Hi all, I've noticed lots of derogatory comments about the C2C radio show on this forum and on the Paracast program occasionally. I personally think that, whatever its faults, the C2C program actually provides a useful service to the paranormal field and I'd like to illustrate why I think this.
In our normal media, any story about something strange or odd is told in a completely tongue-in-cheek fashion. The air of ridicule is the single largest factor that keeps participants of paranormal phenomena from coming forward and speaking about them. It is humliating to speak about something you experienced and be treated as a joke.
In the C2C program, however, Noory and Bell will listen to their guests' and callers' stories completely without judgement or ridicule. I think this goes a long way to encouraging others to speak out about these strange subjects.
If the C2C program did not exist, I think that less people would speak out because they would not be hearing such weird things from other people on a regular basis. They would think that they are a lone nut, and would be treated as such if they dared to come out with their experiences.
I say all of this because I had first-hand experience with it. I had a very strange encounter when I was young, it certainly doesn't fit neatly into one of the models of paranormal encounters that we're familiar with. But I wanted to tell someone, so a while back I decided to call C2C. I got through to Mr Noory and I was nervous as I was telling the story because I thought "Surely he is not going to believe me, he is going to think I'm crazy."
But he listened to my story and did not raise a skeptical eyebrow throughout the whole thing. Afterwards I felt so relieved that I could tell my story and someone would actually listen without thinking it was some sort of joke.
In conclusion, what I'm trying to say here is that I think programs like C2C and programs like the Paracast actually perform 2 totally different functions. C2C helps to encourage experiencers of paranormal phenomena to come out and speak without fear of ridicule, and the Paracast is more for the people who want to delve deeper into the subject and analyze the data and experiences to recognize a larger pattern.
In our normal media, any story about something strange or odd is told in a completely tongue-in-cheek fashion. The air of ridicule is the single largest factor that keeps participants of paranormal phenomena from coming forward and speaking about them. It is humliating to speak about something you experienced and be treated as a joke.
In the C2C program, however, Noory and Bell will listen to their guests' and callers' stories completely without judgement or ridicule. I think this goes a long way to encouraging others to speak out about these strange subjects.
If the C2C program did not exist, I think that less people would speak out because they would not be hearing such weird things from other people on a regular basis. They would think that they are a lone nut, and would be treated as such if they dared to come out with their experiences.
I say all of this because I had first-hand experience with it. I had a very strange encounter when I was young, it certainly doesn't fit neatly into one of the models of paranormal encounters that we're familiar with. But I wanted to tell someone, so a while back I decided to call C2C. I got through to Mr Noory and I was nervous as I was telling the story because I thought "Surely he is not going to believe me, he is going to think I'm crazy."
But he listened to my story and did not raise a skeptical eyebrow throughout the whole thing. Afterwards I felt so relieved that I could tell my story and someone would actually listen without thinking it was some sort of joke.
In conclusion, what I'm trying to say here is that I think programs like C2C and programs like the Paracast actually perform 2 totally different functions. C2C helps to encourage experiencers of paranormal phenomena to come out and speak without fear of ridicule, and the Paracast is more for the people who want to delve deeper into the subject and analyze the data and experiences to recognize a larger pattern.