 awareness surrounding evangelical style 669 00:24:22,390 --> 00:24:21,200 churches and then 670 00:24:24,149 --> 00:24:22,400 of course watching the media and 671 00:24:25,990 --> 00:24:24,159 following hillsong there's uh there's 672 00:24:28,470 --> 00:24:26,000 been a number of things that put them in 673 00:24:30,070 --> 00:24:28,480 the spotlight for the wrong reasons and 674 00:24:31,909 --> 00:24:30,080 and i suppose supporters of the church 675 00:24:35,510 --> 00:24:31,919 like to claim that they're persecuted 676 00:24:37,909 --> 00:24:35,520 but um i think 677 00:24:40,070 --> 00:24:37,919 there's criticism warranted if you go 678 00:24:42,070 --> 00:24:40,080 back uh even into the early church 679 00:24:43,830 --> 00:24:42,080 history you've got frank houston brian 680 00:24:46,070 --> 00:24:43,840 houston's father's 681 00:24:46,950 --> 00:24:46,080 admitted to sexually molesting a young 682 00:24:50,630 --> 00:24:46,960 boy 683 00:24:52,390 --> 00:24:50,640 yet uh despite uh the law uh currently i 684 00:24:53,990 --> 00:24:52,400 think the law at the time 685 00:24:56,710 --> 00:24:54,000 nothing was ever reported to police he 686 00:24:59,430 --> 00:24:56,720 was he never faced any charges he was 687 00:25:01,590 --> 00:24:59,440 just put to the side swept away 688 00:25:03,510 --> 00:25:01,600 and not dealt with aside from that 689 00:25:05,350 --> 00:25:03,520 you've got scandals 690 00:25:07,990 --> 00:25:05,360 surrounding the misappropriation of 691 00:25:09,909 --> 00:25:08,000 funds for indigenous programs you've got 692 00:25:13,510 --> 00:25:09,919 infiltration into schools through the 693 00:25:15,269 --> 00:25:13,520 shine program and through exo days well 694 00:25:17,510 --> 00:25:15,279 so yeah i think there's 695 00:25:19,590 --> 00:25:17,520 there is a definite criticism warranted 696 00:25:20,310 --> 00:25:19,600 of them uh they put themselves out there 697 00:25:25,590 --> 00:25:20,320 as 698 00:25:27,909 --> 00:25:25,600 with uh with the holy spirit and there 699 00:25:29,430 --> 00:25:27,919 for the lord and you know i think if you 700 00:25:31,510 --> 00:25:29,440 if you put yourself up on a pedestal 701 00:25:32,870 --> 00:25:31,520 you'd be prepared to 702 00:25:33,830 --> 00:25:32,880 take some knocks when you're doing the 703 00:25:35,830 --> 00:25:33,840 wrong thing 704 00:25:38,070 --> 00:25:35,840 recently it seems australia's somewhat 705 00:25:40,310 --> 00:25:38,080 secular identity is being challenged on 706 00:25:41,990 --> 00:25:40,320 a variety of fronts what do you think 707 00:25:43,669 --> 00:25:42,000 are some of the big concerns australia 708 00:25:45,510 --> 00:25:43,679 should have about the intersection of 709 00:25:47,669 --> 00:25:45,520 religion and politics 710 00:25:49,430 --> 00:25:47,679 well i mean i don't have any issues with 711 00:25:51,350 --> 00:25:49,440 anyone of any 712 00:25:52,870 --> 00:25:51,360 religion faith or 713 00:25:54,470 --> 00:25:52,880 non-faith 714 00:25:56,710 --> 00:25:54,480 going into politics 715 00:25:59,269 --> 00:25:56,720 attempting to stand as a member uh i 716 00:26:00,950 --> 00:25:59,279 guess i where i start to get concerned 717 00:26:04,710 --> 00:26:00,960 is where 718 00:26:06,149 --> 00:26:04,720 instead of a person's faith or belief 719 00:26:09,430 --> 00:26:06,159 uh 720 00:26:12,630 --> 00:26:09,440 informing their actions i get concerned 721 00:26:15,190 --> 00:26:12,640 when it seems those uh beliefs 722 00:26:16,789 --> 00:26:15,200 my faith seems to dictate actions and 723 00:26:19,190 --> 00:26:16,799 the most recent example i can think of 724 00:26:21,590 --> 00:26:19,200 that is tony abbott and his call for 725 00:26:22,710 --> 00:26:21,600 the bible to be studied in 726 00:26:24,789 --> 00:26:22,720 in school 727 00:26:26,870 --> 00:26:24,799 another area of concern and this has 728 00:26:28,149 --> 00:26:26,880 happened probably as far as i can see 729 00:26:30,470 --> 00:26:28,159 for the last 730 00:26:33,190 --> 00:26:30,480 the last decade in australia uh it's 731 00:26:36,230 --> 00:26:33,200 where uh deference uh or 732 00:26:39,669 --> 00:26:36,240 special sort of significance is given to 733 00:26:42,070 --> 00:26:39,679 to certain religious groups above others 734 00:26:44,470 --> 00:26:42,080 most recently the australian christian 735 00:26:47,029 --> 00:26:44,480 lobby and senator conroy is talking with 736 00:26:48,789 --> 00:26:47,039 them over his release of the 737 00:26:51,669 --> 00:26:48,799 the filtering report 738 00:26:53,750 --> 00:26:51,679 as as to why they get special uh special 739 00:26:55,669 --> 00:26:53,760 significance or special treatment uh on 740 00:26:57,190 --> 00:26:55,679 this year rather than just issuing a 741 00:26:59,909 --> 00:26:57,200 standard sort of release of the report 742 00:27:01,190 --> 00:26:59,919 to all interested stakeholders another 743 00:27:03,990 --> 00:27:01,200 big example 744 00:27:06,310 --> 00:27:04,000 that is concerning to me is 745 00:27:08,950 --> 00:27:06,320 both rudd and before him howard's 746 00:27:10,710 --> 00:27:08,960 addressing of sort of evangelical church 747 00:27:14,470 --> 00:27:10,720 leaders in australia 748 00:27:17,029 --> 00:27:14,480 helped there by by hillsong and also 749 00:27:18,230 --> 00:27:17,039 also previously howard's uh special 750 00:27:20,149 --> 00:27:18,240 treatment of 751 00:27:22,630 --> 00:27:20,159 the exclusive president so they're 752 00:27:24,870 --> 00:27:22,640 they're my sort of main areas of concern 753 00:27:27,830 --> 00:27:24,880 where politics is uh 754 00:27:30,230 --> 00:27:27,840 sort of uh walking too tightly hand in 755 00:27:32,789 --> 00:27:30,240 hand with with religion 756 00:27:34,950 --> 00:27:32,799 other areas of concern of course 757 00:27:36,070 --> 00:27:34,960 when you get uh people like uh cardinal 758 00:27:38,710 --> 00:27:36,080 pell 759 00:27:40,390 --> 00:27:38,720 uh attempting to influence 760 00:27:42,710 --> 00:27:40,400 influence catholic members of parliament 761 00:27:45,110 --> 00:27:42,720 to to vote in a particular way you know 762 00:27:45,909 --> 00:27:45,120 by perhaps threatening or insinuating 763 00:27:46,830 --> 00:27:45,919 that 764 00:27:50,789 --> 00:27:46,840 he might 765 00:27:53,029 --> 00:27:50,799 withdraw certain religious privileges or 766 00:27:55,510 --> 00:27:53,039 acts from them if if they go ahead and 767 00:27:57,190 --> 00:27:55,520 vote a certain way immediately springs 768 00:27:58,549 --> 00:27:57,200 to mind it's 769 00:28:01,990 --> 00:27:58,559 there's new i mean there's always been 770 00:28:04,149 --> 00:28:02,000 an issue as far as i can see with uh 771 00:28:06,710 --> 00:28:04,159 chaplains in schools uh there's there's 772 00:28:07,990 --> 00:28:06,720 actually no no really good evidence 773 00:28:09,669 --> 00:28:08,000 that um 774 00:28:11,750 --> 00:28:09,679 credible evidence that there's any 775 00:28:13,830 --> 00:28:11,760 benefit to having uh chaplains in state 776 00:28:15,909 --> 00:28:13,840 schools and then of course the whole 777 00:28:18,630 --> 00:28:15,919 idea of having religious scripture 778 00:28:21,590 --> 00:28:18,640 classes in state schools is a concern 779 00:28:23,669 --> 00:28:21,600 but they've been around for a relatively 780 00:28:25,110 --> 00:28:23,679 long period of time certainly wouldn't 781 00:28:27,110 --> 00:28:25,120 are all religious 782 00:28:28,310 --> 00:28:27,120 believers with the same brush but 783 00:28:31,110 --> 00:28:28,320 certain religious people that don't 784 00:28:33,110 --> 00:28:31,120 understand the value of having a secular 785 00:28:34,950 --> 00:28:33,120 and by secular i don't mean atheist but 786 00:28:36,950 --> 00:28:34,960 you know a secular 787 00:28:39,110 --> 00:28:36,960 playing field for lack of a of a better 788 00:28:41,590 --> 00:28:39,120 word you've done a little investigation 789 00:28:43,110 --> 00:28:41,600 into how to raise the profile of a blog 790 00:28:44,630 --> 00:28:43,120 do you have any advice for people who 791 00:28:46,950 --> 00:28:44,640 are hoping to make a difference via 792 00:28:49,350 --> 00:28:46,960 online networking or blogging 793 00:28:52,070 --> 00:28:49,360 yeah quite recently i've been attempting 794 00:28:53,590 --> 00:28:52,080 to to raise the profile of 795 00:28:56,470 --> 00:28:53,600 of my blog 796 00:28:59,029 --> 00:28:56,480 i've been using a workbook and put out 797 00:29:01,510 --> 00:28:59,039 by an australian uh gentleman darren 798 00:29:03,669 --> 00:29:01,520 rouse christian and uh pro blogger the 799 00:29:05,590 --> 00:29:03,679 guy makes an astounding amount of money 800 00:29:06,710 --> 00:29:05,600 through blogging the top bloggers in the 801 00:29:07,830 --> 00:29:06,720 world 802 00:29:10,950 --> 00:29:07,840 um 803 00:29:13,029 --> 00:29:10,960 but his workbook to me is is a good sort 804 00:29:15,269 --> 00:29:13,039 of series of exercises and activities 805 00:29:18,310 --> 00:29:15,279 that basically get get you into good 806 00:29:20,710 --> 00:29:18,320 habits for blogging and i think probably 807 00:29:23,269 --> 00:29:20,720 in the uh the science the skeptic and 808 00:29:26,549 --> 00:29:23,279 the atheist community we we're all 809 00:29:28,310 --> 00:29:26,559 reasonably capable um and some of us 810 00:29:30,310 --> 00:29:28,320 more so than others 811 00:29:33,430 --> 00:29:30,320 of writing well and writing good 812 00:29:34,549 --> 00:29:33,440 engaging content i'm