Reading the Bones

I was watching a short documentary tonight on how supposed experts often don't know much. Or they're just giving their opinions, but dressing up right and talking in absolutes makes them seem more credible--and the people who are blander, less opinionated, more uncertain are actually better at making predictions.

But anyway, one of the dudes interviewed at the end was talking about shamans in Olden Times, and said something really interesting. He was saying that a shaman reading some bones thrown on the ground was perhaps even more useful than an expert.

Because what trips up experts is expectations and preconceived notions. For example, one guy did a test where he offered some wine experts two red wines to compare, but one wasn't actually red wine--it was white wine with red dye. And they couldn't even tell it was white wine they were sampling.

But making a decision based on chance--the shaman's bones--might get you past preconceived notions, and help people try something new. The tribe might set out in a new direction, so to speak.

This made me think about the role of supernatural beliefs in our Modern Life. I've said before that I have two packs of oracle cards that I like to use sometimes, first time I've bought something like that. On one hand, we might expect that I will read what I want into my cards, and therefore they're only reinforcing what I already believe or want to hear.

But this other perspective proposes the possibility that turning to chance can lead you to new ideas and possibilities that you wouldn't have otherwise considered, because they weren't part of your worldview.

Hm.