There are several websites on the internet that offer a daily listing of `high strangeness? from www.thedailygrail.com to www.forteantimes.com to others such as my own on Squidoo. However, to me, the best selection of Forteanlike subject matter is found at www.anomalist.com and recently - that website put together an online questionnaire for its readers to respond to. The link to those results will be at the bottom of this article. Meanwhile, I?d like to cover some of the findings of the readers answers. I also have a direct link to the results on my lens at www.squidoo.com/anomalyman .
Anyways, the sample consisted of 449 responses - it should be noted that fewer than the whole sample answered any particular question and some questions had large omissions (meaning the % answers I?m about to give have different samples on each question - and therefore a different raw number of people saying such answers). Whew, glad that is out of the way.
First, let me state the major findings of interest to myself as one who answered the questionnaire and was a participant. Overall, these respondents (readers of anomalist.com) said they would act `brave? IF confronted with the high strangeness that some say can occur - 74% saying they would stay in a haunted house overnight (could this be a boon industry soon), 63% would go on board a UFO, and an astounding 57% would go into a fairy realm. Frankly, to me - the Fairy Realm question was the heaviest on the questionnaire. But, the readers had a limit to their willingness to be brave - an overwhelming 90% would never summon a demon. Jump feet first into the fairy realm; but, don?t tempt the nether realm.
But, perhaps this bravery of the respondents came from personal experience? Well, yes - to a degree. 46% reported seeing a UFO at sometime in their life ( a number of these UFO experiences were close enough that the sighting was MORE than just a light in the sky - about 2/3 saw a solid object) and 42% said yes to seeing a ghost at some fleeting moment in their life. And, over half reported at least one ESP espisode (56%). But, only a handful of folks said yes to ever seeing a `bigfoot? (3%). And, while all these %?s are on the `high? side ? I?ve seen figures in print that about 5% of the population has seen a UFO relatively closely and about the same percentage on a ghost ? one could expect those strata of folks to migrate to anomalist.com. - and, the ones with the most vivid experiences to answer the questionnaire.
However, all this prior unique experience with the unknown (at least once) did NOT increase the readers acceptance of the stories of anomalous phenomena in today?s world. 41% of the respondents said that only 10-30% of anomalous phenomena is described in a reliable and accurate manner and an amazing 30% thought that less than 10 percent of anomalous phenomena was being described accurately. Bottom line ? it?s fine to be skeptical of any anomalous report.
However, while they may be skeptical of one high strangeness or another ? here?s a comparison of the overall `beliefs? on anomalies. By 8-1 they believe in UFO?s, by 7-1 they believe in Gov?t conspiracies to hide the truth, by 7-1 they believe in ESP, by 5-1 in Precognition, 3-1 ghosts, and by 2-1 in bigfoot and psychokinesis. A plurality also believed in angels, crop circles, and reincarnation. Out of favor and not believed are belief in fairies or chupacabras 3-1, and belief in time-travel and/or channeling 2-1.
Of the above figures, to me, the 8-1 belief in UFO?s (currently at about 50/50 in the nation I think as reported by the media) stands out - but, then again - 46% of these respondents have seen one. What also stands out is the inconsistancy of peoples beliefs when it comes to the subject of time ? time travel is impossible BUT foretelling the future is not ? time is a tough subject to have compatible belief systems about.
But, beyond the idea of beliefs in things of high strangeness or of even experiencing high strangeness once; is the belief of the respondents that they can DO HIGH STRANGENESS. Fully 20% of the respondents thought they can do remote viewing and 26% astral projection - 49% claim an OBE as something in their experience base. A startling 1/8th claimed to have psychokentic ability - and 62% claim animals are psychic. These are amazing claims of consciousness abilities or observations. Is it just us self-conscious humans patting ourselves on the back for figuring out such concepts?
So, is this as much a belief as it is an observation or even an action? This group of readers ? perhaps much the same as The Heavy Stuff readers ? seem to be in a higher state than the norm. A rarified bunch of folks. Here?s the link to the study http://www.anomalist.com/features/survey1.html .
http://theheavystuff.com/?p=23
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