not sure how many 813 00:29:36,470 --> 00:29:34,559 of us 814 00:29:38,470 --> 00:29:36,480 actively seek to promote our blogs 815 00:29:41,110 --> 00:29:38,480 perhaps in the same way that commercial 816 00:29:42,149 --> 00:29:41,120 bloggers do and i think perhaps the 817 00:29:43,590 --> 00:29:42,159 message 818 00:29:45,590 --> 00:29:43,600 what we're trying to get across might 819 00:29:47,430 --> 00:29:45,600 suffer in some respects i mean somebody 820 00:29:49,029 --> 00:29:47,440 like pz myers certainly isn't going to 821 00:29:51,110 --> 00:29:49,039 have any trouble 822 00:29:52,630 --> 00:29:51,120 but there are other equally 823 00:29:54,950 --> 00:29:52,640 good writers out there that probably 824 00:29:57,750 --> 00:29:54,960 don't get the uh the level of coverage 825 00:30:01,269 --> 00:29:57,760 that uh that he would and uh you know 826 00:30:03,269 --> 00:30:01,279 their material is just as worthwhile 827 00:30:05,350 --> 00:30:03,279 if not better in some cases so in that 828 00:30:06,789 --> 00:30:05,360 sense yes i've been using 829 00:30:07,909 --> 00:30:06,799 darren rouse's i'm just trying to think 830 00:30:09,750 --> 00:30:07,919 of it off the top of my head i think 831 00:30:10,789 --> 00:30:09,760 it's 31 days to building building a 832 00:30:13,029 --> 00:30:10,799 better blog 833 00:30:15,750 --> 00:30:13,039 and it's not rocket science it's just a 834 00:30:18,389 --> 00:30:15,760 series of activities or habits 835 00:30:20,389 --> 00:30:18,399 or techniques that you can use yeah so 836 00:30:22,310 --> 00:30:20,399 i mean essentially 837 00:30:23,909 --> 00:30:22,320 my investigations are ongoing i had some 838 00:30:25,510 --> 00:30:23,919 real success in in the first couple of 839 00:30:28,070 --> 00:30:25,520 weeks a couple of weeks ago i had a post 840 00:30:30,789 --> 00:30:28,080 that uh went absolutely ballistic tried 841 00:30:32,950 --> 00:30:30,799 the same technique a couple of days ago 842 00:30:34,470 --> 00:30:32,960 and 843 00:30:36,470 --> 00:30:34,480 nowhere near the same sort of result so 844 00:30:38,389 --> 00:30:36,480 it's something that i think requires 845 00:30:40,710 --> 00:30:38,399 aside from just implementing you know 846 00:30:42,630 --> 00:30:40,720 certain techniques or certain habits you 847 00:30:44,630 --> 00:30:42,640 really need to look at your stats look 848 00:30:46,070 --> 00:30:44,640 at your blog look at 849 00:30:47,990 --> 00:30:46,080 you know look at who's looking at you 850 00:30:49,909 --> 00:30:48,000 basically and and try and figure out 851 00:30:52,789 --> 00:30:49,919 some patterns of your own and be 852 00:30:53,669 --> 00:30:52,799 persistent and consistent i'm just 853 00:30:56,789 --> 00:30:53,679 thinking 854 00:30:59,110 --> 00:30:56,799 back to my mercy ministries coverage 855 00:31:00,549 --> 00:30:59,120 which didn't really benefit from the 856 00:31:01,909 --> 00:31:00,559 from blog promotion or anything like 857 00:31:04,870 --> 00:31:01,919 that but 858 00:31:07,269 --> 00:31:04,880 i think benefited from persistence and 859 00:31:10,870 --> 00:31:07,279 and being consistent in in the writing 860 00:31:12,789 --> 00:31:10,880 uh that took probably verging on 861 00:31:14,950 --> 00:31:12,799 coming up to two years two years of 862 00:31:17,029 --> 00:31:14,960 writing about the issue 863 00:31:20,230 --> 00:31:17,039 and it's just chipping away writing 864 00:31:22,310 --> 00:31:20,240 every day and you know writing engaging 865 00:31:25,190 --> 00:31:22,320 relevant information so at the moment 866 00:31:27,510 --> 00:31:25,200 twitter is probably twitter and 867 00:31:29,909 --> 00:31:27,520 submission to reddit probably my best 868 00:31:31,350 --> 00:31:29,919 sources for views in six months time 869 00:31:33,510 --> 00:31:31,360 that should change and i think always 870 00:31:36,070 --> 00:31:33,520 keeping a weather eye out for 871 00:31:38,149 --> 00:31:36,080 the technological changes uh is a good 872 00:31:40,389 --> 00:31:38,159 idea finally congratulations again on 873 00:31:42,549 --> 00:31:40,399 winning the 2009 monty miller free 874 00:31:44,950 --> 00:31:42,559 thought advocacy award what are some of 875 00:31:47,909 --> 00:31:44,960 the goals you have for 2010 yeah thanks 876 00:31:51,750 --> 00:31:47,919 um so yeah that was that was that was 877 00:31:55,509 --> 00:31:51,760 quite a shock as to my goals for 2010 878 00:31:57,190 --> 00:31:55,519 uh to write better perhaps to uh delay 879 00:31:59,350 --> 00:31:57,200 my posting i'm 880 00:32:02,070 --> 00:31:59,360 one of the terrible things about 881 00:32:04,470 --> 00:32:02,080 blogging technology for myself as you 882 00:32:06,070 --> 00:32:04,480 know a passionate writer is that i write 883 00:32:07,509 --> 00:32:06,080 something down and 884 00:32:08,950 --> 00:32:07,519 read through it once or twice think 885 00:32:10,230 --> 00:32:08,960 everything's 886 00:32:11,590 --> 00:32:10,240 edited 887 00:32:13,430 --> 00:32:11,600 perfectly 888 00:32:15,509 --> 00:32:13,440 and then publish it and then only to 889 00:32:18,950 --> 00:32:15,519 realize i've made an absolutely a simple 890 00:32:20,950 --> 00:32:18,960 glaring mistake so i think perhaps 891 00:32:23,430 --> 00:32:20,960 yeah write better and 892 00:32:25,350 --> 00:32:23,440 relax a bit not be so eager to publish 893 00:32:26,789 --> 00:32:25,360 so quickly 894 00:32:30,230 --> 00:32:26,799 i'd like to increase that readership but 895 00:32:32,710 --> 00:32:30,240 also maintain my perspective uh a 896 00:32:35,750 --> 00:32:32,720 gentleman over at bruce over at the 897 00:32:37,990 --> 00:32:35,760 thinkers podium on wordpress uh 898 00:32:40,310 --> 00:32:38,000 mentioned that you know he thought 899 00:32:41,350 --> 00:32:40,320 i had a rather unique take on things and 900 00:32:44,549 --> 00:32:41,360 that 901 00:32:46,789 --> 00:32:44,559 he really appreciated about my blog and 902 00:32:49,430 --> 00:32:46,799 i think that's important that 903 00:32:51,509 --> 00:32:49,440 in in particular for me if i'm 904 00:32:53,430 --> 00:32:51,519 chasing more readership i 905 00:32:55,029 --> 00:32:53,440 you know i don't want to lose what 906 00:32:57,509 --> 00:32:55,039 essentially makes 907 00:32:59,350 --> 00:32:57,519 you know my writing different just 908 00:33:00,870 --> 00:32:59,360 for the sake of 909 00:33:01,990 --> 00:33:00,880 you know having more people see what i 910 00:33:03,830 --> 00:33:02,000 write 911 00:33:05,990 --> 00:33:03,840 two big things i'd like to do this year 912 00:33:08,070 --> 00:33:06,000 if possible and one is attend the global 913 00:33:09,110 --> 00:33:08,080 global latest convention 914 00:33:11,110 --> 00:33:09,120 in melbourne and which i've got the 915 00:33:13,509 --> 00:33:11,120 tickets for plane tickets and convention 916 00:33:16,310 --> 00:33:13,519 tickets uh i'd like to do that just for 917 00:33:18,310 --> 00:33:16,320 networking social reasons but i'd also 918 00:33:19,190 --> 00:33:18,320 like something 919 00:33:21,110 --> 00:33:19,200 uh 920 00:33:23,669 --> 00:33:21,120 big to come out of it something 921 00:33:25,350 --> 00:33:23,679 important to come out of this meeting of 922 00:33:27,750 --> 00:33:25,360 atheists from around the world and 923 00:33:30,070 --> 00:33:27,760 around australia 924 00:33:32,070 --> 00:33:30,080 i'm also hoping to do something with the 925 00:33:34,470 --> 00:33:32,080 group of australian and new zealand 926 00:33:37,190 --> 00:33:34,480 atheist bloggers have some coverage of 927 00:33:38,630 --> 00:33:37,200 the event or some reporting on it 928 00:33:41,590 --> 00:33:38,640 haven't quite made up my mind still 929 00:33:43,590 --> 00:33:41,600 waiting for the the program details to 930 00:33:44,950 --> 00:33:43,600 be sorted out there and see what see 931 00:33:46,549 --> 00:33:44,960 what we might be able to do as a group 932 00:33:49,509 --> 00:33:46,559 of atheist bloggers 933 00:33:50,870 --> 00:33:49,519 in the long term i'd love to get paid 934 00:33:52,789 --> 00:33:50,880 for doing 935 00:33:55,350 --> 00:33:52,799 some sort of writing work 936 00:33:58,310 --> 00:33:55,360 i uh i'm hoping that this will be a big 937 00:34:01,669 --> 00:33:58,320 year for for acs and actually for for 938 00:34:03,269 --> 00:34:01,679 skeptics um in australia with uh tam 939 00:34:04,630 --> 00:34:03,279 later in the year i'd love to be able to 940 00:34:07,190 --> 00:34:04,640 make it to town 941 00:34:08,550 --> 00:34:07,200 it could really kick off uh two areas 942 00:34:11,750 --> 00:34:08,560 that i'm passionate about that being 943 00:34:13,510 --> 00:34:11,760 atheism and uh and skepticism thanks 944 00:34:15,510 --> 00:34:13,520 again sean for joining us 945 00:34:17,270 --> 00:34:15,520 well thanks kyle it's been a pleasure 946 00:34:19,750 --> 00:34:17,280 talking to you and best of luck to 947 00:34:23,349 --> 00:34:19,760 yourself and the skeptic zone and 948 00:34:25,109 --> 00:34:23,359 skeptic zone listers for 2010. 