Name: Why people believe weird things
Uploaded: 2006-11-08T00:11:00Z
Duration: 13 min 11 s
Description: Why do people see the Virgin Mary on a cheese sandwich or hear demonic lyrics in "Stairway to Heaven"? Using video and music, skeptic Michael Shermer shows how we convince ourselves to believe -- and overlook the facts.

Michael Shermer: Why people believe weird things

Why people believe weird things

Why do people see the Virgin Mary on a cheese sandwich or hear demonic lyrics in "Stairway to Heaven"? Using video and music, skeptic Michael Shermer shows how we convince ourselves to believe -- and overlook the facts.

People often see patterns and meaning where none exist, mistaking coincidence for evidence. The infamous $900 Quadro 2000 Dowser Rod, sold to schools to find marijuana, worked no better than a coin flip. From seeing the Virgin Mary on a cheese sandwich to hearing hidden messages in rock songs, the mind eagerly fills gaps with stories. True skepticism demands tracking failures as well as successes, always asking what is most likely, not most exciting.