A scientific approach to the paranormal | Carrie Poppy

Summary

In this intriguing narrative, the speaker recounts their haunting experience, initially attributing it to an evil spirit. Living in a dilapidated guesthouse in Los Angeles, they felt an ominous presence and physical pain, leading to a misdiagnosis of a supernatural haunting. However, after consulting skeptic ghost hunters and discovering carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause, they embraced a career as an investigative journalist and paranormal skeptic. The speaker emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between 'outer truth' and 'inner truth,' advocating for respectful skepticism and the pursuit of verifiable explanations in all aspects of life.

Takeaways

• 👻 Eight years ago, the speaker experienced what they believed to be a haunting in their dilapidated guest house in Los Angeles.
• 🐕 The speaker's spooky feeling of being watched was accompanied by physical symptoms and auditory hallucinations.
• 🌿 After a friend's suggestion to perform a cleansing ritual with sage failed, the haunting feelings persisted.
• 🩺 A psychiatrist dismissed schizophrenia but did not provide a solution, leading the speaker to seek help online.
• 🖥️ The speaker discovered a forum of skeptical ghost hunters who suggested carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible explanation.
• 💨 Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, including chest pressure, auditory hallucinations, and dread, matched the speaker's experiences.
• 🔍 A gas company confirmed a gas leak in the speaker's home, explaining the haunting experiences and preventing potential fatality.
• 🕵️ The speaker now works as an investigative journalist and paranormal claims investigator, emphasizing scientific explanations.
• 🔬 Science consistently provides explanations for seemingly paranormal events, distinguishing between outer (objective) and inner (subjective) truths.
• 🛠️ The speaker encourages respecting others' beliefs while challenging testable claims and stresses the importance of critical thinking and open-mindedness in understanding the world.

Q & A

What initially made the speaker think they were being haunted by an evil spirit?

The speaker experienced a spooky feeling of being watched, a pressure on their chest, and auditory hallucinations like a 'whoosh' sound.

How did the speaker's friend Claire suggest dealing with the haunting?

Claire suggested performing a cleansing ritual using sage to tell the spirit to go away.

What were the symptoms the speaker experienced that made them think something was wrong?

The symptoms included a pressure on the chest, auditory hallucinations, and an unexplained feeling of dread.

How did the speaker eventually find out what was actually causing their symptoms?

The speaker found out through a ghost hunters' forum, where someone suggested the symptoms might be due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

What did the gas company find when they came to the speaker's house?

The gas company found a carbon monoxide leak, confirming that the speaker could have been in serious danger.

How did the speaker’s haunting story influence their career path?

The experience led the speaker to become an investigative journalist and investigator of paranormal claims, often going undercover or testing paranormal abilities.

What does the speaker mean by 'outer truth' and 'inner truth'?

'Outer truth' refers to objective, verifiable facts, while 'inner truth' refers to personal, symbolic beliefs that are meaningful to an individual.

What kind of group is the Independent Investigations Group (IIG), and what do they do?

The IIG is a group in Los Angeles that offers a $10,000 prize to anyone who can demonstrate a paranormal ability under scientific conditions. They test claims and help people find rational explanations for their experiences.

What is the speaker's approach when investigating paranormal claims?

The speaker approaches with an open mind and respect, challenging claims by scientifically testing them while engaging sincerely with those making the claims.

Why does the speaker believe it is important to continue investigating paranormal claims despite frequent non-confirmations?

Investigating is important because finding the truth matters, it helps us understand our world and ourselves better, and maintaining an open mind is crucial for progress.

Outlines

00:00

👻 Haunted House Experience

The narrator recounts a personal experience with what they initially believed to be a haunting. At 25, living in a dilapidated guest house in Los Angeles, they felt a spooky presence and pressure on their chest, leading to auditory hallucinations. Despite attempts to cleanse the house with sage, the distressing sensations persisted. After consulting a psychiatrist without success, the narrator turned to the internet and discovered they might be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Upon contacting the gas company, they found out they had a severe gas leak, which could have been fatal.

05:01

🔍 Investigative Journalism and Paranormal Claims

The narrator, an investigative journalist, delves into the world of paranormal and spiritual claims. They describe their job as involving undercover work, such as attending exorcisms to determine if psychological tricks are used to convince people of possessions or infiltrating fringe groups for their podcast. Despite the excitement of potential paranormal discoveries, the narrator emphasizes that science consistently provides explanations, distinguishing between 'outer truth' and 'inner truth'. They argue for the importance of respecting people's beliefs while still challenging them with scientific scrutiny.