949 00:34:26,629 --> 00:34:25,119 to learn more about shawn's ongoing 950 00:34:43,829 --> 00:34:26,639 adventures head to 951 00:34:48,950 --> 00:34:45,909 this is eugenie scott national center 952 00:34:52,950 --> 00:34:48,960 for science education you can find us at 953 00:34:56,950 --> 00:34:54,710 come see us if you want to know anything 954 00:34:59,510 --> 00:34:56,960 about the creationism and evolution 955 00:35:01,430 --> 00:34:59,520 conflict in the united states or 956 00:35:03,349 --> 00:35:01,440 more is the pity internationally these 957 00:35:06,550 --> 00:35:03,359 days we are clearing house for 958 00:35:08,470 --> 00:35:06,560 information on this vexing but certainly 959 00:35:16,310 --> 00:35:08,480 very interesting problem 960 00:35:27,750 --> 00:35:19,430 join us now for drinking skeptically in 961 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:40,230 kangaroos most things 962 00:35:45,670 --> 00:35:42,630 and welcome to the 963 00:35:48,390 --> 00:35:45,680 think tub think tub think tub i'm with 964 00:35:51,430 --> 00:35:48,400 brian dunny hello hello brian could you 965 00:35:53,990 --> 00:35:51,440 introduce everybody oh boy we've got uh 966 00:35:56,790 --> 00:35:54,000 gus and sarah and lizzy and lisa 967 00:35:58,310 --> 00:35:56,800 hi hi hey what's up 968 00:36:00,550 --> 00:35:58,320 you want full introductions is everyone 969 00:36:02,550 --> 00:36:00,560 embarrassed to use their full name or 970 00:36:04,790 --> 00:36:02,560 i'm not that embarrassed now now this 971 00:36:06,790 --> 00:36:04,800 must be one of the more enjoyable think 972 00:36:08,310 --> 00:36:06,800 tank i've done we're calling it the 973 00:36:10,630 --> 00:36:08,320 think tub because we're all sitting in 974 00:36:12,710 --> 00:36:10,640 brian's hot tub with the microphone 975 00:36:15,030 --> 00:36:12,720 hanging over with on a piece of string 976 00:36:17,349 --> 00:36:15,040 it's very classy it's a pretty good rig 977 00:36:19,589 --> 00:36:17,359 i gotta say it is i'm not at all worried 978 00:36:21,990 --> 00:36:19,599 about the fade of the microphone 979 00:36:24,790 --> 00:36:22,000 this is in fact the famous skeptoid hot 980 00:36:29,670 --> 00:36:26,470 famous are infamous 981 00:36:34,069 --> 00:36:31,670 where many well well-designed 982 00:36:35,510 --> 00:36:34,079 experiments have been performed 983 00:36:37,190 --> 00:36:35,520 you realize there's some people who are 984 00:36:41,750 --> 00:36:37,200 downloading this podcast for the first 985 00:36:46,710 --> 00:36:44,790 those poor poor sods yeah what i always 986 00:36:48,790 --> 00:36:46,720 try to stress in them in the show is 987 00:36:50,069 --> 00:36:48,800 that skeptics like to have fun like 988 00:36:52,390 --> 00:36:50,079 anybody else 989 00:36:54,230 --> 00:36:52,400 parties and and our fun is less guilt 990 00:36:56,069 --> 00:36:54,240 written 991 00:36:58,069 --> 00:36:56,079 that's true we don't have to say hail 992 00:36:59,910 --> 00:36:58,079 mary's afterwards tomorrow morning we do 993 00:37:01,910 --> 00:36:59,920 not have to go to confession oh yes and 994 00:37:03,910 --> 00:37:01,920 we are sipping champagne 995 00:37:05,510 --> 00:37:03,920 i should have been classy cheers and 996 00:37:08,470 --> 00:37:05,520 everyone's naked 997 00:37:10,790 --> 00:37:08,480 except for that part 998 00:37:12,550 --> 00:37:10,800 that part does require confession or 999 00:37:13,829 --> 00:37:12,560 what 1000 00:37:15,589 --> 00:37:13,839 this is this is theater of the 1001 00:37:17,270 --> 00:37:15,599 imagination 1002 00:37:19,270 --> 00:37:17,280 and listeners now are imagining us in 1003 00:37:24,310 --> 00:37:19,280 this hot tub sipping champagne naked yes 1004 00:37:28,870 --> 00:37:26,710 champagne is scantily clad 1005 00:37:30,950 --> 00:37:28,880 well i i had a such a great time tonight 1006 00:37:33,030 --> 00:37:30,960 in the pub i hope everybody did 1007 00:37:34,870 --> 00:37:33,040 it was a nice turnout right it was a 1008 00:37:37,190 --> 00:37:34,880 fabulous turnout it was probably the it 1009 00:37:39,030 --> 00:37:37,200 was certainly the busiest uh uh pub 1010 00:37:40,950 --> 00:37:39,040 night in the skeptics in the oc that 1011 00:37:42,550 --> 00:37:40,960 we've ever had 1012 00:37:44,550 --> 00:37:42,560 we should have people from 1013 00:37:46,870 --> 00:37:44,560 40 50 miles away 1014 00:37:48,829 --> 00:37:46,880 oh at least or or farther how far did 1015 00:37:50,550 --> 00:37:48,839 you come oh a long 1016 00:37:53,829 --> 00:37:50,560 way 1017 00:37:56,310 --> 00:37:53,839 i think i think just just to 1018 00:37:57,750 --> 00:37:56,320 everyone's got this uh you know 1019 00:37:59,030 --> 00:37:57,760 incredible images floating around in 1020 00:38:00,310 --> 00:37:59,040 their head right now it's worth pointing 1021 00:38:01,670 --> 00:38:00,320 out that 1022 00:38:03,750 --> 00:38:01,680 those of us sitting in the hot tub have 1023 00:38:05,349 --> 00:38:03,760 caused huge volumes of water to spill 1024 00:38:07,750 --> 00:38:05,359 out over the edge 1025 00:38:10,790 --> 00:38:07,760 because we're very unsightly people in 1026 00:38:13,670 --> 00:38:10,800 general speak for yourself man 1027 00:38:15,349 --> 00:38:13,680 make us some more water as we 1028 00:38:17,430 --> 00:38:15,359 i think i did that actually can you give 1029 00:38:19,990 --> 00:38:17,440 our listeners any um 1030 00:38:22,790 --> 00:38:20,000 any inside gossip in these sneak peeks 1031 00:38:24,230 --> 00:38:22,800 as to your projects coming up uh my 1032 00:38:25,990 --> 00:38:24,240 project's coming up well when is this 1033 00:38:28,230 --> 00:38:26,000 coming out because it might be old news 1034 00:38:29,910 --> 00:38:28,240 by then oh probably late january 1035 00:38:32,470 --> 00:38:29,920 something like that uh well probably 1036 00:38:33,990 --> 00:38:32,480 about the same time then is um i'm going 1037 00:38:36,150 --> 00:38:34,000 to be doing a 1038 00:38:38,550 --> 00:38:36,160 a full first season of in fact my new 1039 00:38:42,470 --> 00:38:38,560 video podcast 1040 00:38:45,030 --> 00:38:42,480 um i put out three pilot episodes uh oh 1041 00:38:47,030 --> 00:38:45,040 late mid 2009 and i'm going to be doing 1042 00:38:48,390 --> 00:38:47,040 a full season of 13 episodes starting in 1043 00:38:50,470 --> 00:38:48,400 january 1044 00:38:51,670 --> 00:38:50,480 and they're about uh three minutes long 1045 00:38:53,950 --> 00:38:51,680 and probably by the time you hear this 1046 00:38:55,550 --> 00:38:53,960 they should be available at 1047 00:38:59,990 --> 00:38:55,560 infactvideo.com 1048 00:39:01,990 --> 00:39:00,000 domain name for which by the way i was 1049 00:39:03,990 --> 00:39:02,000 searching in fact dot tv and everything 1050 00:39:06,069 --> 00:39:04,000 else was long been taken but oh wow so i 1051 00:39:08,470 --> 00:39:06,079 was searching for infactvideo.com and it 1052 00:39:10,790 --> 00:39:08,480 was taken too and so i was quite upset 1053 00:39:13,030 --> 00:39:10,800 by that and i went to godaddy to do a 1054 00:39:14,790 --> 00:39:13,040 one of those domain purchase things you 1055 00:39:15,910 --> 00:39:14,800 know where you can like bid on it 1056 00:39:18,069 --> 00:39:15,920 and um 1057 00:39:22,630 --> 00:39:18,079 found out that the current owner was 1058 00:39:25,589 --> 00:39:24,230 did you have to call him up and threaten 1059 00:39:27,670 --> 00:39:25,599 him 1060 00:39:29,430 --> 00:39:27,680 i did i had to beat my own ass i dragged 1061 00:39:32,710 --> 00:39:29,440 myself out of the yard 1062 00:39:34,790 --> 00:39:32,720 were you sleep coding or something how i 1063 00:39:36,390 --> 00:39:34,800 don't know i think i probably registered 1064 00:39:39,030 --> 00:39:36,400 it two years ago or something and had 1065 00:39:40,870 --> 00:39:39,040 forgotten all about it yeah 1066 00:39:43,109 --> 00:39:40,880 so that's really exciting it's because i 1067 00:39:45,190 --> 00:39:43,119 really enjoyed the first um 1068 00:39:46,470 --> 00:39:45,200 three you produced and hopefully these 1069 00:39:48,470 --> 00:39:46,480 will be uh 1070 00:39:50,310 --> 00:39:48,480 less less sickening to those who did not 1071 00:39:52,310 --> 00:39:50,320 enjoy the moving background in the first 1072 00:39:54,550 --> 00:39:52,320 three ah the moving background i was 1073 00:39:56,069 --> 00:39:54,560 just thinking about that yes i liked the 1074 00:39:58,230 --> 00:39:56,079 background i didn't i didn't mind it you 1075 00:39:59,990 --> 00:39:58,240 had complaints about that i had quite a 1076 00:40:02,150 --> 00:40:00,000 lot of complaints about that 1077 00:40:03,109 --> 00:40:02,160 i had mostly complaints from from 1078 00:40:05,670 --> 00:40:03,119 viewers 1079 00:40:07,910 --> 00:40:05,680 i i had a lot of directorial feedback 1080 00:40:09,349 --> 00:40:07,920 too from like guys who were actual 1081 00:40:10,390 --> 00:40:09,359 movie directors and people who knew what 1082 00:40:12,470 --> 00:40:10,400 they were doing 1083 00:40:14,870 --> 00:40:12,480 and none of them had any issues with the 1084 00:40:16,390 --> 00:40:14,880 moving background yeah um i mean it 1085 00:40:20,230 --> 00:40:16,400 wasn't racing 1086 00:40:22,870 --> 00:40:20,240 moving 1087 00:40:24,310 --> 00:40:22,880 sickeningly one might say 1088 00:40:25,990 --> 00:40:24,320 the same type of people who can't play 1089 00:40:27,109 --> 00:40:26,000 the first person shoot em up games had 1090 00:40:28,630 --> 00:40:27,119 the same had 1091 00:40:30,069 --> 00:40:28,640 similar problems with my scrolling 1092 00:40:32,069 --> 00:40:30,079 background 1093 00:40:33,990 --> 00:40:32,079 so so that's gone and some other things 1094 00:40:35,510 --> 00:40:34,000 have been changed and what topics can we 1095 00:40:37,190 --> 00:40:35,520 look forward to hearing about or seeing 1096 00:40:39,829 --> 00:40:37,200 about well they're actually they're all 1097 00:40:41,349 --> 00:40:39,839 based on old skeptoid episodes