Mind Body Spin-it Festival 2015

by Mal Vickers

I love the Mind Body Spirit Festival – I really do. But I don’t love having to part with the (grrrr…..) twenty dollars just to get in. My partner tried her hand at The Secret or the power of positive thinking and attempted to get in for nothing, but the security guard shattered her confidence.

Clear Thinking
Clear Thinking

Luckily an essential oil called Confidence was readily available from the nearby Pro-Oils stand. This place made it all worthwhile. I happened to find a bottle of Clear Thinking – perfect for a Skeptic like me. I took one long, deep sniff, right to the bottom of my lungs. Somehow my world appeared better, sharper, colours were more vivid, my mind cleared, my thoughts were more focused, yes… I just inhaled a bunch of liquid herbs. You too can buy a 12ml bottle of Clear Thinking on Show special for just $13.60; a bargain as it’s normally $17.00 per bottle. I was also tempted by a bottle of Clarity / Concentration, but no, my mind was

Anxiety
Anxiety

now clear. Just looking at a bottle of Anxiety helped produce the desired effect at $13.60 and Fairy Magic was a spellbinding $20.00. Perhaps I’d accidentally inhaled a hint of ‘Critical Thinking’.

In the meantime, my partner was busy haggling over the price of a bottle of Happiness. “What? $13.60? I’m not happy about that!” she protested. I think she’d caught a whiff of Confidence. The bloke on the till didn’t crack a smile. Perhaps it was a blend of Headache and Fear. It might have been time for him to D-Stress and Chill Out at a total of $54.40.

Chill Out
Chill Out

At another stand my partner wanted to try some makeup that would highlight her eyebrows. The saleslady worked her magic with a little brush. “That looks better; what’s it made from?” my partner enquired whilst looking into a mirror. “Natural sea minerals from Italy” said the saleslady. I piped up, “Possibly View More Mind Body Spin-it Festival 2015

Critical Thinking Videos and Book

by Mal Vickers

Wasn’t it Paul Keating who used phrases like “the honourable members opposite squeal like stuck pigs”? Whilst the use of ad hominem attacks (name calling) and other logical fallacies abound in politics, has anyone noticed that the Federal Government this year has actually funded a project to help Australians become better critical thinkers?

On the 18th of January 2012 Professor Ian Chubb, Australia’s chief scientist, announced a competition.

“Australians of all ages are invited to create 3-5 minute videos presenting an argument on one of four topics”, Professor Chubb said. Details here. The competition ends on the 1st of May 2012.

Whilst those topics may not be of interest, ahead of the competition a production company called Bridge8 was funded by a government program called TechNyou to produced some primer videos about critical thinking to help inspire the competition.

Bridge8 have done an excellent job. I’m presenting all six videos for your enjoyment below.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/iSZ3BUru59A]

More videos after the fold.

View More Critical Thinking Videos and Book