McCarthy Mad, Say Mad Scientists
After reading Dr Mike’s interim report, one thing strikes me. In saying that Sean is deluded, he demonstrates a point that most people share upon meeting the man. No, not that Sean is mad, but that Dr Mike is convinced that he is sincere, and that he absolutely believes he has what he says he has. Sir Eric Ash, in his piece for the does the same thing, calling the Steorn CEO genial but suffering from "prolonged self deception."
This is the flipside to the coin seen by many so-called believers who have met him too. Dr Mike and Professor Ash know for a fact that Sean cannot have what he says he has. This is the rock-solid foundation which informs everything they see. However, since they believe him absolutely, the only way they can resolve the dichotomy is to pronounce McCarthy insane. The alternative would be to admit that they were taken in by him and we can't have that. For clear and objective thinkers, I find this conclusion revealing. In pronouncing their diagnosis they also imply that the other people involved are mad or weak in following such a deluded individual without evidence. While this may seem reasonable when tagged to outsiders like me, it is a stretch to do so for Steorn employees, partners and investors. If it turns out to be true that his charm has infected everyone around him with the same self-delusion, then surely the failed demo will force them all to ask serious and hard questions of both themselves and ‘The Master’. Given this, the whole pack will crumble within days and no amount of charm will hold the delusion in place for long.
This is the flipside to the coin seen by many so-called believers who have met him too. Dr Mike and Professor Ash know for a fact that Sean cannot have what he says he has. This is the rock-solid foundation which informs everything they see. However, since they believe him absolutely, the only way they can resolve the dichotomy is to pronounce McCarthy insane. The alternative would be to admit that they were taken in by him and we can't have that. For clear and objective thinkers, I find this conclusion revealing. In pronouncing their diagnosis they also imply that the other people involved are mad or weak in following such a deluded individual without evidence. While this may seem reasonable when tagged to outsiders like me, it is a stretch to do so for Steorn employees, partners and investors. If it turns out to be true that his charm has infected everyone around him with the same self-delusion, then surely the failed demo will force them all to ask serious and hard questions of both themselves and ‘The Master’. Given this, the whole pack will crumble within days and no amount of charm will hold the delusion in place for long.
If that doesn’t happen fast, then sorry guys; you may be clever, but you’ve got it wrong.
posted by Paul Story at
16:02
9 Comments:
As I said before, what will it take for the disciples of Sean to accept that there is nothing. Here we have Dr.Mike, who has been pretty close tho the whole thing from the get go, telling the truth as he sees it. And yet he is questioned! My hat comes off to him for having the charachter to call a halt to whole stupid futile band wagon. What do you want Paul? Do you want Sean to personally ring you up and tell you he has nothing? There is no orob, there never was. Even the insiders are telling you this now, your own rationale voice is telling you this, and you know it to be true. This is not some test of faith, this is logic and reality. Sean fooled himself and because he is genial and confident person he deluded other people. It happens - it has happened.
It is a commentary on the society we live in today that people are more willing to believe in the impossible than the possible. Nobody votes anymore, nobody cares about their neighbours, we all live in our little cocoons and engage with peole like "sean" instead of the "real" people . Ok, I got off the track a little bit. But you know what I mean.
Hi Anon,
Perhaps I was not clear enough. I am not saying that Dr Mike is wrong to report what he sees, nor am I ridiculing him. I met and had a pint with him in London. He is a smart guy and I enjoyed talking with him. That does not mean I have to agree with everything he says. I was simply pointing out that two scientists are so confident of their powers of observation that they would rather conclude that someone is crazy than that he could fool them by lying. When you take into account everyone else involved on the Steorn side of the equation, self-delusion is a bit of a stretch.
"Mad Scientists"?
That sounds like a cheap shot.
They do raise a good point; all the information we have has all come from Sean. The only things I've seen for real clearly don't demonstrate over unity.
The ball is in Steorn's court, it always has been. I think we need to focus on the Orbo - or lack of it, rather than shooting the messengers. Someone is being fooled - but who is fooling who?
Dr Mike was never "taken in" by Sean - he has been skeptical from day 1. He has no emotional investment to lose - unlike others.
