They are all wrong

Are you one of them?  Then you’re going to be offended.  You’re going to say just how wrong I am, you’re going to become very defensive and you’re going to attempt to cite examples.  Then you’ll read further and your examples will mostly fall apart.  Your further defensive measures will kick in and you will dissect what I am saying.  Then you’ll peruse my articles, my podcasts, my pages.   You’ll skim for key words and stuff like that because you’re not really the type to read anything thoroughly.  You’re not about empirical data – doubtful you are familiar with the “e” word anyway – and operate mostly on intuition.  Everything you do is an emotional reaction to something in your life that was messed up and you’re just making this up as you go and trying to project your stuff on everyone else anyway.  You’re like that, and it has served you well because of your prey.

Unless you are not one of them

Unless you’re not one of them, and instead you’re the people they attract.  Then we still have time.  If you’ve become tainted, become interested and like the sailors of olde your ship is being drawn to the jagged rocks of stupidity, reactionary narrow-minded logic and fluff due to your despair and frustration then allow me to stand in the way and put a stop to that.   No, I’m not going to immediately direct you to my island of logic, systemic approaches, understanding and ultimate tranquility of accomplishment.  I first just want to stop your ship from being disintegrated and you from being cast into the ocean of confusion where you sink deeper and deeper into sadness and hopelessness.

The Sirens of Self-Help

What am I talking about?  I’m talking about the sirens of self help – the people who sing their sweet song of I Know Better Than You and If This Happens Do That and also I’m Really Attractive and Have Nice Teeth.

See, a long time ago before science and the scientific method took a solid foothold in our collective intelligence people would rise to notoriety because they noticed a thing.  Once they noticed a thing they would then talk this thing up and explain your ills with it.  And when that thing made no sense in a particular situation?  They’d make up another thing.  Yes, make up. You breathed bad air, so we have to make you breathe good air, and let me get the leeches.  Feel better now?  Sorry about having to remove your leg but hey, that was necessary.  Why?  Come back in a few days and I’ll have an explanation.  Also that will be 150 silver pieces, your majesty, and now I’m in Spain.  Bye.

The scientific method

The scientific method says essentially come up with a system, test it, test it again and then show it to your peers.  Ask “What’s wrong with this?”  You yourself test it for integrity and for validity.  You yourself become a skeptic of your own creations and theories.  It’s an awfully good method to get some concrete, helpful stuff out there.  It’s not perfect, and sometimes it makes it hard for ‘radical’ theories to get much notice but no one’s getting leeches in the process.

Their process

Their process – and when I say “their” I mean the aforementioned Sirens of Self Help – is the opposite, much like the leech providers of olde.  Their method is the opposite of the scientific method.  And much like the providers of old they focused heavily on the pains.  Have a pain?  Do this.  See ya.  It’s a very lucrative process.  It’s simple, works for a lot of people and requires very little other than two things – a little intuition and some confidence.  It doesn’t hurt if you are the right gender, age and are attractive.  There’s a reason that the sirens are mostly younger, attractive women.