The Othersiders

[joeactor]

Hey all,

In case you don't watch much kids TV, there's a new Cartoon Network program called "The Othersiders".

Every week, 5 teen friends use high-tech equipment to "investigate" paranormal phenomenon.

The episode I watched took place in a closed down prison near Los Angeles.

The conclusion?
[spoiler:2uvhtazl]The Prison IS HAUNTED!!!
They came to this based on a large number of assumptions combined with the tech of bad science...
A chair that moved.  Unexplained noises, And something (or someone) passing in front of a video camera.

My conclusion?
Old building sounds, and an animal or homeless person.[/spoiler:2uvhtazl]

So, is this just entertainment, or is it eroding youngster's understanding of science?

I know it bugged me,
JoeActor

[BadPoison]

It wouldn't bug me if everyone saw it as fictional entertainment just as they see family guy. But they don't. So many people will believe whatever they see on TV, trusting the "experts" on the program. They're on TV so they must know what they're talking about, right? It's stupid, misleading, and a money maker.

[templeboy]

This sort of thing makes baby jesus cry

[karadan]

One of the most reprihensible things i've seen on American TV is 'Crossing over with John Edward'... Man, that guy has no moral fibre whatsoever. His shit-eating grin makes me want to gag with rage. How someone like that is allowed to make money by duping people who are greiving for lost ones is beyond me.    

James Randi's work is never done, it seems.

Hopefully, most people are able to figure fact from fiction. I guess, it depends where the show is aired. Some sectors of society would see it as promoting the devil. Others would simply gain entertainment from it. Nothing more.

[pedricero matao]

But they don't. So many people will believe whatever they see on TV, trusting the "experts" on the program. They're on TV so they must know what they're talking about, right? It's stupid, misleading, and a money maker.

You know, that's entertaining. Science is boring and unfunny. (I personally don't see a big difference between believing in such things and going to church).

The funny thing is that they are using equipment that is designed and works according to scientific principles to do research on things that supposedly cannot be explained by science.

Makes a quick way for people to explain things.

The fact that they air this program on a channel for young people really annoys me. I am sure that a significant portion of their target audience cannot distinguish fact from fiction.

If it was aired in a normal TV channel, at an "adult" time of the day (late at night) I wouldn't bother.

[joeactor]

Hopefully, most people are able to figure fact from fiction.

I would like to hope that as well.  But every time I see a survey that says "47% of Americans believe in magic pixie elflings" it slaps me in the face with the rotten tuna of reality.

Shows like this for kids are not helpful.  Just priming the pump for what is to come...

Where's the new version of Bill Nye, Paul Zaloom, or Julius Sumner-Miller?

Help Me Dr. Science!,
JoeActor

[BuckeyeInNC]

One of the shows that I have enjoyed watching is Ghost Hunters.  They present themselves as a group of skeptics which endeavors to debunk ghost stories by doing their best to use technology to investigate.  Sometimes, they do a great job at finding alternative natural explanations as to why things happen and may be able to actually reproduce the "phenomenon".

My problem with the show is that the team is not formed from a group of scientifically trained individuals, so oftentimes they fail to understand the technology they are using.

Having said that, they have caught some very interesting pieces of evidence that has piqued my interest.

When they do catch evidence of something that they cannot explain, rather than saying something is "haunted" they generally conclude that something odd is happening that they cannot explain.  They may reveal that they personally believe that a place may be haunted, but they are generally careful to not use that term when they present their evidence to the client.

I think the premise of their show illustrates a better trend that they TRY to use science and technology to debunk and/or verify.  So, it is a step in the right direction.  We just need to subject their methods to serious scientific scrutiny.  However, scientists are generally quite reluctant to get involved in such matters.

I cannot watch those shows where a "psychic" wanders around an old house presuming to feel the presence of passed beings.  They are simply ridiculous.  They are entertaining though.

[Whitney]

I said "some of them do" because every now and then there will be some show or episode of a show the debunks all the crap the other paranormal research shows comes up with.  But, for the most part, they teach dumb people bad science and make the rest of us shake our heads.

[curiosityandthecat]

I think this is precisely why my parents had NOVA on when we ate dinner.  

[MommaSquid]

I think this is precisely why my parents had NOVA on when we ate dinner.  

You were allowed to watch TV during dinner!    My television watching was highly restricted when I was a kid.  There are so many shows my husband remembers watching and my only reply is, "yeah, I wasn't allowed to watch that show".  

I pity the people who believe the crap they show on the "paranormal research" shows.  The programs shouldn't be banned, but if people stopped watching the show the networks would cancel them.  Sadly, stupidity sells.

[BadPoison]

Sadly, stupidity sells.

QFT