North Texas Skeptic - Vol 09 No 06 - 1995

Magazine Overview

This issue of "The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics," titled "The Skeptic," Volume 9, Number 6, dated June 1995, features articles on the "third eye," the "Good Times Virus" computer hoax, and the alleged links between fantasy role-playing games and negative outcomes.

The Third Eye

Pat Reeder addresses a prevalent malady he terms "Skeptic But." This phenomenon describes individuals who preface their belief in paranormal claims with a declaration of skepticism. Reeder illustrates this with examples from a Dallas Morning News article, "True Believers," which discussed feng shui. He highlights instances where people attribute life changes, such as finding a spouse or improving business, to feng shui, despite logical explanations like actively seeking a partner or seasonal business fluctuations. Reeder criticizes the self-proclaimed "skeptics" who make irrational connections between random events, urging them to abandon the label if they cannot adhere to logic. He also touches upon the growing acceptance of alien abduction tales, noting the similarity in stories, which he attributes to common exposure to sci-fi movies and TV shows, and the influence of hypnotherapy sessions with figures like Bud Hopkins. Sleep paralysis is mentioned as a potential explanation for tales of demon visitations. Reeder recounts an anecdote from Whitley Streiber's appearance on Tom Snyder's show, where Streiber discussed the difficulties of his experiences, including alleged physical marks, which Reeder sarcastically suggests could be from alien probes.

Die Hard III: The Urban Legend of “Good Times Virus”

Mike Sullivan details the "Good Times Virus" hoax, an urban legend that circulated widely on computer networks, particularly America Online, in late 1994 and early 1995. The hoax claimed that an email with the subject line "Good Times" contained a virus that would destroy a computer's hard drive upon reading. Sullivan explains how the message spread rapidly through email systems, often forwarded by well-meaning but technologically unsophisticated individuals, and lent credibility by mentions of government agencies like the FCC. He reproduces the hoax message, which warned recipients to delete the email immediately. Sullivan clarifies that the described virus is technically impossible, as a text-based email cannot execute code or damage a system. He notes that the hoax preyed on common urban legend tropes: imminent danger, a scent of truth, appeal to altruism, vague specificity, and technical jargon. The article includes a refutation from the U.S. Department of Energy's Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC), which declared the "Good Times Virus" an urban legend originating from a hoax. CIAC explained that no known viruses can infect a computer merely by reading a mail message; executable components are required. The article concludes by noting that despite debunking efforts, such hoaxes are difficult to kill and may persist as urban legends.

The Truth: On Sale Now!

Jeff Freeman investigates the persistent claims linking fantasy role-playing games (FRPGs), particularly Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), to suicide and murder. He notes that while the "D&D satanic-suicide" panic has subsided since its peak in the late 1980s, the association still surfaces. Freeman cites statistics showing that reports linking D&D to negative outcomes were largely anti-game. He debunks claims that D&D encourages aggressive behavior, citing studies that found no link between gamers and increased violence, and even suggesting gamers have fewer criminal tendencies. Freeman addresses the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a prison warden's ban on FRPGs, based on the premise that they encourage aggressive behavior. He also refutes a Vancouver Sun article that blamed a murder on a fantasy board game, highlighting inconsistencies and lack of evidence. The article criticizes Pat Robertson's "The 700 Club" for promoting anti-game propaganda, often based on outdated and misrepresented information. Freeman presents findings from the American Association of Suicidology and other studies that found no correlation between FRPGs and teen suicide. He points out that the perceived increase in teen suicide rates is partly due to improved statistics collection and societal shifts, not necessarily an increase in actual incidents. Furthermore, Freeman asserts that there is no tangible evidence linking FRPGs to murder, dismissing sensationalized media portrayals like the movie "Cruel Doubt" as fictionalized accounts. He also critiques fundamentalist Christian organizations that promote anti-game tracts, often misrepresenting game rules and accusing D&D of promoting Satanism. Freeman concludes that these claims are unsubstantiated and lack support from criminologists, law enforcement, or mental health professionals, despite the organizations' insistence that they possess "The Truth."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical examination of unfounded beliefs and misinformation, particularly those related to the paranormal and sensationalized claims. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical, advocating for critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and the debunking of urban legends and pseudoscience. The magazine actively challenges individuals and groups who promote unsubstantiated claims, highlighting the logical fallacies and lack of evidence behind them. The publication aims to educate its readers about the importance of skepticism in discerning truth from falsehood, whether in the context of paranormal phenomena, computer hoaxes, or moral panics surrounding popular culture.