10:02

🌟 The Quest for Truth and the Importance of Skepticism

The speaker concludes with a reflection on the value of seeking truth and maintaining an open yet critical mind. They express hope for the possibility of discovering the existence of ghosts but emphasize the importance of testing claims with scientific rigor. The speaker encourages respectful skepticism, suggesting that challenging beliefs is a form of respect and engagement. They highlight the parallel between the pursuit of truth in various fields, such as cancer research, and the awe-inspiring nature of being open to changing one's worldview. The talk ends with a reminder of the importance of having a carbon monoxide detector at home.

Keywords

💡Evil Spirit

An 'evil spirit' refers to a malevolent supernatural entity believed to cause harm or distress. In the video's narrative, the speaker claims to have been haunted by an evil spirit, which is central to the theme of exploring the paranormal and distinguishing it from natural phenomena. The concept is used to illustrate the initial fear and mystery that the speaker experienced.

💡Dilapidated

To be 'dilapidated' means to be in a state of disrepair or decay, often due to neglect. The script describes the guest house as dilapidated, setting a gloomy and eerie atmosphere that is typical of stories involving hauntings, and it also serves as a metaphor for the speaker's deteriorating mental state.

💡Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas, leaks into living spaces and is inhaled, leading to potentially fatal health effects. The speaker's symptoms, initially attributed to a haunting, are later identified as this poisoning, highlighting the video's message about the importance of scientific inquiry over superstition.

💡Skeptics

A 'skeptic' is someone who questions the validity of claims, particularly those that lack empirical evidence. In the context of the video, skeptics are presented as individuals who approach paranormal claims with a scientific mindset, ultimately helping the speaker find a rational explanation for their experiences.

💡Cleansing Ritual

A 'cleansing ritual' is a practice often associated with spiritual or religious beliefs, intended to purify a space or person of negative energies. The speaker's friend suggests this as a remedy for the perceived haunting, reflecting common cultural responses to unexplained phenomena.

💡Psychiatrist

A 'psychiatrist' is a medical doctor specializing in mental health, including the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. The speaker consults a psychiatrist in an attempt to address the distressing symptoms, which underscores the video's theme of seeking professional help when faced with inexplicable experiences.

💡Paranormal

The term 'paranormal' refers to phenomena that are beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding and are often attributed to supernatural causes. The video explores the speaker's journey from believing in paranormal activity to finding a scientific explanation for their experiences.

💡Investigative Journalist

An 'investigative journalist' is a reporter who conducts in-depth research to uncover and report on complex issues or stories. The speaker identifies as such, emphasizing the role of thorough investigation in debunking or confirming claims, including those of the paranormal.

💡Exorcism

An 'exorcism' is a religious or spiritual practice aimed at expelling demons or evil spirits from a person or place. The speaker mentions pretending to need an exorcism as part of their investigative work, which illustrates the video's theme of questioning and testing claims of the supernatural.

💡Outer Truth vs. Inner Truth

The video discusses the concept of 'outer truth' as objective facts that can be verified, versus 'inner truth,' which is subjective and personal. This distinction is crucial to understanding the speaker's perspective on how to approach claims of the paranormal and the importance of respecting personal beliefs while still seeking objective evidence.

💡Independent Investigations Group (IIG)

The 'Independent Investigations Group' is a real organization that promotes skepticism and scientific inquiry into paranormal claims. The speaker mentions this group as an example of how scientific methods can be applied to test extraordinary claims, reinforcing the video's message about the value of empirical evidence.

Highlights

The speaker was haunted by an evil spirit eight years ago, living in a dilapidated guest house in Los Angeles.

The initial experience included a spooky feeling of being watched and a pressure in the chest.

The speaker's dogs were present but showed no signs of concern, suggesting the presence of a non-physical entity.

A cleansing ritual with sage was attempted but failed to alleviate the haunting sensations.

The feeling of a haunting intensified, leading to auditory hallucinations and physical pain.

A psychiatrist was consulted, but no medical help was offered due to the lack of a psychological condition.

The speaker discovered the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning which mirrored their own experiences.

A gas company inspection revealed a dangerous gas leak in the speaker's home.

The belief in haunted houses was contrasted with the reality of scientific explanations.

The speaker's job as an investigative journalist and paranormal investigator was introduced.

The speaker's investigative work includes going undercover and testing claims of the paranormal.

Science consistently provides explanations for paranormal claims in the speaker's investigations.

