Sometimes conversations run dry; and most certainly there are people who are happier to listen than talk. This is no criticism of those people, since they are often the sorts who are intelligent, think carefully and don’t make erratic, random or undependable commitments. However, in the situation where one is left groping for conversation topics, it’s possible to borrow a trick or two from the arsenal of Magicians and Psychic charlatans.

Cold reading is the skill behind the majority of psychic readings, including tarot, astrology, clairvoyance, psychometry, crystal ball gazing, iridology, aura reading and other varieties of mediumship that involve ‘reading’ of some kind. It’s a skill that’s even been used by some Salespeople, to gather ‘hot button’ information about their intended target, before making a tailored and very personal sales pitch.

The process typically begins with a very careful observation of the person you’re talking to, and is supplemented by statistical information concerning the commonalties of human nature. For example, one would typically start with a very general and often quite vague statement, something which would most likely be true of just about anyone.

From this point, verbal and visual feedback from the person can be used to pursue the accurate statements, whilst quickly abandoning the dead ends (people usually forget the misses, but remember the hits as these tend to stick in the mind), and then refining the initial guesses to form an increasingly accurate conclusion. Thus, in the hands of an experienced expert, the techniques can be astonishingly successful, to the point where a credulous person might be persuaded that such things as psychic phenomena actually exist.

From a Seducer’s point of view, there is no need to go to the lengths of a Vaudeville performance or impersonating Derek Acorah, since all we are trying to do is spark some interest into an otherwise stilted conversation. One or two quick and simple comments should be all it takes to stir-up a new conversational thread; then one can either choose to claim the statements as being anything from sharp observation, through to putting on a fake psychic show (although that might be more appropriate to birthday party entertainment) or simply using the opportunity to spin a conversation in a completely new direction.

One of the most useful books on Cold reading is Herb Dewey and Thomas K. Saville’s excellent “Red Hot Cold Reading”. This book contains a very helpful list of statements that might be useful to a beginning Cold reader, and which I have extracted and reproduced below. The book, unfortunately, is long out of print; but should you chance upon a copy somewhere, it is well worth studying.

Ideas useful to the Seducer cum Cold reader:

