Daily Times

Sir: Piri-Fakeeri thrives in our society because both ‘leaders’ and the led are in search of a magic wand to solve their mundane problems. Some prominent pirs are Nawaz Sharif’s Dewana Baba, Asif Ali Zardari’s Pir Ejaz and now, Imran Khan’s Bushra. It seems like Khan believes she can catapult him into the prime minister’s chair if he converts his ‘crush’ into a marriage.

In Egypt, Aristotle found a plate with the Zodiac carved in it in gold. He could not make head or tail of it, and sent it to Alexander far afield. Alexander too was skeptical. He nevertheless continued to roam naked around Ulysses statue to attract good fortune in his battles. He also drew solace from an Aristotle-annotated Iliad hidden in his pillow. Spartacus believed in oracles but, he too took Oracle of Delphi with a pinch of salt.

Forer proved that Zodiac and other psychic interpretations are too vague to be taken seriously. Better read Edward de Bono, psychologists Barry Beyerstein, Dickson and Kelly, Myers-Briggs (their Indicator) to avoid being deceived by fraudsters on streets and internet. Mathematician Leibnitz deciphered IChing (book of changes) into 64 predictions. Psychologist Jung however believed that such rituals did have some significance.

The US has outlawed such charlatanism. Yet, countless people, including psychologists, lawyers, and writers (Jude Devreux) fall a prey to fortune tellers and psychics. In the USA, a psychic was sentenced to 10 years and one month (though prosecution sought 27 years’ sentence).

Will someone sue print media for publishing pseudo-scientific Zodiac predictions, and channels for distributing gold in tolas upon wild hunches (gambles)? Print and promote scientific quizzes to arouse scientific curiosity and ingenuity of mind instead.

AMJED JAVED

Rawalpindi

Published in Daily Times, January 17^th 2018.