John

What has the impact upon your health been when you’re dealing with sceptics?

Mike

I get angry sometimes, which isn’t good for me, but I’m learning how to deal with that. Stress and narcolepsy aren’t good bedfellows. The simple truth is that I’ve got better things to be doing with my time than argue with people who can’t deal with the fact that others see the world through a different set of eyes. I didn’t become a journalist to debate with people regarding how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, or whatever. I became a journalist to engage in creative writing and my health issues mean I have even less time to waste on the sceptics than I did previously.  

John

So what is your message to the sceptics, then?

Mike

It’s simple: “If I have the time and the inclination, then I’ll be happy to debate with you in a constructive, civilised manner providing there’s the likelihood of a positive outcome and that there are no insinuations that just because someone a) believes in the supernatural, b) believes in God and/or religion or c) doesn’t believe in the Theory of Evolution that they are brainwashed, mentally deficient or wilfully ignorant”. That probably rules out 90% of the sceptics who normally take a pop at me, but I’ll happily engage with the others providing the follow the rules I’ve laid down.  

John

And if they don’t follow the rules?

Mike

Then its going to be an extremely short debate.

John

Why do you think the sceptics get so angry about the topics you’ve mentioned?

Mike

Well, first of all not all sceptics are like those we’re discussing. Some are friendly and respectful.  As for the rest...the reason they so quickly resort to aggression isn’t hard to work out. They’re arrogant. Not only do they believe they’re always right, they find it insulting that anyone would have the temerity to disagree with them and their beliefs. They are so consumed with delusions of their own superiority that the very idea of anyone believing something different outrages them. What they see as an even worse offence is when someone not only disagrees with them but publicly espouses alternative ideas. Some sceptics view this as akin to blasphemy.

John

Have you noticed patterns in the way they argue?

Mike

You bet your life I have!  They’re extremely predictable. Their argument goes something like this: “What I believe has been proven by science. What you believe hasn’t. Therefore I am right and you are wrong. Because what I believe is so obviously correct, if you disagree with me you’re either dumb or just being plain awkward”.

If you continue to debate with them, they’ll just regurgitate the same, tired formula in different words for ever and a day. In my experience they will never, ever sit down with those who espouse heterodox ideas and engage with them in meaningful debate.   

John

Have you ever asked them why?

Mike

Yes. To be honest, this used to puzzle me, but when I challenged one well-known sceptic about this she simply said, “Are you serious? If I was to give them that degree of credibility I’d immediately ruin my own”.  When I thought about it , it was patently obvious.

John

Do you think the sceptics will ever leave you alone?

Mike

No - at least, not until my ticker stops beating, and then I’d have to be dead for a month or two before you’d  finally convince me. I’m sure my detractors think I have a persecution complex, but that doesn’t mean its true. I feel victimised to an extent, but mostly just bloody irritated and bored with the whole thing - hence my decision to both step back and move on.

John

Thanks Mike...

Mike

My pleasure.

John

Hi Mike. The last time we  spoke you said that you were planning to make some changes in the way you conducted your business. Have you had any further thoughts about that?

Mike

Yes, I suppose I have, but its a bit more complicated than just “making changes”. Let me explain. I’ve always had a problem with sceptics; those who are sceptical about religion and those who are sceptical about the supernatural. Every time I pen a few words in defence of people’s right to believe in either it’s like waving a red rag in front of a bull, and that hasn’t changed. If anything, its got worse. The sceptics are still attacking me for questioning Darwinian evolution and espousing belief in God, but they almost always do this in general terms and up to now have been careful not to mention certain specifics. Its only a matter of time before someone does, I suspect.

John

So is your approach regarding how you handle the sceptics changing?

Mike

Yes, it has to. In the past my approach has been to be as brutal with the sceptics as they are with me, and then some. If they tried to make me look stupid, I’d make them look ten times worse, and I was good at it. But I need to change. I still think that its fine to defend yourself, but your response to an attack has to be measured and only as robust as is necessary. Its very difficult to do this when you know someone is deliberately targeting you and has no other motive but to inflict damage upon your character and career. I don’t mind criticism in the least, but some of the attacks I’ve been subjected to have been absolutely venomous and my response has been to hit back quick and hard. What I need to learn is when to stop, and not to let my critics goad me into responding in a way that is essentially lowering myself to their level.

In the future I’m going to try and ignore as many of the attacks as I can and only respond when I feel its absolutely necessary. I’m going to have to refrain from resorting to sarcasm, which I’m a bit of an expert at, and not let my critics badger me. They aren’t stupid; they know which buttons to press to get a reaction out of me, and that’s going to change too. Don’t worry - I’m not going soft by any means, but my reactions, when I engage in them, will hopefully be more polished and more civilised.

John

Do you seriously think your critics will let you do that?

Mike

No, of course they won’t - not if they can get away with it. As long as I make myself available they’ll be there, straining at the bit to engage with me over some issue or other.

John

What can you do about it?

Mike

Well, the first thing I’m going to do is close down my Facebook page.  I put a posting up some weeks ago warning people that I intended to do this. As I see it, the problem with Facebook is that it makes you too accessible; accessible to your enemies as well as your friends. Even if you set your security and accessibility protocols correctly, you’re continually being bombarded with notifications, directly or indirectly, drawing your attention to the thoughts and opinions of others. If you go down the road of insulating yourself completely from them then its pretty pointless having a Facebook page at all.

John

So is that the end of Mike Hallowell and Social Networking, then?

Mike

Not exactly. I’ve opened up a Google+ page, and I’ve encouraged all my Facebook friends to do the same. Google+ is like Facebook without the idiocy. In my opinion Facebook has become terminally infected with the on-line version of Chav culture: Chav friendship, Chav entertainment, Chav science and - crucially - Chav debating rules. I’m tired of it. It seems to me that the only rule that seems to operate on Facebook World is that there are no rules on Facebook World. Oh, officially there are rules, of course, but the truth is that Facebook simply makes you way too accessible to undesirable influences, and once you start to respond to them you’re hooked into all that tit-for-tat stuff. I’m not saying that I’d never open up a Facebook page ever again, but it wouldn’t be like the current one and I’d be far more selective when it came to accepting “friends”.  Currently, I think Google+ is light-years ahead and I’ll be sticking with it.                         

John

Anything new on the horizon?

Mike

Yes, I’ve just been commissioned to write a book on mysteries of Northumberland, so I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into that project...

John

What about your new website concerning skepticism?

Mike

Its still on the cards, but due to my health problems and other commitments its taking longer than I’d hoped to launch. I know the Tracy Beakers of this world are straining at the bit to see it, but they’ll have to wait, I’m afraid.

John

How is the book you’re  writing  with Lionel Fanthorpe coming along?

Mike

I’m still working on it whenever I can. I’m really looking forward to devoting more time to it. By the end of this January [2012] I want to clear up all my outstanding projects and really get to work on my sequel to Lionel’s Crimson Planet.

John

How are things regarding your health?

Mike

So-so. Jackie has a serious back problem at the moment and is recovering from spinal surgery. My narcolepsy is still a real problem but there’s nothing I can do about that. My specialist is doing a great job keeping me functioning, but travelling is difficult. Still, I shouldn’t complain as there are others with more serious conditions to worry about.

John

Can you see a time when your illness may force you to take your foot off the pedal, so to speak, and reduce the amount of work you do?

Mike

It already has. I don’t want to think of this being the case, but I have to be realistic. However, I aim to keep writing for as long as I can.

John

Have your health problems had any impact upon the changes you’re making in regards to how you handle your critics?

Mike

To a degree, although I think I’d have implemented the changes anyway.