previous 1098 00:40:43,190 --> 00:40:41,359 skeptoid episodes that were some of the 1099 00:40:45,190 --> 00:40:43,200 more popular and universally appealing 1100 00:40:47,829 --> 00:40:45,200 ones so it's not going for the same 1101 00:40:49,910 --> 00:40:47,839 audience as my podcast it's going for 1102 00:40:54,470 --> 00:40:49,920 a a new audience 1103 00:40:57,990 --> 00:40:55,670 you know there's a lot more people who 1104 00:41:00,470 --> 00:40:58,000 watch videos youtube for example i mean 1105 00:41:02,390 --> 00:41:00,480 has an incredibly huge audience by 1106 00:41:04,069 --> 00:41:02,400 itself oh yeah you've got the potential 1107 00:41:05,510 --> 00:41:04,079 to reach a lot more people yeah so 1108 00:41:08,150 --> 00:41:05,520 that's why i'm doing it it's not that 1109 00:41:09,510 --> 00:41:08,160 i'm trying to bring something extra to 1110 00:41:11,030 --> 00:41:09,520 skeptoid listeners or something like 1111 00:41:12,710 --> 00:41:11,040 that it's just trying to go for a new 1112 00:41:13,990 --> 00:41:12,720 audience a new broader audience 1113 00:41:15,589 --> 00:41:14,000 fantastic 1114 00:41:17,589 --> 00:41:15,599 well i'm looking forward to seeing those 1115 00:41:20,550 --> 00:41:17,599 because i've seen your production studio 1116 00:41:24,309 --> 00:41:20,560 and that's impressive it certainly is 1117 00:41:26,150 --> 00:41:24,319 he's winking as he's saying that folks 1118 00:41:31,190 --> 00:41:26,160 you guys listen to brian 1119 00:41:33,670 --> 00:41:32,630 more importantly do you listen to 1120 00:41:37,589 --> 00:41:33,680 richard 1121 00:41:40,390 --> 00:41:37,599 as of three o'clock this afternoon that 1122 00:41:42,630 --> 00:41:40,400 was a smattering of yeses yes i think um 1123 00:41:45,589 --> 00:41:42,640 it was evidenced by people singing his 1124 00:41:48,150 --> 00:41:45,599 intro tune at the pub tonight yeah 1125 00:41:50,309 --> 00:41:48,160 definitely best intro ever in this in 1126 00:41:51,430 --> 00:41:50,319 the podcast world can we hear a round of 1127 00:41:52,790 --> 00:41:51,440 that now please 1128 00:41:54,390 --> 00:41:52,800 that was people who were not coming to 1129 00:41:56,470 --> 00:41:54,400 the tub 1130 00:41:58,550 --> 00:41:56,480 in the car park i heard a rendition of 1131 00:41:59,750 --> 00:41:58,560 the skeptics i thought i heard that too 1132 00:42:04,390 --> 00:41:59,760 but uh 1133 00:42:08,390 --> 00:42:06,470 now you you three people over here who 1134 00:42:10,390 --> 00:42:08,400 i'm meeting for the first time 1135 00:42:12,470 --> 00:42:10,400 what's your interest in what we do the 1136 00:42:14,710 --> 00:42:12,480 the skeptical line 1137 00:42:17,589 --> 00:42:14,720 i think i i knew i was a skeptic before 1138 00:42:19,349 --> 00:42:17,599 i had a word for it in in that i i 1139 00:42:21,190 --> 00:42:19,359 understood that i didn't really believe 1140 00:42:22,950 --> 00:42:21,200 in the supernatural 1141 00:42:25,589 --> 00:42:22,960 per se yeah but 1142 00:42:26,710 --> 00:42:25,599 no one i ever articulated that to 1143 00:42:27,910 --> 00:42:26,720 really understood that and they're like 1144 00:42:29,190 --> 00:42:27,920 so you don't believe in ghosts and i was 1145 00:42:30,309 --> 00:42:29,200 like well yeah i guess i don't believe 1146 00:42:31,430 --> 00:42:30,319 in ghosts and i said so you don't 1147 00:42:32,950 --> 00:42:31,440 believe in like 1148 00:42:35,670 --> 00:42:32,960 you know crystal healing either and i 1149 00:42:37,670 --> 00:42:35,680 said no i guess i don't and then after a 1150 00:42:40,150 --> 00:42:37,680 while until i you know 1151 00:42:41,589 --> 00:42:40,160 by the time i was like 25 or 26 i 1152 00:42:43,589 --> 00:42:41,599 finally figured out 1153 00:42:46,470 --> 00:42:43,599 that what i what i believe in if you 1154 00:42:48,390 --> 00:42:46,480 want to use that word is is what i 1155 00:42:50,710 --> 00:42:48,400 can basically say that i have solid 1156 00:42:53,270 --> 00:42:50,720 evidence for or that someone can give me 1157 00:42:55,190 --> 00:42:53,280 solid evidence for right so 1158 00:42:58,390 --> 00:42:55,200 and then somehow i guess through i just 1159 00:43:00,390 --> 00:42:58,400 sort of ran across skeptoid randomly and 1160 00:43:02,870 --> 00:43:00,400 i was like these people 1161 00:43:05,589 --> 00:43:02,880 understand what what i 1162 00:43:07,270 --> 00:43:05,599 they think the way i think yeah and yes 1163 00:43:09,190 --> 00:43:07,280 it in a way it doesn't matter what 1164 00:43:11,030 --> 00:43:09,200 conclusions they draw it just matters 1165 00:43:12,710 --> 00:43:11,040 that they use the same sort of processes 1166 00:43:14,790 --> 00:43:12,720 to get there and i'm not a scientist i 1167 00:43:15,910 --> 00:43:14,800 have no science background i'm an artist 1168 00:43:17,510 --> 00:43:15,920 but uh 1169 00:43:19,589 --> 00:43:17,520 what was important to me was that they 1170 00:43:21,030 --> 00:43:19,599 they sort of 1171 00:43:23,109 --> 00:43:21,040 really try and think about what what 1172 00:43:25,430 --> 00:43:23,119 people tell them and try and 1173 00:43:27,430 --> 00:43:25,440 sort of crank up their detector 1174 00:43:29,589 --> 00:43:27,440 um in terms of like 1175 00:43:32,150 --> 00:43:29,599 okay you know that sounds interesting 1176 00:43:33,829 --> 00:43:32,160 but why don't we try and prove it or or 1177 00:43:35,670 --> 00:43:33,839 what you tell me sounds great but let's 1178 00:43:37,430 --> 00:43:35,680 see if there's any evidence for it 1179 00:43:39,910 --> 00:43:37,440 um and do you think i didn't have the 1180 00:43:41,910 --> 00:43:39,920 word skeptic for it until probably like 1181 00:43:44,470 --> 00:43:41,920 two years ago do you find the topics 1182 00:43:46,710 --> 00:43:44,480 really interesting i do yeah any pretty 1183 00:43:49,030 --> 00:43:46,720 much any topic um 1184 00:43:50,950 --> 00:43:49,040 i mean my my real sort of 1185 00:43:53,270 --> 00:43:50,960 my passion is art but when i when i 1186 00:43:55,270 --> 00:43:53,280 think about science what really like 1187 00:43:56,870 --> 00:43:55,280 fills me with a kind of 1188 00:43:59,589 --> 00:43:56,880 religious and i use that in quotation 1189 00:44:01,750 --> 00:43:59,599 marks religious awe is astronomy so 1190 00:44:03,990 --> 00:44:01,760 anytime i learn anything about astronomy 1191 00:44:06,550 --> 00:44:04,000 that fills me with a kind of like 1192 00:44:08,470 --> 00:44:06,560 you know existential 1193 00:44:11,109 --> 00:44:08,480 dread slash 1194 00:44:12,710 --> 00:44:11,119 feel a feeling of amazement and and i 1195 00:44:14,630 --> 00:44:12,720 think dread and amazement kind of go 1196 00:44:17,589 --> 00:44:14,640 hand in hand i think that carl sagan 1197 00:44:19,910 --> 00:44:17,599 called it uh numbness yeah the numinous 1198 00:44:22,150 --> 00:44:19,920 absolutely um and reading contact when i 1199 00:44:24,150 --> 00:44:22,160 was in high school was absolutely 1200 00:44:26,790 --> 00:44:24,160 groundbreaking you've seen cosmos this 1201 00:44:28,630 --> 00:44:26,800 series yes and i read cosmos uh probably 1202 00:44:30,470 --> 00:44:28,640 last year i finally read the book 1203 00:44:31,829 --> 00:44:30,480 and i was accused of being a dork which 1204 00:44:33,670 --> 00:44:31,839 is absolutely true 1205 00:44:35,750 --> 00:44:33,680 and uh i live the nerds 1206 00:44:37,589 --> 00:44:35,760 amen brother oh man they call me 1207 00:44:40,309 --> 00:44:37,599 anything they like if i watch cosmos i 1208 00:44:41,670 --> 00:44:40,319 don't care yeah it does yeah exactly um 1209 00:44:43,190 --> 00:44:41,680 i forget what my point was but it really 1210 00:44:44,230 --> 00:44:43,200 doesn't matter someone handed me 1211 00:44:45,430 --> 00:44:44,240 champagne a while ago but it's 1212 00:44:47,589 --> 00:44:45,440 interesting you should mention that 1213 00:44:49,910 --> 00:44:47,599 because if i just look up into the sky 1214 00:44:53,030 --> 00:44:49,920 right now over my shoulder here i can 1215 00:44:56,390 --> 00:44:53,040 see orion the constellation of orion 1216 00:45:00,630 --> 00:44:58,230 which is pretty weird yeah 1217 00:45:03,190 --> 00:45:00,640 there it is upside down it is uh it is 1218 00:45:05,750 --> 00:45:03,200 summer right now in australia yeah 1219 00:45:07,750 --> 00:45:05,760 i think i can see mars 1220 00:45:09,670 --> 00:45:07,760 just up a little bit i can confirm that 1221 00:45:11,990 --> 00:45:09,680 later on with my handy iphone app 1222 00:45:13,270 --> 00:45:12,000 cassiopeia is over there oh yeah 1223 00:45:14,790 --> 00:45:13,280 the w 1224 00:45:17,190 --> 00:45:14,800 i think the reason they appear upside 1225 00:45:21,190 --> 00:45:17,200 down is that nibiru must have passed 1226 00:45:24,790 --> 00:45:22,950 isn't he a little early 1227 00:45:28,390 --> 00:45:24,800 i know late he's late didn't he 1228 00:45:31,510 --> 00:45:28,400 2003 wasn't it for the original oh boy 1229 00:45:33,829 --> 00:45:31,520 no it's b it's a starry night and i can 1230 00:45:35,190 --> 00:45:33,839 i can see the the the constellations i 1231 00:45:36,790 --> 00:45:35,200 know but they're upside down so that's 1232 00:45:38,390 --> 00:45:36,800 really interesting oh there's the um 1233 00:45:39,910 --> 00:45:38,400 pleiades over there 1234 00:45:44,069 --> 00:45:39,920 see that one do you know that the the 1235 00:45:44,079 --> 00:45:48,710 no kidding 1236 00:45:52,550 --> 00:45:50,230 the first six years i could drive i 1237 00:45:53,990 --> 00:45:52,560 drove a subaru and uh i finally learned 1238 00:45:55,510 --> 00:45:54,000 what the pleiades were and that it was 1239 00:45:57,589 --> 00:45:55,520 the logo and it's 1240 00:46:05,270 --> 00:45:57,599 really very exciting to it to a young 1241 00:46:08,790 --> 00:46:06,790 pretty much any disaster that happens is 1242 00:46:11,990 --> 00:46:08,800 my fault 1243 00:46:14,230 --> 00:46:12,000 so all of us being barefoot 1244 00:46:16,069 --> 00:46:14,240 oh glass and bare feet what could go 1245 00:46:17,670 --> 00:46:16,079 wrong nothing 1246 00:46:19,910 --> 00:46:17,680 you've seen people walking over glass 1247 00:46:21,829 --> 00:46:19,920 before haven't you i thought it was hot 1248 00:46:23,510 --> 00:46:21,839 coals yeah you can walk out for glass 1249 00:46:25,109 --> 00:46:23,520 but i wouldn't recommend it hot glass 1250 00:46:27,589 --> 00:46:25,119 bowls of glass 1251 00:46:29,270 --> 00:46:27,599 we'll find out we'll be right behind you 1252 00:46:31,430 --> 00:46:29,280 yeah go ahead richard 1253 00:46:32,790 --> 00:46:31,440 thank you now what about you 1254 00:46:35,910 --> 00:46:32,800 um 1255 00:46:38,630 --> 00:46:35,920 i think what started me into the idea of 1256 00:46:41,030 --> 00:46:38,640 critical thinking particularly was um i 1257 00:46:42,550 --> 00:46:41,040 worked as a research assistant on people 1258 00:46:44,710 --> 00:46:42,560 um working 1259 00:46:47,109 --> 00:46:44,720 on an idea of invisible or unidentified 1260 00:46:49,270 --> 00:46:47,119 skin parasites which kind of brought to 1261 00:46:51,190 --> 00:46:49,280 the surface people who um 1262 00:46:53,829 --> 00:46:51,200 had kind of a some people while some 1263 00:46:56,150 --> 00:46:53,839 people did have skin parasites some 1264 00:46:58,790 --> 00:46:56,160 individuals had a persistent unshakable 1265 00:46:59,670 --> 00:46:58,800 belief that um insects were inside their 1266 00:47:01,750 --> 00:46:59,680 skin 1267 00:47:03,349 --> 00:47:01,760 to the contrary to persistent evidence 1268 00:47:05,109 --> 00:47:03,359 that otherwise 1269 00:47:06,710 --> 00:47:05,119 and it was um you know and like 1270 00:47:07,670 --> 00:47:06,720 experiencing their suffering you know 1271 00:47:09,990 --> 00:47:07,680 and i didn't really have words for 1272 00:47:12,150 --> 00:47:10,000 understanding that concept of critical 1273 00:47:14,790 --> 00:47:12,160 thinking and how people perceive and 1274 00:47:17,349 --> 00:47:14,800 come to what is true for them and so 1275 00:47:19,829 --> 00:47:17,359 that was very um very interesting and 1276 00:47:21,349 --> 00:47:19,839 very exciting and confusing and learning 1277 00:47:23,270 --> 00:47:21,359 about skepticism and it's thought about 1278 00:47:24,390 --> 00:47:23,280 how people attain knowledge was very 1279 00:47:26,390 --> 00:47:24,400 important for 1280 00:47:28,550 --> 00:47:26,400 my work therein and now that i'm working 1281 00:47:30,630 --> 00:47:28,560 on my doctorate in clinical psychology 1282 00:47:32,790 --> 00:47:30,640 it's i think very relevant for me to 1283 00:47:34,470 --> 00:47:32,800 understand how people the individuals i 1284 00:47:36,790 --> 00:47:34,480 work with come to their reality and 1285 00:47:38,630 --> 00:47:36,800 their truths and um 1286 00:47:40,950 --> 00:47:38,640 it's helpful as a cognitive behavioral 1287 00:47:43,510 --> 00:47:40,960 therapist to um 1288 00:47:44,630 --> 00:47:43,520 um find dissonance with people's beliefs 1289 00:47:47,030 --> 00:47:44,640 and how they come to believe what they 1290 00:47:49,670 --> 00:47:47,040 believe is very helpful for therapy to 1291 00:47:51,190 --> 00:47:49,680 be skeptical in my experience this is 1292 00:47:52,470 --> 00:47:51,200 very interesting you should 1293 00:47:54,550 --> 00:47:52,480 raise these sort of topics because we've 1294 00:47:56,950 --> 00:47:54,560 been discussing this today brian 1295 00:47:58,790 --> 00:47:56,960 the way people convince themselves into 1296 00:48:00,390 --> 00:47:58,800 believing things yeah and i was 1297 00:48:02,230 --> 00:48:00,400 discussing the feedback they get the 1298 00:48:04,550 --> 00:48:02,240 positive feedback with the kinesiology 1299 00:48:06,390 --> 00:48:04,560 for example but i've seen this with with 1300 00:48:08,550 --> 00:48:06,400 all sorts of people from astrologers to 1301 00:48:10,710 --> 00:48:08,560 psychics to all sorts of people well as 1302 00:48:11,750 --> 00:48:10,720 a reformed hypochondriac i can say that 1303 00:48:13,910 --> 00:48:11,760 uh 1304 00:48:16,630 --> 00:48:13,920 what's amazing is is that you can think 1305 00:48:19,270 --> 00:48:16,640 critically about almost any other topic 1306 00:48:20,630 --> 00:48:19,280 besides what you yourself have convinced 1307 00:48:22,390 --> 00:48:20,640 to be true i mean 1308 00:48:24,630 --> 00:48:22,400 i i was an atheist by the time i was 1309 00:48:27,910 --> 00:48:24,640 around 13 so i didn't think of god but i 1310 00:48:29,990 --> 00:48:27,920 was convinced convinced at age 19 that i 1311 00:48:31,030 --> 00:48:30,000 had a brain tumor that i was dying and 1312 00:48:37,030 --> 00:48:31,040 any 1313 00:48:39,349 --> 00:48:37,040 tumor and by the time i was about around 1314 00:48:41,270 --> 00:48:39,359 22 i realized like okay no i'm probably 1315 00:48:43,670 --> 00:48:41,280 not dying of a brain tumor but it's 1316 00:48:45,670 --> 00:48:43,680 amazing that it took me three years to 1317 00:48:47,750 --> 00:48:45,680 to figure out 1318 00:48:49,829 --> 00:48:47,760 that the the symptoms that i thought 1319 00:48:52,069 --> 00:48:49,839 were true were actually false 1320 00:48:53,030 --> 00:48:52,079 and the the things that i thought were 1321 00:48:55,190 --> 00:48:53,040 were 1322 00:48:57,270 --> 00:48:55,200 you know just i mean i it was literally 1323 00:49:00,230 --> 00:48:57,280 the idea of like you know the false 1324 00:49:01,750 --> 00:49:00,240 positives and remembering what 1325 00:49:03,109 --> 00:49:01,760 exactly confirmation bias remembering 1326 00:49:05,670 --> 00:49:03,119 what was true and what was versus what 1327 00:49:06,950 --> 00:49:05,680 was false yeah and really and it was you 1328 00:49:09,430 --> 00:49:06,960 know what i learned later was really a 1329 00:49:11,670 --> 00:49:09,440 symptom of of like a poor body image 1330 00:49:13,349 --> 00:49:11,680 like i figured that my body was 1331 00:49:15,109 --> 00:49:13,359 something wrong with my body not the way 1332 00:49:16,390 --> 00:49:15,119 it looked but the way it was you know 1333 00:49:17,349 --> 00:49:16,400 health-wise 1334 00:49:18,950 --> 00:49:17,359 and 1335 00:49:21,030 --> 00:49:18,960 i was willing to think critically about 1336 00:49:22,470 --> 00:49:21,040 god about jesus about religion about 1337 00:49:24,630 --> 00:49:22,480 crystal healing about anything you'd 1338 00:49:26,069 --> 00:49:24,640 give me except for my own body and i was 1339 00:49:27,910 --> 00:49:26,079 convinced that something was wrong with 1340 00:49:30,549 --> 00:49:27,920 my own body and it actually 1341 00:49:33,109 --> 00:49:30,559 turned out not to be so it's amazing how 1342 00:49:34,950 --> 00:49:33,119 individual people can be skeptical about 1343 00:49:38,230 --> 00:49:34,960 almost anything except that they're 1344 00:49:40,470 --> 00:49:38,240 except their own personal sort of 1345 00:49:41,750 --> 00:49:40,480 cow exactly their own sacred cows even 1346 00:49:45,349 --> 00:49:41,760 if it's a negative thing even if it's 1347 00:49:47,510 --> 00:49:45,359 something they think is harming them now 1348 00:49:50,150 --> 00:49:47,520 it's a really good point because i often 1349 00:49:51,270 --> 00:49:50,160 wonder if i'm the same 1350 00:49:53,430 --> 00:49:51,280 in what way 1351 00:49:55,270 --> 00:49:53,440 did i have something that i have a block 1352 00:49:57,030 --> 00:49:55,280 about yeah 1353 00:49:59,190 --> 00:49:57,040 and why wouldn't i be i'm human like 1354 00:50:00,630 --> 00:49:59,200 everybody else and it's up for other 1355 00:50:02,630 --> 00:50:00,640 people to tell me what it is and then 1356 00:50:03,750 --> 00:50:02,640 for me to go oh no that's silly 1357 00:50:06,470 --> 00:50:03,760 yeah you know 1358 00:50:08,150 --> 00:50:06,480 well i think part of it i mean i i 1359 00:50:11,030 --> 00:50:08,160 as i said i was a skeptic even before i 1360 00:50:12,790 --> 00:50:11,040 had the word for it so i had had read 1361 00:50:15,349 --> 00:50:12,800 about people dismissing their own 1362 00:50:17,910 --> 00:50:15,359 symptoms and then having it turn out to 1363 00:50:18,950 --> 00:50:17,920 be real so all i could think was like 1364 00:50:20,230 --> 00:50:18,960 and then they have the same thing 1365 00:50:21,589 --> 00:50:20,240 happens to me like i don't like to fly 1366 00:50:23,589 --> 00:50:21,599 but i do it on a regular basis because 1367 00:50:25,190 --> 00:50:23,599 my family lives 3000 miles away so i go 1368 00:50:26,470 --> 00:50:25,200 at least twice a year to go visit them 1369 00:50:27,750 --> 00:50:26,480 and i always think if i'm missing a 1370 00:50:29,190 --> 00:50:27,760 flight or i'm trying desperately to 1371 00:50:31,349 --> 00:50:29,200 catch that last flight out to the east 1372 00:50:33,270 --> 00:50:31,359 coast like oh my god am i desperately 1373 00:50:36,309 --> 00:50:33,280 trying to catch the death flight 1374 00:50:37,990 --> 00:50:36,319 and or am i desperately convincing 1375 00:50:39,270 --> 00:50:38,000 myself that i'm healthy