News and Comment

Gallup Poll of Beliefs: Astrology Up, ESP Down

ard data on belief in supernatural TABLE 1. Trends in Beliefs Hphenomena are difficult to come by, at least at the national level. The 1988 1984 1978 Gallup Organization, Inc., has provided % % % some of the best data with its Gallup Youth Survey, which asked about super- Angels 74 69 64 natural beliefs in both 1978 and 1984 (SI, Astrology 58 55 40 Winter 1984-85). In 1988 the Gallup poll- ESP 50 59 67 sters put the same questions to teenagers Witchcraft 29 22 25 again, and the result is a decade-long Bigfoot 22 24 40 glimpse of trends in supernatural beliefs. Ghosts 22 20 20 21 The latest poll is based on telephone Clairvoyance 28 25 Loch Ness interviews with a representative national Monster 16 18 31 cross-section of 506 teenagers, age 13 through 17, conducted between June 23 Source: The Gallup Organization, Inc., and July 10, 1988. Gallup reported the Princeton, N.J. results in late October. This is how the question was asked: percent, compared with 59 percent in "Which of the following do you believe 1984 and 67 percent in 1978. in? Ghosts, the Loch Ness monster, Sas- Fourth on the list is how witchcraft, quatch (Bigfoot), witchcraft, ESP, clair- at 29 percent. It was sixth in 1984, at 22 voyance, angels, astrology." percent. As the Gallup summary says, At least 95 percent said they believed "Such beliefs can be of concern to parents in at least one of the phenomena men- and youth workers, who associate them tioned in the survey. with satanic cults and other 'dark Angels, as might be expected for what forces.' " Gallup said no correlation was is essentially a religious concept, once found among teens between witchcraft again topped the list, at 74 percent. But belief and religious practices. astrology, at 58 percent, is now second Little more than a fifth of the teen- on the list, moving up from third in 1984. agers said they believed in Bigfoot (22 In fact the three polls show a clear up- percent), ghosts (22 percent), and clair- ward trend of belief in astrology since voyance (21 percent). Since the term the 40 percent of 1978. (See Table 1.) clairvoyance seems to be going out of Conversely, belief in ESP has gone fashion, it would be interesting to have a down in each poll. It now stands at 50 question asking about "psychic powers."

244 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 13 TABLE 2. Teens' Supernatural Beliefs—1988

Ages Ages National Male 'male 13-15 16-17 % % % % %

Angels 74 73 74 74 73 Astrology 58 53 64 60 56 ESP 50 54 46 - 47 54 Witchcraft 29 30 28 26 34 Bigfoot 22 33 11 22 24 Ghosts 22 28 16 19 25 Clairvoyance 21 24 19 15 30 Loch Ness Monster 16 22 10 16 16

Source: The Gallup Organization, Inc., Princeton, N.J.

The Loch Ness monster has a steadily As for the strong overall belief shown declining following, now at only 16 in astrology, Gallup—noting that "the percent. scientific community has branded astrol- Females tend to believe in astrology ogy a worthless study"—says the poll more than do males (64 percent to 53 showed above-average students less likely percent), but males are greater believers to believe in it (54 percent) than those in ESP (54 percent to 46 percent) and in who do average or below average work virtually everything else. Females showed in school (63 percent). more skepticism than males toward six of the eight phenomena. (See Table 2.) —K.F.

Broch's ZET Database Zaps the Paranormal

Esprit critique, es-tu la? modem, and it is supplied free of charge O Spirit [of skepticism], are you there? by the French government. To find out, call The stated purpose of the service is Minitel 36.15, and type "ZET." "to provide comprehensive and rigorous information to anyone who is interested N FRANCE, it's now possible to in any unexplained phenomenon, so that I obtain a variety of skeptical informa- the individual can form an informed tion about the paranormal over the opinion on the subject." To gain access government-sponsored "Minitel" sys- to the database, you first dial Minitel tem—thanks to the efforts of University 36.15. This telephone number gives access of Nice physicist Henri Broch. Over the to about 4,000 services, including Broch's past several years, Broch has built up a skeptical database. By typing "ZET," you database of some 3,500 electronic "pages" gain entry to the computer node at the of information on the paranormal and University of Nice, where the database is occult. Access to the database and related stored. services is open to anyone in France who Once you've entered "ZET," you have possesses a computer terminal and a several choices: a message center, where