The concept of 'outer truth' and 'inner truth' was introduced to differentiate between objective facts and personal beliefs.

The speaker emphasized the importance of distinguishing between testable claims and personal metaphors.

The Independent Investigations Group (IIG) was mentioned for their challenge to prove paranormal abilities.

A case study of a sincere believer in mind-reading was presented, highlighting the importance of compassionate skepticism.

The speaker encouraged maintaining hope and respect when challenging beliefs and claims.

The importance of the scientific method and the pursuit of truth was underscored, even in the face of repeated negative results.

The speaker concluded with a personal reflection on the value of hope in the search for truth and the suggestion to have a carbon monoxide detector at home.

Transcripts

Eight years ago, I was haunted by an evil spirit.

I was 25 at the time,

and I was living in a tiny house behind someone else's house

in Los Angeles.

It was this guest house, it had kind of been dilapidated,

not taken care of for a long time.

And one night, I was sitting there

and I got this really spooky feeling,

kind of the feeling like you're being watched.

But no one was there except my two dogs,

and they were just chewing their feet.

And I looked around. No one was there.

And I thought, OK, it's just my imagination.

But the feeling just kept getting worse,

and I started to feel this pressure in my chest,

sort of like the feeling when you get bad news.

But it started to sink lower and lower

and almost hurt.

And over the course of that week, this feeling got worse and worse,

and I started to become convinced that something was there

in my little guest house, haunting me.

And I started to hear these sounds,

this "whoosh," kind of whisper, like something passing through me.

I called my best friend, Claire, and said,

"I know this is going to sound crazy,

but, um ...

I think there's a ghost in my house, and I need to get rid of it."

And she said -- she's very open-minded -- and she said,

"I don't think you're crazy.

I think you just need to do a cleansing ritual."

(Laughter)

"So get some sage and burn it,

and tell it to go away."

So I said, "OK," and I went and I bought sage.

I had never done this before, so I set the sage on fire,

waved it about, and said, "Go away! This is my house! I live here.

You don't live here!"

But the feeling stayed. Nothing got better.

And then I started to think,

OK, well now this thing is probably just laughing at me,

because it hasn't left,

and I probably just look like this impotent, powerless thing

that couldn't get it to go away.

So every day I'd come home

and you guys, this feeling got so bad that -- I mean, I'm laughing at it now --

but I would sit there in bed and cry every night.

And the feeling on my chest got worse and worse.

It was physically painful.

And I even went to a psychiatrist

and tried to get her to prescribe me medicine,

and she wouldn't just because I don't have schizophrenia, OK.

(Laughter)

So finally I got on the internet, and I Googled "hauntings."

And I came upon this forum of ghost hunters.

But these were a special kind of ghost hunters --

they were skeptics.

They believed that every case of ghosts that they had investigated so far

had been explained away by science.

And I was like, "OK, smart guys, this is what's happening to me,

and if you have an explanation for me, I would love to hear it."

And one of them said, "OK.

Um, have you heard of carbon monoxide poisoning?"

And I said, "Yeah.

Like, gas poisoning?"

Carbon monoxide poisoning is when you have a gas leak

leaking into your home.

I looked it up, and the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

include a pressure on your chest,

auditory hallucinations -- whoosh --

and an unexplained feeling of dread.

So that night, I called the gas company.

I said, "I have an emergency. I need you to come out.

I don't want to get into the story now, but I need you to come out."

(Laughter)

They came out. I said, "I suspect a gas leak."

They brought their carbon monoxide detector,

and the man said,

"It's a really good thing that you called us tonight,

because you could have been dead very soon."

Thirty-seven percent of Americans believe in haunted houses,

and I wonder how many of them have been in one

and how many of them have been in danger.

So that haunting story has led me to my job.

I'm an investigator, and I'm an investigator in two senses:

I'm an investigative journalist,

and I'm also an investigator of the claims of the paranormal

and claims of the spiritual.

And that means a few things.

Sometimes that means that I'm pretending to need an exorcism

so I can get -- yes, that's right! -- so I can go to an exorcist

and see if he's using gimmicks or psychological tricks

to try to convince someone that they're possessed.

Sometimes that means I'm going undercover in a fringe group

which I report on for a podcast that I co-host.

And I've done over 70 investigations like this with my co-host, Ross.

I would love to tell you that nine times out of 10, science wins,

saves the day, it's all explained.

That's not true.

The truth is, 10 times out of 10, science wins, it saves the day.

(Applause)

And that doesn't mean there's no such thing as a mystery.

Of course there are mysteries, but a mystery is a mystery.