when in fact i 1376 00:50:42,309 --> 00:50:39,280 am really sick 1377 00:50:43,750 --> 00:50:42,319 and i mean you know the the human brain 1378 00:50:45,270 --> 00:50:43,760 i love it i think it's it's one of the 1379 00:50:47,349 --> 00:50:45,280 most fascinating 1380 00:50:50,069 --> 00:50:47,359 objects ever created 1381 00:50:52,790 --> 00:50:50,079 at the same time it it totally screws me 1382 00:50:55,990 --> 00:50:52,800 up on a regular basis it's 1383 00:50:57,750 --> 00:50:56,000 you know i i think myself out of 1384 00:50:59,750 --> 00:50:57,760 trying new things sometimes and then i 1385 00:51:01,510 --> 00:50:59,760 think myself into trying crazy things 1386 00:51:03,030 --> 00:51:01,520 and what i have to work on convincing 1387 00:51:05,030 --> 00:51:03,040 myself and i think most humans have to 1388 00:51:06,230 --> 00:51:05,040 work on convincing themselves 1389 00:51:08,390 --> 00:51:06,240 is that 1390 00:51:09,750 --> 00:51:08,400 your brain will lead you astray 1391 00:51:11,030 --> 00:51:09,760 and sometimes 1392 00:51:13,430 --> 00:51:11,040 if if you 1393 00:51:15,910 --> 00:51:13,440 try and research how it works you can 1394 00:51:17,589 --> 00:51:15,920 override those those systems 1395 00:51:19,430 --> 00:51:17,599 i think that goes to show how your mind 1396 00:51:21,430 --> 00:51:19,440 is or your brain is like a meaning 1397 00:51:22,790 --> 00:51:21,440 making machine yes and how you're trying 1398 00:51:24,950 --> 00:51:22,800 to make meaning out of all these things 1399 00:51:27,349 --> 00:51:24,960 and how it serves you so seeking which 1400 00:51:28,710 --> 00:51:27,359 makes the process 1401 00:51:30,710 --> 00:51:28,720 really difficult especially in 1402 00:51:32,470 --> 00:51:30,720 self-reflection well the discipline of 1403 00:51:33,430 --> 00:51:32,480 it i think is what makes the discipline 1404 00:51:35,750 --> 00:51:33,440 so 1405 00:51:38,309 --> 00:51:35,760 important yeah well you can't pick it up 1406 00:51:40,150 --> 00:51:38,319 either overnight no it's it's i think 1407 00:51:41,270 --> 00:51:40,160 it's a lifelong process honestly 1408 00:51:43,430 --> 00:51:41,280 oh yeah i don't know if you guys have a 1409 00:51:44,630 --> 00:51:43,440 time i learned all about wikipedia okay 1410 00:51:46,069 --> 00:51:44,640 well yeah 1411 00:51:57,670 --> 00:51:46,079 but yeah i learned all about it on 1412 00:52:01,589 --> 00:51:59,270 as i was telling you richard earlier 1413 00:52:03,190 --> 00:52:01,599 today um most of 1414 00:52:05,510 --> 00:52:03,200 probably the probably the whole first 1415 00:52:07,270 --> 00:52:05,520 two years of skeptoid i would 1416 00:52:09,910 --> 00:52:07,280 gladly throw away 1417 00:52:11,589 --> 00:52:09,920 because i would do them all what i think 1418 00:52:13,109 --> 00:52:11,599 is a lot better now 1419 00:52:14,390 --> 00:52:13,119 and i'm sure that two years from now 1420 00:52:16,390 --> 00:52:14,400 i'll be saying the same thing about the 1421 00:52:17,990 --> 00:52:16,400 shows i'm doing possibly today possibly 1422 00:52:19,589 --> 00:52:18,000 don't be surprised if there's a lot of 1423 00:52:21,670 --> 00:52:19,599 stuff that that you think you'd look 1424 00:52:23,750 --> 00:52:21,680 back on and say no that's good i'm happy 1425 00:52:25,510 --> 00:52:23,760 with that yeah some of it but i mean i i 1426 00:52:27,030 --> 00:52:25,520 when i go back and and you know read the 1427 00:52:29,430 --> 00:52:27,040 transcripts or listen to the old ones i 1428 00:52:31,190 --> 00:52:29,440 know that you know i was guilty of some 1429 00:52:32,790 --> 00:52:31,200 a lot of the same things that i'm trying 1430 00:52:34,630 --> 00:52:32,800 to do something about now well you're 1431 00:52:36,710 --> 00:52:34,640 learning yeah that's true of almost 1432 00:52:39,349 --> 00:52:36,720 anything you pursue i mean i i as an 1433 00:52:41,190 --> 00:52:39,359 artist which i really a term i kind of 1434 00:52:43,190 --> 00:52:41,200 get grossed out by but it 1435 00:52:44,950 --> 00:52:43,200 reluctantly has been applied to me so 1436 00:52:47,670 --> 00:52:44,960 i'll own it 1437 00:52:50,630 --> 00:52:47,680 she draws lockheed p-38 yeah shut up 1438 00:52:52,870 --> 00:52:50,640 about the p-38 my god um 1439 00:52:55,030 --> 00:52:52,880 so like two years ago 1440 00:52:56,309 --> 00:52:55,040 the stuff i was drawing was was absolute 1441 00:52:58,230 --> 00:52:56,319 crap 1442 00:53:00,150 --> 00:52:58,240 and you know but i thought it was great 1443 00:53:02,710 --> 00:53:00,160 at the time and the stuff i think is 1444 00:53:04,950 --> 00:53:02,720 great now i'll probably think is is crap 1445 00:53:07,430 --> 00:53:04,960 in two years but 1446 00:53:09,190 --> 00:53:07,440 that's i mean what's the great the gift 1447 00:53:12,230 --> 00:53:09,200 about the human brain which is why you 1448 00:53:14,309 --> 00:53:12,240 know i think i'll hang on to mine 1449 00:53:16,309 --> 00:53:14,319 is that and not have a tumor after all i 1450 00:53:18,069 --> 00:53:16,319 don't think so okay it turns out i'm 1451 00:53:20,470 --> 00:53:18,079 pretty healthy um 1452 00:53:22,950 --> 00:53:20,480 is that it it's able to to learn from 1453 00:53:25,270 --> 00:53:22,960 itself in that we think and there's 1454 00:53:27,270 --> 00:53:25,280 there's conclusions we drew it's capable 1455 00:53:28,710 --> 00:53:27,280 it's some some it's capable not it 1456 00:53:30,150 --> 00:53:28,720 doesn't always happen 1457 00:53:31,670 --> 00:53:30,160 well there's conclusions i drew when i 1458 00:53:33,510 --> 00:53:31,680 was 12 and when i was 15 and when i was 1459 00:53:36,390 --> 00:53:33,520 18 and when i was 25 1460 00:53:39,030 --> 00:53:36,400 that sound ridiculous to me now and at 1461 00:53:40,390 --> 00:53:39,040 age 28 you know i'm drawing conclusions 1462 00:53:43,109 --> 00:53:40,400 that will probably seem ridiculous at 1463 00:53:44,470 --> 00:53:43,119 35. but i'm always able to look back at 1464 00:53:45,910 --> 00:53:44,480 those conclusions and see what was 1465 00:53:48,470 --> 00:53:45,920 correct about them and what was wrong 1466 00:53:50,069 --> 00:53:48,480 about them well i think most skeptics 1467 00:53:52,069 --> 00:53:50,079 and and most people who work really hard 1468 00:53:53,270 --> 00:53:52,079 thinking about that would agree with me 1469 00:53:55,270 --> 00:53:53,280 well and i think that what we've all 1470 00:53:57,430 --> 00:53:55,280 been talking about is that 1471 00:53:58,710 --> 00:53:57,440 our brain is able to change into shift 1472 00:54:01,510 --> 00:53:58,720 and to grow 1473 00:54:03,430 --> 00:54:01,520 i'm an artist too and i look back on my 1474 00:54:05,670 --> 00:54:03,440 quilt making and there's stuff that i do 1475 00:54:07,829 --> 00:54:05,680 not like the way i did 1476 00:54:09,670 --> 00:54:07,839 but at the time it was good and so same 1477 00:54:10,390 --> 00:54:09,680 thing you know i grew up my dad is a 1478 00:54:12,390 --> 00:54:10,400 physicist 1479 00:54:14,549 --> 00:54:12,400 i questions a lot and 1480 00:54:16,390 --> 00:54:14,559 and i have grown since then 1481 00:54:17,510 --> 00:54:16,400 and so i think that what we're saying is 1482 00:54:19,270 --> 00:54:17,520 all the same thing we're growing and 1483 00:54:20,549 --> 00:54:19,280 changing constantly we always look back 1484 00:54:22,950 --> 00:54:20,559 and say i could have would have should 1485 00:54:24,230 --> 00:54:22,960 have but now i'm going to which is so 1486 00:54:25,510 --> 00:54:24,240 interesting because as someone who's 1487 00:54:27,829 --> 00:54:25,520 seen your quilt says someone who's seen 1488 00:54:30,309 --> 00:54:27,839 your art at least on facebook um i'm 1489 00:54:31,750 --> 00:54:30,319 like oh wow that's really great and 1490 00:54:33,190 --> 00:54:31,760 you know and i'd probably two years from 1491 00:54:35,030 --> 00:54:33,200 now i would think that's really great 1492 00:54:36,630 --> 00:54:35,040 but i would say 1493 00:54:38,470 --> 00:54:36,640 but i would see you interacting with 1494 00:54:40,150 --> 00:54:38,480 with a crazy person as a clinical 1495 00:54:41,670 --> 00:54:40,160 psychologist and i'd be like how the 1496 00:54:44,150 --> 00:54:41,680 hell does she do that and what do you 1497 00:54:45,750 --> 00:54:44,160 think right now 1498 00:54:47,589 --> 00:54:45,760 there is that no we don't use the term 1499 00:54:50,309 --> 00:54:47,599 crazy person anymore i'm sorry what do 1500 00:54:53,589 --> 00:54:52,150 what is that is that an australian word 1501 00:54:55,270 --> 00:54:53,599 yeah 1502 00:54:57,030 --> 00:54:55,280 idiot brian and i were having this 1503 00:54:58,390 --> 00:54:57,040 discussion today and our australian 1504 00:54:59,990 --> 00:54:58,400 listeners will appreciate this but how 1505 00:55:01,430 --> 00:55:00,000 many words we have in australia which 1506 00:55:02,870 --> 00:55:01,440 mean idiot 1507 00:55:04,950 --> 00:55:02,880 that's when they came up any language 1508 00:55:07,430 --> 00:55:04,960 that happened 1509 00:55:09,510 --> 00:55:07,440 bogan mug what was some of the other 1510 00:55:11,990 --> 00:55:09,520 ones i i don't know do they all have 1511 00:55:13,670 --> 00:55:12,000 their ears um they're all suddenly 1512 00:55:15,430 --> 00:55:13,680 they're slightly yeah they're they're 1513 00:55:17,750 --> 00:55:15,440 shades of videos brilliant yeah 1514 00:55:19,589 --> 00:55:17,760 absolutely wow they sound much cuter and 1515 00:55:21,510 --> 00:55:19,599 