It's quite possible for a whole group of people to get wrapped in one guy's vision - I worked for a failed tech startup, I know what it is like. The guys in marketing, sales etc all go along with it. They have no idea the technology is rubbish - they trust the CEO.
Another logical conclusion they could have made is that Sean is a con-man, that would probably step over legal bounds though.
Hi bc,
Perhaps it was a cheap shot - it was meant to be light hearted. I respect scientists and with no reason to assume otherwise, I respect Dr Mike and Professor Ash. However, I was not commenting on their scientific analysis. Their conclusions regarding Sean's affability or truthfulness is no more or no less important than mine. Since I have met him a number of times, I can confirm that their observations are reasonable. Equally I can make an honest comment regarding their unqualified conclusions regarding his state of mind. While it is always possible that he has a psychological condition that blinkers him from reality, it is more likely (to me) that he is lying. I am not ready to believe that yet, but reserve judgement.
In other words, I doubt my own ability to read someone before I commit him to psychiatric help.
Since our choices are few - delusion, lying or truth - at this point I make no conclusions and wait for Steorn to deliver on their promises of being 'less cryptic'. I am truly keeping an open mind and constantly expect to be proven wrong.
Paul,
Please don't permanently delete my comments just yet. I know they sound strange or even insane to you. But please keep them saved until later time. I kindly ask you to do me (and steorn srory) a little favor in case things turn out as I predict, i.e. (1) kinetica won't opent to the public even after 13th (2) there will be demo at kinetica very soon (3) orbo will be replicated soon after the demo and (4) "deedee" comments on overunity.com will turn out to be insider information on how orbo works. Steorn story is not over. The most interesting part of it remains to be seen. Please allow yourself the freedom to decide what to do with my comments later :) Best wishes, nick a.
I lean towards the idea that Steorn discovered an anomaly which got them all excited but try though they might they could never get the device past a certain point.
At that point they went into self-deception mode. Perhaps Sean craves the attention and adulation from the SPDC Club members and while the investors gravy train is still keeping him in vittles and grog he'll play it out as long as possible.
People can train themselves to believe their own lies.
Paul, I really think you dont get it. Mr.Carthy is not insane or a con artist. Just someone who deluded himself into beliveing something, and because he is a personable and genial person with great powers of persuasion he seduced other people into his way of thinking. Such people can make great leaders in battle, or as the head of very successful enterprises. But in cases like this, the result is disaster. Money and time was wasted pursuing this. Those who followed are now emabarrased and need to find a way out to save face. But its no big deal! Even at this stage I doubt believe Sean is still convinced he has somthing - at what point self-delusion becomes insanity I dont know. Tony Blair was PM for ten years!
Although, I suspect those around Mr.McCarthy will have had their eyes opened and will now start jumping ship. The company is bleeding cash on a daily basis with 20 employees and no income whatsoever. It is only a matter of time. I suspect a good book/documentary will come out of this. But it wont be on what Sean thought it would be about i.e. his visionary leadership to a new energy source. It will be about how someone can deceive themselves and lead others down the same path.
Hi Paul,
I'm still where I was 2-3 weeks ago.
They either have what they say or they're lying. I don't buy into the delusion theories. As an engineer, I see their test rigs and high resolution encoders and think to myself that this is exactly what I would have done. With that equipment and some reasonable expertise (you don't have to be a rocket scientist with the cheap electronic equipment available), I can't imagine that you could delude yourself into seeing overunity. It either is obvious (well outside an error margin) or it isn't.
So, I'm still where I was, either they have it or they're lying. I'm hoping for the former. The latter, to borrow your word, would be extremely 'evil.'
I dispute that Dr Mike and Prof Ash made unqualified statements about Sean's state of mind. Either he has a free energy source or he doesn't. Surely someone with a background in physics is a better choice to comment on that than a psychologist or psychiatrist?
Neither Dr Mike nor Prof Ash saw evidence of a free energy source. In the absence of such evidence, and Sean's clear affability, what would is the obvious conclusion to draw about him?
Surely, either Dr Mike and Prof Ash are correct, or Sean has had some monumentally bad luck. Perhaps he's a kind of anti-leprechaun?
Personally, I hope for the possibility of bad luck, but I admit the extreme probability of self-delusion.
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