Welcome to "The Idiot Zone"
I am often asked as a skeptic how to change the mind of someone that believes in something that is unproven. I have to admit I'm' as stumped as the rest of you, but the focus of the skeptic should often not be on changing the mind of the hardcore zealot. The focus should often be to make sure the argument the believer is using is exposed for the unscientific nature and often sheer indulgent fantasy that it is. It's often about making sure the believer is exposed for his non rational thought process, his "I'm sticking with this no matter what", than made to change his mind. That is because often when a discussion with a believer is going on, there are others paying attention. In this age of the Internet, even a simple forum discussion can go Google.
I have nicknamed the point where a believer goes from sounding rational, to the no matter what evidence you give me I'm going to top you, no matter how silly the "Idiot Zone". Most believers, the hard core ones, will eventually get to the Idiot Zone if you helpfully lead them down that path.
A good example is a discussion I had with a hard core Big Foot believer. We were in a group. I pointed out that early on (or should I say in the 1970's) I remember seeing a Big Foot film (at the movie theatre) where it was shown the focus of Big Foot activity was around Mt.Saint Helens. Tracks, sightings, the place was over run with Big Foot. I really believed at the time (I was very young) that after Mt.Saint Helens erupted Big Foot corpses would be littering the ground. Indeed, scientists immediately moved into the area to study in detail the wildlife killed. Search and rescue also were quickly on the scene as there were many unexpected human deaths. Certainly any group looking for human remains would not overlook Big Foot bodies. When no Big Foot (Big Feet?) were found I stopped believer and relaxed while camping with my family again!
Mr.HardCoreBigFootBeliever brought out all the evidence. The tracks, the sightings, that lovely film we all know and love, the long history...The group I was in was buying it all. I knew I needed to lead this man into the Idiot Zone. So I asked why no dead Big Foot after the Mount Saint Helen's eruption? He knew his Big Foot lore to know that historically the place was supposed to be crawling with Big Foot. So he then opened his mouth, and blindly said what I wanted him to say. Something so silly that it would turn all the people in the group off to his so far scientific sounding evidence.
He said well yes there was a large Big Foot population around Mt. Saint Helen's. But, not only were no Big Foot bodies found, there were no Indian bodies found. "Like the Indian, the Big Foot has a genetic ability to sense danger. Big Foot and the Indians both have had to adapt to living in the woods and with nature. Nature gives those that live in the woods the gift of anticipating danger, and the ability to avoid it." He was deep in the idiot zone at this point but had to help him go even deeper. So I asked does his explain why Big Foot is never hit by a car?
"Yes yes!" he replied, quite happy that I had so quickly grasped his point. It also explains why they are never shot by hunters!
The crowd turned on him after this. People that listened with open minds quickly closed them after this bit. Maybe they were remembering that Native Americans have often been shot, and perhaps even the victims of natural disasters. People that were buying his tracks and photographs and video were not going to buy this level of silliness.
I often know I'm not going to change the mind of someone so committed to a belief. I don't want to make fun of the believer, or be mean. But I want to make sure that other people know the self deception going on in the believers head. Many die hard believers will justify or invent stuff so that their precious belief remains intact. You see it with the 9-11 Truthers now. After the devastating Popular Mechanics article came out, they've been scrambling with finding more and more evidence that is more and more into the idiot zone. The more idiot zone the more most rational people simply turn away and dismiss the belief or believer.
Argument and discussion with any believer in paranormal things can be frustrating. It can seem unrewarding because the person never changes their mind. But it is very important to make sure that what is IN that mind is expressed in full. Keep asking questions. Keep asking for answers. Often you will not have to say well that's kind of silly. People will hear, and most of them will be thinking silly also.