yeah yeah well it's interesting because 1516 00:55:23,430 --> 00:55:21,520 you use the word yankee in your podcast 1517 00:55:24,710 --> 00:55:23,440 announcing this particular event and 1518 00:55:27,430 --> 00:55:24,720 what's what's funny to me is that from 1519 00:55:29,670 --> 00:55:27,440 the east coast northeast area a yankee 1520 00:55:31,190 --> 00:55:29,680 is from and from the northeast yeah 1521 00:55:33,750 --> 00:55:31,200 but to an australian but to an 1522 00:55:35,430 --> 00:55:33,760 australian exactly yank 1523 00:55:37,030 --> 00:55:35,440 any american you call someone from 1524 00:55:39,030 --> 00:55:37,040 georgia yankee and you might want to 1525 00:55:41,670 --> 00:55:39,040 leave the room you might get your ass 1526 00:55:45,349 --> 00:55:43,190 yeah and just for clarification no 1527 00:55:47,430 --> 00:55:45,359 psychology does not call people crazy 1528 00:55:48,870 --> 00:55:47,440 sorry i'm an artist what is the word i 1529 00:55:51,270 --> 00:55:48,880 don't think you would ev um i mean these 1530 00:55:53,190 --> 00:55:51,280 people have atypical no not even because 1531 00:55:54,870 --> 00:55:53,200 people have different issues 1532 00:55:56,549 --> 00:55:54,880 yeah issues so thinking you have a tumor 1533 00:55:58,230 --> 00:55:56,559 when you're 19. that's an issue man it's 1534 00:55:59,990 --> 00:55:58,240 an issue that's an issue 1535 00:56:01,670 --> 00:56:00,000 it's cool differently advantage 1536 00:56:09,510 --> 00:56:01,680 differently 1537 00:56:10,390 --> 00:56:09,520 okay i prefer whacked out 1538 00:56:12,470 --> 00:56:10,400 now 1539 00:56:16,150 --> 00:56:12,480 how did you come across silva 1540 00:56:17,990 --> 00:56:16,160 um well i grew up catholic and i still 1541 00:56:20,230 --> 00:56:18,000 kind of consider myself ethnically 1542 00:56:21,750 --> 00:56:20,240 catholic and culturally catholic 1543 00:56:23,829 --> 00:56:21,760 culturally catholic yeah it's a better 1544 00:56:26,470 --> 00:56:23,839 term i understand um 1545 00:56:28,710 --> 00:56:26,480 but i was also very much into science 1546 00:56:31,589 --> 00:56:28,720 and um as 1547 00:56:34,390 --> 00:56:31,599 i progressed through that field i'm now 1548 00:56:36,950 --> 00:56:34,400 um trying in the process of getting my 1549 00:56:37,990 --> 00:56:36,960 doctorate in molecular biology 1550 00:56:40,230 --> 00:56:38,000 um 1551 00:56:46,390 --> 00:56:42,630 the age of the earth 1552 00:56:47,270 --> 00:56:46,400 came into play oh yeah wow evolution and 1553 00:56:51,270 --> 00:56:47,280 many 1554 00:56:53,510 --> 00:56:51,280 that great book as 1555 00:56:56,390 --> 00:56:53,520 truth just 1556 00:56:59,589 --> 00:56:56,400 oh no that one no 42 is still true 1557 00:57:03,430 --> 00:56:59,599 i was worried um the other book uh 1558 00:57:05,829 --> 00:57:03,440 seemed patently at odds with um reality 1559 00:57:07,589 --> 00:57:05,839 many many many many lines of evidence 1560 00:57:10,630 --> 00:57:07,599 yes and um 1561 00:57:12,710 --> 00:57:10,640 i think from there i i kind of dropped 1562 00:57:15,589 --> 00:57:12,720 the jehovah 1563 00:57:17,349 --> 00:57:15,599 complex and um 1564 00:57:20,309 --> 00:57:17,359 i just kind of wandered around for a 1565 00:57:23,030 --> 00:57:20,319 while until um in the desert 1566 00:57:35,270 --> 00:57:23,040 for 40 years i really don't did you come 1567 00:57:41,109 --> 00:57:39,030 um this is geek hot tub 1568 00:57:43,589 --> 00:57:41,119 that was like four movie references in 1569 00:57:46,309 --> 00:57:43,599 five seconds and geeky movies 1570 00:57:47,750 --> 00:57:46,319 all the better yeah the only 1571 00:57:48,549 --> 00:57:47,760 someone was saying something whoever it 1572 00:57:52,630 --> 00:57:48,559 was 1573 00:57:53,589 --> 00:57:52,640 um 1574 00:57:55,990 --> 00:57:53,599 and 1575 00:57:57,750 --> 00:57:56,000 i you know i think the first podcast i 1576 00:58:00,549 --> 00:57:57,760 caught was uh 1577 00:58:02,549 --> 00:58:00,559 the skeptic's guide yep and uh a lot of 1578 00:58:04,470 --> 00:58:02,559 people come to us with the skeptics yeah 1579 00:58:06,549 --> 00:58:04,480 and that's sort of like i can't i don't 1580 00:58:07,510 --> 00:58:06,559 remember if it was you sarah graduate 1581 00:58:09,829 --> 00:58:07,520 from 1582 00:58:11,990 --> 00:58:09,839 they graduate 1583 00:58:14,390 --> 00:58:12,000 that's really kind of what happened um 1584 00:58:16,870 --> 00:58:14,400 you know that sort of opens god 1585 00:58:20,069 --> 00:58:16,880 opened my eyes to the 1586 00:58:21,589 --> 00:58:20,079 the quote community and uh branched out 1587 00:58:23,990 --> 00:58:21,599 from there well did you have the 1588 00:58:25,589 --> 00:58:24,000 experience of of knowing that you were a 1589 00:58:27,109 --> 00:58:25,599 skeptic before you had a word for it or 1590 00:58:29,349 --> 00:58:27,119 knowing that you were an atheist before 1591 00:58:32,069 --> 00:58:29,359 i knew i was a scientist 1592 00:58:34,069 --> 00:58:32,079 and uh i never really put skeptic to it 1593 00:58:35,750 --> 00:58:34,079 i saw michael shermer talk 1594 00:58:39,430 --> 00:58:35,760 and you know when i was younger i would 1595 00:58:41,589 --> 00:58:39,440 see him talk and go and do as so many do 1596 00:58:45,829 --> 00:58:41,599 and 1597 00:58:47,750 --> 00:58:45,839 uh sort of add cynic on top of right the 1598 00:58:50,309 --> 00:58:47,760 skeptic yeah and then i would hear him 1599 00:58:52,789 --> 00:58:50,319 talk and go this guy is making sense you 1600 00:58:54,230 --> 00:58:52,799 know that that's true actually one of my 1601 00:58:55,829 --> 00:58:54,240 early experiences with the australian 1602 00:58:58,309 --> 00:58:55,839 skeptics was i went to a public talk 1603 00:59:00,549 --> 00:58:58,319 about ufos and the guy speaking just 1604 00:59:01,829 --> 00:59:00,559 made so much clearer sense 1605 00:59:05,190 --> 00:59:01,839 and he didn't sound like a jerk he 1606 00:59:06,630 --> 00:59:05,200 didn't sound like cantankerous right 1607 00:59:08,069 --> 00:59:06,640 so richard i have a question for you 1608 00:59:09,990 --> 00:59:08,079 that i wanted to know is is my 1609 00:59:12,870 --> 00:59:10,000 understanding is that in australia 1610 00:59:15,190 --> 00:59:12,880 there's a lot less sort of religious um 1611 00:59:17,510 --> 00:59:15,200 fundamentalism and a lot of a lot sort 1612 00:59:19,510 --> 00:59:17,520 of less religious uh 1613 00:59:20,950 --> 00:59:19,520 you know belief yeah and more sort of 1614 00:59:22,630 --> 00:59:20,960 what what we in america would refer to 1615 00:59:25,670 --> 00:59:22,640 as woo-woo a lot of like 1616 00:59:27,430 --> 00:59:25,680 crystal healing etc whereas here we have 1617 00:59:28,630 --> 00:59:27,440 a lot of religious fundamentalism a lot 1618 00:59:30,230 --> 00:59:28,640 of like 1619 00:59:31,670 --> 00:59:30,240 hardcore christians 1620 00:59:33,589 --> 00:59:31,680 um 1621 00:59:35,829 --> 00:59:33,599 who would denounce in the same breath 1622 00:59:37,030 --> 00:59:35,839 the crystal healing exactly yeah so i i 1623 00:59:38,870 --> 00:59:37,040 want to know what your take is on that 1624 00:59:41,670 --> 00:59:38,880 we have pockets of 1625 00:59:43,430 --> 00:59:41,680 of the fundamentalists okay and i guess 1626 00:59:45,990 --> 00:59:43,440 a lot of countries suffer that problem 1627 00:59:48,390 --> 00:59:46,000 right um fundamentals christians yeah 1628 00:59:50,230 --> 00:59:48,400 yeah um well we got the the cults too 1629 00:59:53,109 --> 00:59:50,240 yeah but everything's sort of toned down 1630 00:59:54,950 --> 00:59:53,119 a bit yeah mainstream religion is just 1631 00:59:56,230 --> 00:59:54,960 part of the background really 1632 01:00:00,549 --> 00:59:56,240 it's interesting because here it seems 1633 01:00:04,230 --> 01:00:01,990 it kind of like kicks itself back up 1634 01:00:06,069 --> 01:00:04,240 periodically and i find it interesting 1635 01:00:07,910 --> 01:00:06,079 that this country has laws 1636 01:00:09,190 --> 01:00:07,920 with the separation of church and state 1637 01:00:10,230 --> 01:00:09,200 but you've got these 1638 01:00:12,069 --> 01:00:10,240 well that was another amount of 1639 01:00:13,430 --> 01:00:12,079 questions is that 1640 01:00:15,349 --> 01:00:13,440 you know separation of church and state 1641 01:00:17,829 --> 01:00:15,359 doesn't exist in say the uk and i don't 1642 01:00:19,910 --> 01:00:17,839 know what the law is in australia 1643 01:00:21,670 --> 01:00:19,920 and yet it seems that the government 1644 01:00:23,910 --> 01:00:21,680 there is less influenced 1645 01:00:26,470 --> 01:00:23,920 absolutely religion whereas here you 1646 01:00:29,270 --> 01:00:26,480 know we have like the family 1647 01:00:31,190 --> 01:00:29,280 scary prayer breakfasts 1648 01:00:32,950 --> 01:00:31,200 and that's that's sort of terrifying to 1649 01:00:34,950 --> 01:00:32,960 me just about any politician in 1650 01:00:36,230 --> 01:00:34,960 australia can get elected and no one 1651 01:00:37,910 --> 01:00:36,240 really gives 1652 01:00:40,150 --> 01:00:37,920 a rats about that so you think an 1653 01:00:42,069 --> 01:00:40,160 atheist could get elected in austria 1654 01:00:44,069 --> 01:00:42,079 we've had atheist prime minister i don't 1655 01:00:45,430 --> 01:00:44,079 think that's not an issue because here 1656 01:00:49,109 --> 01:00:45,440 uh there are 1657 01:00:51,270 --> 01:00:49,119 there are uh i and you know i'm gonna 1658 01:00:52,710 --> 01:00:51,280 