27/03/99 20:10
To: letters@computeractive.co.uk cc: (bcc: CA Letters)
Subject: Feng Shui:The Art of Talking BS
Dear Sir,
With reference to your article by Kate Andrew about Feng Shui.First of all
I would like to ask what this New Age nonsense has got to do with computers,or
is it just more evidence of the insidious influence of
Mr Geller?
Secondly there is no such thing as
Chi
energy and since thoughts and emotions are a consequence of
brain
activity it cannot carry them anywhere and certainly be presumed
to interact with the electromagnetic forces in a PC.If this does take place
it will be via Quantum Physics. Relationships between furniture and surroundings
is just basic psychology and has nothing to do with mystic eastern influences,and
crystals
certainly do not have the powers granted them by
New Age
mystics and their ignorant baloney. The article ends by asking what
you have to lose.
It may not be apparent to your readers,but what you have to lose is the basis
of your technological civilisation that gave rise to the computer, ie scientific
proof via evidence,something that Feng Shui can
be credited with having a distinct lack of.If you think this is just moving
your furniture around at little expense,ask yourself why Simon Brown manages
to dress in such a dapper fashion.It's because he's making money out of gullible
fools who think that furniture holds the secret of well-being.Simon Brown's
clothes are those of the emperor who paraded in his birthday suit,under the
pretence of wearing something. As has been pointed
out in your magazine before,new age mysticism is a disturbing and
ignorant insidious influence on our society and should be rebuffed.To print
this article is an act of gross stupidity, and such are the nature of my
remarks and my idea that you are supporting new age mysticism,I dare you
to print this letter.
Lee Borrell,Manchester
Subj: Re: Feng Shui:The Art of Talking BS
Date: 29/03/99 12:41:06 PM BST
From: Dylan_Armbrust@vnu.co.uk
Lee, It was a fun piece written with tongue in cheek. As you've probably
gathered, we're not your bog standard boring computer magazine, hence we
run features like the Easter Eggs piece, Feng Shui, etc. Our philosophy is
to have fun with your computer and if it ties in with a current fad,
well...that's what popular culture is all about, right? Best wishes,
Dylan Armbrust Deputy Editor
11:22 PM 30/03/99
Dear Mr Armbrust,
Strangely your reply coincides with that of one
Peter
Dale who gave the same response when asked why he was broadcasting
the hearsay and speculation of one
Graham
Hancock.There seems to be an idea amongst the media that they have
no responsibility to our society and the trends that become popular culture.
By printing such unadulterated codswallop in your magazine you are giving
the impression that there may be some substance to the ideas of eastern mysticism
and that somehow they can be integrated into our modern technological
civilisation which gave birth to the computer.
No mystic has ever invented such a device,nor is ever likely to based on
the thoroughly ignorant view that they have of the physical world. It's bad
enough that you have Uri Geller
as a columnist,without giving people the deluded impression that computers
and states of being can be influenced by the orientation of their
furniture.
A responsible publisher would print true facts,especially where computers
are concerned, so that newcomers don't think that their machine is haunted
by spiritual beings that they have no control over. Newcomers to computing
have enough fear and trepidation,without adding to it by connecting computing
with mystic rubbish.If you want to get into paranormal territory then publish
the Fortean Times,where
ignorance and fact merge into the bizarre unreality that those with little
grey matter feel comfortable with. Computers can be fun without involving
the insidious noxious and ignorant influences of New Age hokum that undermines
the idea that a scientific view is serviceable.If the irony of such articles
as Feng Shui wasn't so insidious,it would be worthy of lampoonery such as
is found on "Have I Got News For You".This is not just
"all
a bit of a lark", such tomfoolery under the pretence of being
entertainment is highly dangerous and detrimental to the stability of our
scientifically based economy.It is highly irresponsible to put such things
forward as "a bit of a joke".If it is this,then state it clearly in
the article and don't give the impression that there may be something to
it,when it is simple to prove that there isn't.
Lee Borrell (Mathlaganipani)
1:15 AM 02/04/99 Subj: Re: Feng Shui:The Art of Talking BS Date:
30/03/99
10:31:16 AM BST From: Dylan_Armbrust@vnu.co.uk
Dear Lee,
Thanks for your opinion. It's nice to see that there is still controversy
and strong feeling to be generated, even from a computer magazine. Personally,
I don't share your opinion (though some of your feelings I sympathise with),
but you are completely entitled to state what you think and I applaude that.
Best wishes, Dylan Armbrust
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