It is not a ghost.

Now, I believe there are two kinds of truth,

and it's taken me a while to get to this place, but I think this is right,

so hear me out.

I think there is outer truth and there's inner truth.

So if you say to me,

"There was a man named Jesus and he once existed,"

that's outer truth, right?

And we can go and look at the historical record.

We can determine whether that seems to be true.

And I would argue, it does seem to be true.

If you say, "Jesus rose from the dead," -- ooh, trickier.

(Laughter)

I would say that's an outer-truth claim,

because he physically rose or he didn't.

I'm not going to get into whether he rose or he didn't,

but I would say that's an outer-truth claim.

It happened or it didn't happen.

But if you say, "I don't care whether he rose from the dead.

It's symbolically important to me,

and that metaphor is so meaningful, so purposeful to me,

and I'm not going to try to persuade you of it,"

now you've moved it from outer truth to inner truth,

from science to art.

And I think we have a tendency to not be clear about this,

to try to move our inner truths to outer truths,

or to not be fair about it to each other,

and when people are telling us their inner truths,

to try to make them defend them by outer-truth standards.

So I'm talking here about outer truth, about objective things.

And there was an objective reality in my haunted house, right?

Now that I've told you about the gas leak,

I doubt a single person here would be like,

"I still think there was a ghost, too" --

(Laughter)

because as soon as we have these scientific explanations,

we know to give up the ghost.

We use these things as stopgaps for things that we can't explain.

We don't believe them because of evidence;

we believe them because of a lack of evidence.

So there is a group in Los Angeles

called the Independent Investigations Group, or the IIG,

and they do great work.

They'll give a $10,000 prize

to anyone who can show, under scientific conditions,

that they have a paranormal ability.

No one's done it yet,

but they've had a couple people who claim that they were clairaudients,

which means that they can hear voices either from the great beyond

or they can read minds.

And they had one person who was very sincere,

who believed that he could read minds.

So they set up a test with him, and this is the way it always works.

The group says, "OK, we have a protocol,

we have a way to scientifically test this.

Do you agree with it?"

The person says yes. Then they test it.

It's very important that both sides agree.

They did that, they tested him.

They said, "OK, you know what?

You weren't able to predict what Lisa was thinking.

It matched up about the same as chance.

Looks like you don't have the power."

And that gave them the opportunity

to compassionately sit down with him and have a very difficult discussion,

which basically amounted to,

"Hey, we know you're sincere, and what that means is,

you do hear something in your head."

And that guy got to make the very difficult decision,

but really the life-changing decision about whether to go get help.

We're actually helping people to make these connections

that maybe before seemed like otherworldly explanations,

help draw us into reality and maybe change our lives for the better.

Now, on the other hand, maybe one time it'll turn out to be true.

Maybe we'll find out there are ghosts,

and holy shit, it will be the best thing!

And every time I do one of these investigations,

I still get so excited,

and I'm like 75 into them,

and still I swear on number 76, I'm going to be like, "This is the one!"

(Laughter)

Maybe I'm just eternally optimistic, but I hope I never lose this hope,

and I invite you to take this same attitude

when people share their outer beliefs with you.

When talking about testable claims,

respect them enough to ask these good questions.

Challenge and see how you can examine them together,

because there's this idea that you can't respect a belief

and still challenge it, but that's not true.

When we jiggle the lock, when we test the claim,

we're saying, OK, I respect you, I'm listening to what you're saying,

I'm going to test it out with you.

We've all had that experience where you're telling someone something,

and they're like, "Oh, that's really interesting, yeah,"

you know you're being had.

But when someone says, "Really? Huh.

Sounds a little sketchy to me, but I'm listening,"

you at least know you're being engaged and respected.

And that's the kind of attitude we should have with these claims.

That's showing someone that you care what they're saying.

That's respect.

Now, yes, most of these searches will come up empty,

but that's how all of science works.

Every cure for cancer so far has not panned out,

but we don't stop looking,

for two reasons.

Because number one, the answer matters.

Whether it's looking at the afterlife or the paranormal or the cure for cancer,

it all amounts to the same question:

How long will we be here?

And two, because looking for the truth,

being open-minded,

and being willing to be wrong and to change your whole worldview

is awe-inspiring.

I still get excited at ghost stories every single time.

I still consider that every group I join might be right,

and I hope I never lose that hope.

Let's all never lose that hope,

because searching for what's out there

helps us understand what's in here.

And also, please have a carbon monoxide detector in your home.

Thank you.

(Applause)