James Randi offers up his thoughts on those who deserve a mention for their work. “No matter if it was blatant cynicism, shocking callousness, lazy ignorance, or merely old-fashioned pig-headedness — these men and women took those qualities that most vex us to their wild, crazy extremes. We’d salute them, but we’re too busy gaping.”
James Randi – The Pigasus Awards 2009
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(9 Responses)
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Its always fun to watch Mr Randi tear into pseudo-scientific quackery!
I’m pretty sure this guy is gonna keel over from a heart attack very soon…too much time hating people isn’t healthy.
Ethan – I really hope that was tongue-in-cheek. You’ve kind of quite badly missed the idea otherwise…
@Ethan Caine – Randi used to carry a card saying “I James Randi predict that I will die today” – on the grounds that sooner or later it would be true and he would be acclaimed for his prediction.
Yours sounds a bit like that. But a heart attack is a bit too specific: you want to widen your prospects of success. How about “I’m pretty sure he’s going to die of something or other, sooner or later.”
As to Randi hating people – not at all. He’s very measured.
Pointing out absurdities and frauds with clarity and humour, by all means, but if you’re reading hatred into it, may I suggest you check you didn’t bring it with you?
Ethan: You’d be wrong — ‘this guy’ is pretty sturdy. He’s survived a heart attack and is recovering from cancer, and he STILL finds the time and dedication to attack those that prey on the ignorant. James Randi ftw!
This is kind of a controversial statement. But if the quacks are getting away with such things, say like the person who “conned” the Iraq government for millions, I kind of come to it with the attitude of “Well if they are just GIVING IT AWAY? To NOT stand in line waiting to get it that line up, would be just stupid” IT being Money.
I do admit I enjoy James Randi and if I were conning someone and James caught me doing it well enough to get a Pigasus award, I would be honoured to accept it in person, and I bet the people I sold to would keep buying whatever I was selling anyways. Yep pretty controversial.
pretty funni about him carrying that card. is he trying to start an urban legend?
Zwinge!
themindfantastic: Really? You’d put people’s lives at risk by selling their superiors a fake bomb detector, just because you could get away with it?
Would you also break in and steal my belongings if I left a window open? Hey, money up for grabs, all you need to do is relinquish your compassion and sense of morality.
I used to believe the stereotype of the conman with a heart of gold when I was a kid — it’s such a cool tv trope. Too bad that out in the real world, it’s people’s lives and livelihood that these con artists play with.
Yeesh… He’s a braver man than me, messing with Oprah like that. Isn’t she a Bilderberg member these days?