• Everybody has at one time or another had a premonition about something. Many have had a premonition about an impending disaster or death.
• A great number of people have experienced an Out-of-the-Body experience. Astral travel, or at least know someone who has.
• Women in shopping malls spend almost as much time studying other women as they do the window. Men likewise study other women.
• About 80% of the women who are asked what animal they would turn into reply “Cat”.
• Most women feel they are intuitive and would like to develop that ability.
• Purple and blue are significant colours for most women. They often have or are contemplating purchasing something of that colour. Especially strong when they may be wearing brown.
• Most people feel they are resourceful, and could make it by themselves if stranded on a tropical island.
• Most women have had the thought “what if I had twins?”
• Most people, especially females, had an imaginary playmate.
• Nearly everyone has - perhaps during adolescence - thought about suicide.
• People fear rejection, are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing.
• 80% of all females wear or have worn gold chains.
• Don’t forget the scar on the left knee.
• Tall thin people are likely to have back problems.
• Light complexioned individuals with freckles, especially with blue eyes, sunburn rather than tan.
• Most light-complexioned people have red highlights in their hair.
• Young girls usually think about nursing and teaching. Young boys think about becoming an animal trainer.
• Nearly every adult has lost someone close to them, separated by death, divorce.
• Mature women seem to like to visit flea markets, like handmade items rather than machine-made, may make things themselves, and spoil their grandchildren.
• Older men dislike grocery shopping, and fear being “just a meal ticket.”
• It is common for people to agree that they had some difficulty relating to their father, especially during adolescence.
• People avoid getting into things they don’t understand.
• Most have some difficulty dealing with authority.
• 78% of adults have aches or problems associated with their feet, more for women who wear high-heeled shoes.
• When we were young, mothers tended to be open and treat us like little adults.
• Were romantic, wrote prose or poetry of a romantic nature in high school.
• Had great dream about what they would do after graduation that was not fulfilled.
• Respond favourably to all Self-serving Bias statements.
• Feel reassured and positive when told they have outgrown hurts, needs for or overcoming self-limiting behaviours.
• Most people at one time or another in their life are told they have too many teeth in their mouth by their dentist.
• Most women own lots of shoes - when they buy a new pair they seldom discard the old.
• Most women are never totally pleased with the way their hair looks.
• Most women at one time or another have owned a black nightgown.
• Most women feel they are better kissers than their husbands or boy friends.
• Most women remember having long hair as a child.
• Most women like the smell of a pipe - and dislike cigars.
• Most women dislike freckles.
• Most women have had their ears pierced as teenagers.
• Most men fear baldness.
• Most men have a key that they have forgotten where it goes.
• Most women have attempted writing poetry as a teen.
• Most women will stop at a gas station for directions - men won’t.
• Most women get cold feet in bed.
• Most people feel they have untapped artistic potential.
• Most women dislike kissing a man with a moustache.
• Most women - given a choice - would believe in palmistry over astrology, tarot cards, numerology, and tea leaves.
• Most people fear rejection.
• Most women over 30 wear one-piece bathing suits.
• Most people prefer gold jewellery to silver.
• Most red-haired people get hay fever in the summer.
• Most women like blue-eyed males over brown.
• Most women pick out their husband’s shirts and ties.
• Most people have one leg longer than the other.
• Most women have one breast larger than the other.
• Most people feel they married too young.
• Most men fear an IRS audit.
• Most women prefer cats as pets.
• Most men prefer large dogs as pets.
• Most people have had at least one memorable sunburn.
• Most women would not go hunting.
• Most women feel they are not photogenic.
• Most women enjoy reading books written by women.
• Most men enjoy reading books written by men.
• Most women prefer baths.
• Most men prefer showers.
• Most people dislike Monday.
• Most people love Friday.
• Most people feel they are underpaid.
• Most women after losing an earring hold onto the mate - sometimes for years.
• Most women snore but don’t believe they do.
• Most women believe they were a man in previous life.
• Most elderly women have an unopened box of lace handkerchiefs at home.
• Most men have an unopened bottle of aftershave in the bathroom.
• Most women dislike men who wear white socks.
• Most people have wondered what their purpose is in life.
• Most men do not wear hats.
• Most people have seriously thought of buying a waterbed.
• Most older men are veterans.
• Most people that sit up front at a performance are the easiest to get to volunteer.
• Most people have post nasal drip first thing in the morning.
• Most women say they dream in colour.
• Most women feel they need more iron in their diet.
• Most men prefer women in dresses rather than skirts, blouses, or pant suits.
• Most men prefer women with long hair.
• Most people believe that they have an identical twin somewhere in the world.
• Most men believe they cannot be hypnotized.
• Most people have suffered an unrequited love.
• Most people remember the good old days - not the bad old days.
• Most people have at lease one broken watch at home.
• Most women handle the family budget.
• Most women see themselves as incurable romantics.
• Most women have had stronger attachments to their grandfather than their grandmother.
• Most older men have come close to dying once in their lives.
• Most people, as children, believed they would not live beyond a certain age.
• Most attractive women dislike being called cute.
• Most women have an overweight girl friend.
• Most women are better dancers than men.
• Most tall women feel their feet are too big.
• Most women have their mother’s eyes.
• Most people would say that spring is their favourite season.
• Most men prefer king-size beds.
• Most women at one time or another have been told they have bedroom eyes.
• Most people over 40 that don’t wear glasses wear contact lenses.
• Most men like their present job.
• Most men who smoke pipes are very deep thinkers.
• Most women have looked at a Playboy Magazine.
• Most women when they are being photographed feel they have a good side and a bad side.
• Most people who smoke cigarettes have tried giving them up many times.
• Most short people are outspoken.
• Most people sleep on their sides, not on their backs.
• Most people can wake up one minute before the alarm goes off.
• Most older people dislike driving at night.
• Most women as children kept a diary.
• Most people have at least one ticklish spot on their body.
• Most women that wear black are weight conscious.
• Most women that wear hats consider themselves fashionable.
• Most women do not send as many Christmas cards as they used to.

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Posted by Jonathan in Psychology, Sociology