Spring 1989 245 If you dial up Henri Broch's "ZET" service, this is what you'll see on your computer screen: "If your table turns .. .: ZET, scientific information on the paranormal and occult." you can ask questions or exchange opin- Broch notes that the service is heavily ions about paranormal topics; an elec- used by journalists and also receives tronic bulletin board, where you can find about 1,500 calls each year from young out about recently published articles and people. One of the most popular areas of upcoming meetings of skeptics' groups; inquiry is archaeological mysteries; to an electronic mailbox, to send and receive explain this, Broch points out that Eric personal messages; and a reference data- von Daniken's books have enjoyed con- base, called "Dossiers," which includes siderable success in French translation. full references on about a dozen para- Occultism and astrology are also popular normal subjects. among the French public, Broch reports; For example, under the heading on the other hand, in France as in other "Astrology" you'll find not only a com- European countries, creationism is not prehensive bibliography, but also a pro- an issue. gram that allows you to calculate your In addition to compiling and main- "true" zodiacal sign (including proper taining ZET, Broch also has written a precession) and gives a detailed but sim- major survey, Le Paranormal: Ses docu- ple explanation of the reasons your "true" ments, ses hommes, ses methodes (The zodiacal sign may not be what you always Paranormal: Cases, Personalities, and thought it was. Other subjects covered in Techniques), published in 1985 by Edi- the database are archaeological mysteries, tions Seuil. He reports that his work on such as the Nazca lines and the pyramids; the paranormal receives little sympathy parapsychology, from ESP to Kirlian or support from colleagues, but he be- photography; the supernatural, including lieves it is important because "most pro- the shroud of Turin, the curse of King grams on the paranormal are 'soft,' to Tut, the Cottingley fairies, and so forth; satisfy the public, and skeptical books magic medicine, including acupuncture, are not stocked in most bookstores." ZET biorhythms, psychic surgery, and homeo- helps counteract this by making skeptical pathy; flying saucers; and a discussion of information available to anyone with skepticism. curiosity and access to a computer. Broch

246 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 13 engages in an active program of public 'into thinking' . . . but specifically away education, participating in debates and from thought. . . ." discussions. He also carries his efforts What is new is the degree to which over into his professional life: When he television programs accommodate this attends a scientific meeting, he displays a general strategy. Whereas the goals of poster on the paranormal to increase advertising used to be contrasted with physicists' awareness of the issue. much of what we viewed, says Miller, Also available through ZET are the "the marketing imperative does not now details of a Randi-like challenge jointly originate within the midst of some pur- offered by Broch, Majax (a magician) poseful (advertising) elite, but resides in and Jacques Theodor of the Free Uni- the very consciousness and day-to-day versity of Brussels. The challenge offers behavior of the media's general work a half-million francs to anyone who can force.. . . The TV newsman, for example, definitively demonstrate any paranormal usually needs no guiding phone call from powers. So far, Broch says, the challenge his higher-ups in order to decide the bias has drawn 30 responses, 2 of which were of his story, but will guide himself, as if serious. Unfortunately—or fortunately— on automatic, toward whatever formula no one has yet succeeded in winning. might 'play,' i.e., fit TV's format, goose up the ratings, maintain (or boost) his —Lys Ann Shore salary." and Steven N. Shore The bottom-line mentality Miller al- ludes to has undoubtedly contributed to the growing statistics of belief in the Skepticism and Television paranormal. Why aren't there more Do Not Mix knowledgeable skeptics or scientists on television to challenge bogus science? AVE YOU ever wondered why Skepticism, if Miller's thesis is correct, Htelevision news, documentaries, does not fit the goals of advertisers. It is and talk shows often disregard skepticism precisely an atmosphere of critical think- in favor of belief? In a new book of ing that advertisers wish to eliminate. essays, Boxed In: The Culture of TV Talk shows, for example, are now being (Northwestern University Press, 1988), referred to as "tabloid television" with Mark Crispin Miller points directly at subject matter indistinguishable from the the cause, and in doing so hits enough National Enquirer and The Star. Tele- nails on the head to seal the coffin on vision is playing to the lowest common commercial television objectivity. Tele- denominator of mass consumer. Miller vision's underlying goal, he says, is to goes so far as to say that the western, foster credibility in what is being featured. once a staple of prime-time, is no longer This is a direct outgrowth of television's acceptable to sponsors because it repre- control by advertising. It is, says Miller, sents the values of a "pre-consumeristic" "the fulfillment of an old managerial society. Serious literary drama isn't ideal: to exact universal assent, not acceptable to the networks either, since through outright force, but by creating it may make the commercials seem inane an environment that would make dissent by comparison. Advertisers don't want impossible." He goes on to say that their ads to be noticed, per se, so much "advertising must thus pervade the at- as they want them to be quasi-consciously mosphere; for it wants, paradoxically, to assimilated. startle its beholders without really being Can the art of critical thinking fit into noticed by them. Its aim is to jolt us, not this predesigned ambiance? Miller sug-

