Re: psychoceramics: Grubor and Boursy

[Ernie Karhu <ekarhu @ suneast.east.sun.com>]

>> Is there a term for this in Abnormal Psychology?  This can't be the
>> only instance of such a thing.

>Folie a deux, perhaps?

Excellent description and diagnosis.

>> Does this list have an explicit ban against Religious Kooks? 

>I don't think it has any bans yet... It occurs to me that although
>Religious Kooks may be the most numerous (or most obvious)

I've tried to keep personal/"spiritual" development separate from
religion and/or philosophy. Religions usually have more to do with
crowd control rather than to promote the values of the ostensible
"founder" (who probably didn't want to promote personality adoration).

Philosophies are generally broad world-views with no necessary
obligation to self-improvement, growth, or the promotion of values
that "transform" the "inner" to outer self. Of course there are
always exceptions and "borderline" philosophies such as gnosticism.
They are borderline in the sense they appear to be or inspire
"religions."

So I keep these terms separate for myself and quietly avoid thinking of 
myself as "religious." Others may find the term more appealing to
themselves and for their own purposes. I conserve the energy that
others use for zeal and reserve that for longevity.

> at a street
>level, the most numerous online may be Physics Kooks. Anyone who wants to 
>see a zillion new theories of the universe need only read sci.physics 
>without a killfile.

A friend told me yesterday that he was approached by a physics kook who
was selling some sort of physics magazine in Harvard Square. My friend
leafed through the magazine and returned it quietly. The fellow said
"What's wrong?" "It won't fly" my friend answered. "Oh, what do you
know, anyway?" came the reply. "I'm a physicist" my friend said. To
which this "kook" answered "Oh! Well! Mr. High and Mighty physics
professor. You don't know shit!" "Well, I am a physics professor and
I do know that what you're saying here makes no sense at all." ...

My friend left without another word as the fellow shouted obsenities
at him. As it tutns out, these folks want to stir some sort of incident
with anyone who is knowledgable and an authority. They want to provoke
a fight so that they can cry to the media that they've been abused by
the establishment for trying to promote their own views freely.

Ernie