Comments on: Protect Your Family Jewels http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/ The official Derren Brown Blog Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:25:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Shaun Banks http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92810 Shaun Banks Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:27:24 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92810 jack: You commenting on the word random is RANDOM jack: You commenting on the word random is RANDOM

]]> By: jack http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92805 jack Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:46:57 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92805 I totally hate the word random (eg. Berber Anna: it is all very random anyway.) WTF is not random by the way? only those things which you set out to do? Oh, so I go to the store and the clerk is picking up a piece of trash from under the register, totally random. or, so some bum is standing on the street, totally random. Things aren't random, they just are what they are. Geez. I totally hate the word random (eg. Berber Anna: it is all very random anyway.)
WTF is not random by the way? only those things which you set out to do?
Oh, so I go to the store and the clerk is picking up a piece of trash from under the register, totally random.
or, so some bum is standing on the street, totally random.
Things aren’t random, they just are what they are. Geez.

]]> By: Shaun Banks http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92643 Shaun Banks Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:43:33 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92643 Berber Anna : There are many things in cultures that should not be part of culture at all, including eunuchs, Burkas and all other types of culturally excepted human degradations. If someone chooses to be being a eunuch by choice then it still remains unnatural and therefore rather random. Morris Dancers on the other hand are fantastic and we should, in this country, consider introducing compulsory Morris Dancing National Service. (I am Joking) Berber Anna : There are many things in cultures that should not be part of culture at all, including eunuchs, Burkas and all other types of culturally excepted human degradations.

If someone chooses to be being a eunuch by choice then it still remains unnatural and therefore rather random.

Morris Dancers on the other hand are fantastic and we should, in this country, consider introducing compulsory Morris Dancing National Service. (I am Joking)

]]> By: Berber Anna http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92616 Berber Anna Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:57:45 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92616 Shaun: It's only random because it's something you're not culturally used to. In India, hijra are usually poor and often reduced to begging in the streets, and they're seen as strange, somewhat scary and 'magical' people. So to someone from that culture, it wouldn't be much of a stretch that these people would use the powers they are perceived as having to steal from those wealthier than them. It wouldn't be seen as strange that the women let them in, as you tend not to want to displease someone with the power to curse you. I'm not saying this actually happened the way it's reported -- that seems unlikely to me -- but I am saying that the 'strangeness' or 'randomness' of the story is a product of cultural differences. Shaun: It’s only random because it’s something you’re not culturally used to. In India, hijra are usually poor and often reduced to begging in the streets, and they’re seen as strange, somewhat scary and ‘magical’ people. So to someone from that culture, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch that these people would use the powers they are perceived as having to steal from those wealthier than them. It wouldn’t be seen as strange that the women let them in, as you tend not to want to displease someone with the power to curse you.

I’m not saying this actually happened the way it’s reported — that seems unlikely to me — but I am saying that the ‘strangeness’ or ‘randomness’ of the story is a product of cultural differences.

]]> By: Shaun Banks http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92570 Shaun Banks Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:05:55 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92570 Berber Anna: They just sound very random to me. What next Transvestite bank robbers, actually that kind of makes sense as they would have a good disguise. If they go as Panto Dames it could add fun to an otherwise harrowing experience, as you could have public participation, particularly when the Police are chasing them "There behind you" Berber Anna: They just sound very random to me. What next Transvestite bank robbers, actually that kind of makes sense as they would have a good disguise. If they go as Panto Dames it could add fun to an otherwise harrowing experience, as you could have public participation, particularly when the Police are chasing them “There behind you”

]]> By: Shaun Banks http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92560 Shaun Banks Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:11:40 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92560 Berber Anna: it is all very random anyway. Berber Anna: it is all very random anyway.

]]> By: Berber Anna http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92490 Berber Anna Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:17:08 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92490 Shaun: As I said to Roz above, 'eunuch' is a common mistranslation of hijra, a group of third-gender people who are biologically male but dress female. They used to be castrated as they reached puberty, but that's not common practice anymore. They're also considered to be able to curse or bless people, so people would likely let them in because of that. They deal with lots of prejudice in Indian society, so I doubt that this story happened the way the women said it did, but people would probably believe their account over there. Shaun: As I said to Roz above, ‘eunuch’ is a common mistranslation of hijra, a group of third-gender people who are biologically male but dress female. They used to be castrated as they reached puberty, but that’s not common practice anymore. They’re also considered to be able to curse or bless people, so people would likely let them in because of that. They deal with lots of prejudice in Indian society, so I doubt that this story happened the way the women said it did, but people would probably believe their account over there.

]]> By: Flapjack http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92471 Flapjack Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:56:20 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92471 Well they've got to earn a living somehow, as the song says "a eunuch's life is hard... and nothing else". Well they’ve got to earn a living somehow, as the song says “a eunuch’s life is hard… and nothing else”.

]]> By: Ken http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92424 Ken Sun, 04 Sep 2011 10:48:35 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92424 Well Codifier, you can at least believe in the gangs of marauding eunuchs: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=86234 Well Codifier, you can at least believe in the gangs of marauding eunuchs:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=86234

]]> By: Shaun Banks http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/08/protect-family-jewels/#comment-92396 Shaun Banks Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:23:41 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=16886#comment-92396 "one of their neighbour’s told them that a eunuch was seen standing outside the house." Clearly the whole eunuch thing was a brilliant deception technique, which according to their neighbour, was obviously used to maximum effect. How do you spot a eunuch? (Unless they were naked) and if it was so obvious why would you let a couple of eunuchs into your house - that would be a little too random for me, although I would probably have a chat with them on the door step and take any Literature they had to offer. "The other sat at the entrance of the house and told Asha that according to Vaastu Shastra, her entrance was in the wrong direction" Eunuch Feng shui masters - now that is random. “one of their neighbour’s told them that a eunuch was seen standing outside the house.”

Clearly the whole eunuch thing was a brilliant deception technique, which according to their neighbour, was obviously used to maximum effect.

How do you spot a eunuch? (Unless they were naked) and if it was so obvious why would you let a couple of eunuchs into your house – that would be a little too random for me, although I would probably have a chat with them on the door step and take any Literature they had to offer.

“The other sat at the entrance of the house and told Asha that according to Vaastu Shastra, her entrance was in the wrong direction”

Eunuch Feng shui masters – now that is random.

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