do a cardinal sent and quote some 1659 01:00:54,230 --> 01:00:52,720 statistic without knowing where it came 1660 01:00:55,190 --> 01:00:54,240 from but uh 1661 01:00:58,230 --> 01:00:55,200 that 1662 01:01:00,630 --> 01:00:58,240 it would be harder for an atheist to get 1663 01:01:02,789 --> 01:01:00,640 um oh yeah to get elected here than than 1664 01:01:04,710 --> 01:01:02,799 a muslim oh absolutely because a muslim 1665 01:01:06,309 --> 01:01:04,720 could still say like well we all believe 1666 01:01:08,069 --> 01:01:06,319 i mean there's nothing i'm not saying 1667 01:01:09,270 --> 01:01:08,079 anything about muslims 1668 01:01:11,030 --> 01:01:09,280 it's just about just some franchise 1669 01:01:13,109 --> 01:01:11,040 population and what bothers me about the 1670 01:01:14,950 --> 01:01:13,119 united states a lot of sort of liberal 1671 01:01:17,030 --> 01:01:14,960 uh you know and i count myself as a 1672 01:01:20,630 --> 01:01:17,040 liberal or leftist um 1673 01:01:22,309 --> 01:01:20,640 you know religion in that sense is that 1674 01:01:24,549 --> 01:01:22,319 some people try to quote like well we 1675 01:01:27,030 --> 01:01:24,559 all believe in one god it's all one god 1676 01:01:28,950 --> 01:01:27,040 and it's it immediately instantly 1677 01:01:32,309 --> 01:01:28,960 negates those of us who don't believe in 1678 01:01:34,069 --> 01:01:32,319 a god at all yeah and yeah you know on 1679 01:01:36,390 --> 01:01:34,079 one level i can agree with them like yes 1680 01:01:37,910 --> 01:01:36,400 we should take care of our fellow man 1681 01:01:39,990 --> 01:01:37,920 um but just for a very different reason 1682 01:01:41,829 --> 01:01:40,000 and and it's it's really distressing to 1683 01:01:42,870 --> 01:01:41,839 hear you know when people talk about all 1684 01:01:44,309 --> 01:01:42,880 one god 1685 01:01:45,829 --> 01:01:44,319 immediately eliminating those of us who 1686 01:01:47,349 --> 01:01:45,839 don't believe in any god at all but i 1687 01:01:49,270 --> 01:01:47,359 think also in this conversation we've 1688 01:01:50,549 --> 01:01:49,280 eliminated people who are skeptics who 1689 01:01:52,710 --> 01:01:50,559 identify as skeptics but still are 1690 01:01:53,910 --> 01:01:52,720 religious that's true because i don't 1691 01:01:56,549 --> 01:01:53,920 think it's synonymous to say you're 1692 01:01:58,870 --> 01:01:56,559 skeptical and atheist but not always 1693 01:02:00,630 --> 01:01:58,880 just getting back to the topic of 1694 01:02:01,829 --> 01:02:00,640 the electing of someone i was just 1695 01:02:03,670 --> 01:02:01,839 thinking about it 1696 01:02:05,589 --> 01:02:03,680 it really even comes up in interviews 1697 01:02:07,190 --> 01:02:05,599 when they're talking to politicians what 1698 01:02:09,430 --> 01:02:07,200 their religious views are in australia 1699 01:02:11,910 --> 01:02:09,440 it's not an issue so can you fix the 1700 01:02:13,430 --> 01:02:11,920 taxes what happened about the roads 1701 01:02:14,630 --> 01:02:13,440 when you go to church oh that's nice now 1702 01:02:16,309 --> 01:02:14,640 what about this issue what about the 1703 01:02:18,230 --> 01:02:16,319 kangaroos yeah what are you gonna do 1704 01:02:20,470 --> 01:02:18,240 about the bloody kangaroos well here 1705 01:02:21,589 --> 01:02:20,480 it's like you know what i mean we have 1706 01:02:23,349 --> 01:02:21,599 the whole big government small 1707 01:02:24,309 --> 01:02:23,359 government issue 1708 01:02:25,589 --> 01:02:24,319 you know 1709 01:02:27,589 --> 01:02:25,599 we have conservatives who are worried 1710 01:02:29,510 --> 01:02:27,599 about quote big government uh getting in 1711 01:02:32,069 --> 01:02:29,520 the way of our businesses 1712 01:02:34,390 --> 01:02:32,079 and yet in the same breath they will say 1713 01:02:35,270 --> 01:02:34,400 we want you know gay people not to be 1714 01:02:36,630 --> 01:02:35,280 able to get married and we want 1715 01:02:38,630 --> 01:02:36,640 government to control who came married 1716 01:02:40,630 --> 01:02:38,640 who and then there's 1717 01:02:42,069 --> 01:02:40,640 the issue of like well liberals want you 1718 01:02:43,670 --> 01:02:42,079 know a small government in some sense in 1719 01:02:45,910 --> 01:02:43,680 a big government another 1720 01:02:47,510 --> 01:02:45,920 sense but what happens 1721 01:02:49,190 --> 01:02:47,520 there's always this umbrella issue of 1722 01:02:50,789 --> 01:02:49,200 like well as long as he has a he has 1723 01:02:52,950 --> 01:02:50,799 some sort of fate and it's always a he i 1724 01:02:54,230 --> 01:02:52,960 mean honestly 1725 01:02:56,390 --> 01:02:54,240 you know as long as there's some sort of 1726 01:02:57,030 --> 01:02:56,400 faith as long as he he trusts some sort 1727 01:02:59,750 --> 01:02:57,040 of 1728 01:03:02,069 --> 01:02:59,760 you know deity it's going to be okay 1729 01:03:04,549 --> 01:03:02,079 and like mr deity 1730 01:03:07,349 --> 01:03:04,559 which is such a funny show and i as a 1731 01:03:09,190 --> 01:03:07,359 woman i fully support his show about eve 1732 01:03:10,710 --> 01:03:09,200 big shout out to mrs 1733 01:03:12,870 --> 01:03:10,720 we enjoy your show 1734 01:03:14,309 --> 01:03:12,880 how you doing sir 1735 01:03:16,870 --> 01:03:14,319 certainly 1736 01:03:18,950 --> 01:03:16,880 brian call of duty sir ryan i think i'm 1737 01:03:22,549 --> 01:03:18,960 gonna have to come back in the not too 1738 01:03:24,470 --> 01:03:22,559 distant future and do another think tub 1739 01:03:25,990 --> 01:03:24,480 i think tubs are tubs are good well 1740 01:03:28,069 --> 01:03:26,000 worthwhile they've got no bus 1741 01:03:29,349 --> 01:03:28,079 announcements but that's just you know 1742 01:03:30,549 --> 01:03:29,359 yeah 1743 01:03:32,470 --> 01:03:30,559 a couple of people here could put their 1744 01:03:34,470 --> 01:03:32,480 clothes back on that would really 1745 01:03:35,829 --> 01:03:34,480 kind of oh oh my gosh my mother can 1746 01:03:38,150 --> 01:03:35,839 never listen to i mean i find that my 1747 01:03:40,069 --> 01:03:38,160 own thinking has been you know somewhat 1748 01:03:42,150 --> 01:03:40,079 like 1749 01:04:04,470 --> 01:03:42,160 screwed up by the tub 1750 01:04:08,950 --> 01:04:06,630 on that cultural note i'd like to thank 1751 01:04:10,470 --> 01:04:08,960 every everybody for joining me and brian 1752 01:04:11,430 --> 01:04:10,480 and this is hot tub 1753 01:04:13,750 --> 01:04:11,440 tonight 1754 01:04:16,309 --> 01:04:13,760 you're here and um brian i'll try to 1755 01:04:18,069 --> 01:04:16,319 make one my way back i hope so we'll 1756 01:04:21,829 --> 01:04:18,079 make this a monthly event thank you 1757 01:04:38,309 --> 01:04:23,589 we don't have any glasses to clean so 1758 01:04:42,150 --> 01:04:40,309 hi i'm jason and i'm andrew from the 1759 01:04:44,789 --> 01:04:42,160 nonsense podcast bringing you a 1760 01:04:46,470 --> 01:04:44,799 skeptical overview of news religion and 1761 01:04:48,309 --> 01:04:46,480 all forms of pseudoscience we're 1762 01:04:49,829 --> 01:04:48,319 defending science and reason against the 1763 01:04:51,750 --> 01:04:49,839 onslaught of medical and spiritual 1764 01:04:53,910 --> 01:04:51,760 nonsense all week we are busy 1765 01:04:56,710 --> 01:04:53,920 researching and debunking pseudoscience 1766 01:05:00,029 --> 01:04:56,720 but on the seventh day we listen to the 1767 01:05:01,670 --> 01:05:00,039 skeptic zone check us out at 1768 01:05:14,950 --> 01:05:01,680 nonsensepodcast.lipsin.com or search for 1769 01:05:18,150 --> 01:05:16,789 thanks for joining me for this week's 1770 01:05:19,510 --> 01:05:18,160 skeptic zone 1771 01:05:23,190 --> 01:05:19,520 don't forget to check out the new 1772 01:05:26,230 --> 01:05:23,200 podcast by kylie sturges token skeptic 1773 01:05:27,990 --> 01:05:26,240 at tokenskeptic.org 1774 01:05:30,549 --> 01:05:28,000 and thanks to kylie for putting together 1775 01:05:33,190 --> 01:05:30,559 our recent skeptic zone survey and thank 1776 01:05:35,190 --> 01:05:33,200 you to everybody who wrote in and took 1777 01:05:37,190 --> 01:05:35,200 part in the survey 1778 01:05:38,870 --> 01:05:37,200 many interesting results for us to look 1779 01:05:40,069 --> 01:05:38,880 through i'm glad most of you seem to 1780 01:05:41,829 --> 01:05:40,079 like the show 1781 01:05:43,670 --> 01:05:41,839 lots of good comments lots of good uh 1782 01:05:44,630 --> 01:05:43,680 constructive criticism which we take on 1783 01:05:46,710 --> 01:05:44,640 board 1784 01:05:49,750 --> 01:05:46,720 and just one point all the ads you hear 1785 01:05:51,430 --> 01:05:49,760 on on the skeptic zone are actually um 1786 01:05:53,670 --> 01:05:51,440 done as favors there is no paid 1787 01:05:55,589 --> 01:05:53,680 advertising on the skeptic zone we 1788 01:05:56,870 --> 01:05:55,599 advertise people we think you might like 1789 01:05:59,109 --> 01:05:56,880 to hear about 1790 01:06:01,430 --> 01:05:59,119 just so you know and of course if you 1791 01:06:04,390 --> 01:06:01,440 want to help the skeptic zone you can 1792 01:06:08,150 --> 01:06:04,400 contribute by donation or subscribe 1793 01:06:12,549 --> 01:06:10,150 well enough of all that thanks again for 1794 01:06:15,029 --> 01:06:12,559 listening and until next time this is 1795 01:06:19,109 --> 01:06:15,039 richard saunders signing off from sydney 1796 01:06:22,789 --> 01:06:20,789 you've been listening to the skeptic 1797 01:06:26,150 --> 01:06:22,799 zone visit our website at