Spring 1989 247 gests otherwise. Television needs watchers "Then Geraldo [Rivera] dragged TV talk who believe what they watch. And what off the street and into the gutter." they watch, Miller points out, ought to By and large [Phil] Donahue takes correspond as closely as possible with the high road in this low-down competi- what they already believe. (That's the tion. But even Donahue admits, when easiest selling technique.) Furthermore, asked, that he and his producers now the ideas communicated must be like the schedule fewer serious subjects and more ads: quickly and easily understood. The hotsy-totsy topics. "It gives me no plea- goal is not to make people think, but to sure to say 'yes,' " Donahue says. He keep them watching. Therefore, if one blames increased competition. often gets a feeling of superficiality even In this new TV world, the worst thing from talk shows that treat serious sub- to be known as is intelligent, Donahue jects, and which may allow for skep- says. "If that happens we're doomed. ticism, it is because television must at all Please do not call me 'intelligent.' Call costs keep things moving within the con- me 'outrageous.' I'd rather be called text of what the audience wants to hear. 'sleazy' than identified as 'intelligent.' " Television is not in the business of edu- Isn't that a sad comment? Donahue cating the public about issues. It is in the answered: "Yes it is, but it's also a recog- business of keeping the largest number nition of the reality of survival on day- of people watching for the longest time television today." He thinks the amount of time. "Thoughtfulness" (and sleazy tabloid talk shows are only re- art, music, literature, and science), as sponding to public demand. "This is a Boxed In so adroitly demonstrates, is nation with a seriously diminished interest alien to the general television environ- in serious news. And the media are re- ment. flecting this."

—Philip Haldeman Atlanta's Infamous 'House Philip Haldeman is chairman of North- of Blood': Case Closed west Skeptics and lives in Redmond, Washington. N THE SUMMER of 1987, print and I broadcast media across the country picked up on a sensational story from Tabloid TV Atlanta, Georgia. Apparently an elderly couple discovered one morning that their The following comments are from a house was leaking human blood! column by Tom Shales that appeared in According to the report, walls, ceil- the Washington Post.—ED. ings, and even floors were oozing. The homicide unit of the Atlanta Police ALK ROT infests the airwaves. Department was called in to handle the TOnce, TV talk-shows concerned investigation. themselves, at least occasionally, with In the absence of any follow-up story legitimate social and political issues. a week or two later, I called the Atlanta They've all gone tabloid, trivial, and titil- police only to learn that the incident was lating now. . . . Ralph Nader, the con- still under investigation. A year later there sumer crusader, . . . blames Oprah Win- had still been no follow-up report by the frey and her staff for driving down the news media. level of discussion. "They get their ideas Finally, in August 1988, a series of from the National Enquirer," he says. telephone calls to Atlanta crime investi-

248 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 13 According to one investigator, "Some adults will act like children just to get attention." Since no foul play was suspected, C. R. Price, the investigating officer, has officially closed the case.

—Bob Grove

Bob Grove, a former science teacher, heads an electronic communication equipment company in Brasstown, North Carolina.

Confusion About Klass

T IS NOT surprising that Philip J. I Klass, and Philip Klass, both writers, are sometimes confused with each other. gators Lieutenant Walker, Major Neikirk, Philip J., as most SI readers know, is a and Detective Moore disclosed that, as member of CSICOP's Executive Council readers might already have guessed, the and a leading skeptical UFO investigator. initial incident had been blown entirely His most recent book debunks claims of out of proportion. UFO-abductions. The "other" Philip There were no ceilings, walls, or floors Klass, an English professor at Pennsyl- oozing blood. Two small sprays of human vania State University, is a well-known blood had been found on one wall, ap- writer of science fiction—sometimes un- parently squirted from a syringe. The der the pen-name of William Tenn. blood type did not match that of either Past confusion will be compounded of the elderly occupants. Where did the by a new sci-fi musical play, scheduled blood come from? It is suspected that for presentation in several dozen U.S. another member of the family, who was cities, "1,000 Airplanes on the Roof," undergoing kidney dialysis, had access to whose theme is UFO-abductions. Its cre- old blood at a local treatment center, ator is the distinguished composer Philip although the center denied this possibility. Glass. •

Spring 1989 249