This post was a response to a question from Shaun, enough context is included (in bold) so I have not posted the initial query.
I think you are correct in stating: it may be time to "check out". These skeptics are, by at least Spectre's definition, not true skeptics, for all the reasons he mentions in his post way below.
So much for critical thinking. Right Spectre?
I missed the referred to post, but most of us more or less follow that idea that a skeptic is merely someone who withholds acceptance of an idea until after some valid evidence for it has been presented. I think most believers would also agree with this. The main, and possibly only real difference, between skeptics and believers is that skeptics do not accept personal experience (anecdotal stories) as evidence while believers do.
If we begin any inquiry with what we know about human beings, it seems to me a perfectly reasonable way to solve problems.
For example, we know for certain that (1) all humans make mistakes (2) human memory is faulty (3) human perception is unreliable (4) many humans will tell lies to get money or fame (5) some humans are mentally ill and can’t tell their fantasies from reality.
For all these reasons (and more) science has developed a system that takes into account (as much as possible) these problems. This is why skeptics ask for repeatability, outside verification, objective evidence, etc. Anecdotal stories, however intriguing, can neither be confirmed or disproved, so they don’t provide any useful information.
Accepting anecdotal stories at face value (not allowing for the basic nature of the human brain) is poor critical thinking. Rejecting anecdotal stories is good critical thinking.
To Spectre, and all hard-core skeptics, Give me one good reason why I should stick around, wasting my time, attempting to explain anomalous experiences to you, or any of the uninitiated. What's in it for me, or any experiencer.
First off, you make the common believer assumption that none of us has ever had the same experiences that you have. I’ve been mucking about with the paranormal for 40 years now, the first 10 or so as a true believer. It’s very unlikely that you’ve had a paranormal experience that I or some skeptic on this board hasn’t had.
I came to be a skeptic because I dug beneath the experiences. It wasn’t enough for me to merely have an experience, I wanted to find out what was really going on, where it came from, and so forth. It was doing the extra study and work that led me to discover that what I had believed were paranormal experiences (both mine and my friends) were, in fact, case of misperception, suggestion, wishful thinking, etc.
So, if your only purpose here is to explain that which many of us are already familiar with, then, no, there’s not much point. Some of us are very likely to know more about the believer’s point-of-view than you do.
If you have something new to offer, something that none of us has even seen or experienced before, then that would be interesting. Mind you, it’s not likely.
If you’re curious as to why people who have been through much the same experiences as you later became skeptics, then we may be able to explain our position and clear that up.
Typically, believers come to this site with the attitude that skeptics are closed minded because they are not willing to begin from scratch each time an old, familiar claim is made. Please, give us some consideration. Imagine yourself in a situation where you had spent years studying a subject, where you were familiar with hundreds (if not thousands) of examples of exciting claims that flopped when they were looked at closer. Then imagine that someone comes along with another claims that looks and sounds exactly like all the already-studied false ones and that person expects you to ignore everything you’ve already learned over the years when you look at the new one. It’s a wonder that skeptics don’t come off as even more grumpy and sour than we do. 8-)
Anyway, I began my studies as a believer. I still wish psychics, UFO, Nessie, et al were real. I love the subject. Even more so, I wish I could be the one to prove that they were real. When it comes to the paranormal, there’s not a negative bone in my body.
Unfortunately, none of it is true. This is not a belief or wish, it’s the sad fact that I learned by hard work and diligent study. I’m perfectly willing to discuss the subject, but anecdotal stories and subjective tales of paranormal success will not change my conclusions. Bring on the objective evidence.
Fred Askew