Disappearing Santa Hat

[arthwollipot]

Originally Posted by DebunkThisPls

Look, at this point It's obvious no one believes me, and that's fine, because it's kinda funny from my POV knowing that I'm not lying and all these people on this thread are so confident I am

I believe you. theprestige has also been giving you good advice. Listen to the people who are trying to help, and ignore those who are not.

[Butter!]

Originally Posted by arthwollipot

I believe you. theprestige has also been giving you good advice. Listen to the people who are trying to help, and ignore those who are not.

This.

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by arthwollipot

I believe you. theprestige has also been giving you good advice. Listen to the people who are trying to help, and ignore those who are not.

Thank you so much. You and theprestige have been very very helpful. I really appreciate that man, a lot

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Butter!

This.

Completely forgot about you, you've also been extremely kind and helpful

[8enotto]

Ok DtP, I will take your word for age and such. There is nothing to lose by accepting that much.

I have never used correct personal data on anything online, but it's fairly close to correct. Online stalking isn't fun when being stalked. I know.

On the memory thing, I lose stuff all the time and sooner or later is refound wherever I left it. Usually getting distracted and setting it down wherever I am.

I am in my 50's and in relative good health, physical and mental. It's just that I don't multitask well and any distraction is a possible missing item.

My cure is to prepare work clothes and such the night before. Wallet and keys in a pants pocket, any items I may need in the box on the bike before I sleep.
In the morning I can be a potato head and just dress myself, grab the bike and go. Later when I wake up everything should be correct.

Everything possible is a routine. Prepare clothes, charge phone, air up tires and load stuff if required and then relax.
Not all in a day can be included but the regular stuff is. It saves a lot of headaches really.

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by 8enotto

Ok DtP, I will take your word for age and such. There is nothing to lose by accepting that much.

I have never used correct personal data on anything online, but it's fairly close to correct. Online stalking isn't fun when being stalked. I know.

On the memory thing, I lose stuff all the time and sooner or later is refound wherever I left it. Usually getting distracted and setting it down wherever I am.

I am in my 50's and in relative good health, physical and mental. It's just that I don't multitask well and any distraction is a possible missing item.

My cure is to prepare work clothes and such the night before. Wallet and keys in a pants pocket, any items I may need in the box on the bike before I sleep.
In the morning I can be a potato head and just dress myself, grab the bike and go. Later when I wake up everything should be correct.

Everything possible is a routine. Prepare clothes, charge phone, air up tires and load stuff if required and then relax.
Not all in a day can be included but the regular stuff is. It saves a lot of headaches really.

Thank you for your answer and believing me. I'll be sure to try that out

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

Your story has changed again. You first said you overheard your parents talking about internet banking. You then posted that you made an error and it was a phone bill and not a mortgage account (How did you know? ). Now you are saying you told them everything....and here you still are, posting details about your school.

Try getting your stories right next time.

I just said I didnt tell them about the phone bill, just about the age thing. What are you even talking about? And did you even check out this link? https://www.instagram.com/tcuboy24/

I mean it's not definitive proof, but you can look at the likes and comments I have and almost all are from kids who have AHS'24 in their bio

I also said twice now that I assumed originally it was the mortgage, then I asked and my dad said it was the phone bill, before he admitted he was joking and it was the cable, then I was told the next day how it worked and debunked it myself. And I don't think saying my whole county is virtual is a big deal, most schools are

[Myriad]

DebunkThisPls, I'm curious about the connection between the Santa hat mystery, and your fear and anxiety. Is there some explanation you have in mind for the movements of the hat, that has repercussions that frighten you? It's not that I want to argue about the possible explanations; I want to understand the fear.

I look at it this way: a rat could easily move a Santa hat from a couch in one room to a bed in another. I'm not saying that's at all likely to have happened. But say it was a rat. Would you be terrified of that rat? Would its hat-moving powers frighten you? (It's understandable that anyone might be disgusted or annoyed to discover there's a rodent in their house; they might worry about it ruining foodstuffs or spreading disease. But is there a good reason to be scared of the rat itself?)

And I'd feel pretty much the same if instead of a hat-moving rat it was a hat-moving demon from the innermost circle of Hell. If its capabilities are more or less the same as those of a rat, why be any more afraid of it than of a rat?

Now, your turn. Suppose the cause of the hat's unexplained movements really is whichever one scares you the most. Is that fear really justified? If so, how?

[Nakani]

How about static cling? Did the hat get stuck to a blanket or fuzzy PJ's?

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Myriad

DebunkThisPls, I'm curious about the connection between the Santa hat mystery, and your fear and anxiety. Is there some explanation you have in mind for the movements of the hat, that has repercussions that frighten you? It's not that I want to argue about the possible explanations; I want to understand the fear.

I look at it this way: a rat could easily move a Santa hat from a couch in one room to a bed in another. I'm not saying that's at all likely to have happened. But say it was a rat. Would you be terrified of that rat? Would its hat-moving powers frighten you? (It's understandable that anyone might be disgusted or annoyed to discover there's a rodent in their house; they might worry about it ruining foodstuffs or spreading disease. But is there a good reason to be scared of the rat itself?)

And I'd feel pretty much the same if instead of a hat-moving rat it was a hat-moving demon from the innermost circle of Hell. If its capabilities are more or less the same as those of a rat, why be any more afraid of it than of a rat?

Now, your turn. Suppose the cause of the hat's unexplained movements really is whichever one scares you the most. Is that fear really justified? If so, how?

I mean my fear here is that its a "glitch in the matrix" so I think, at least in my opinion, it's justified to not wanna be a piece of code in a computer. Although now, as I do think it out and calm down, I do believe it was just me being absentminded and forgetful. Although I'm still not 100% about my memory of seeing the hat with the lights off, which wouldve been impossible. My only explanation is a false memory, it's just a bit strange that it felt so weird, and that tonight when watching a TV with the lights off, the reflection the TV made on the hat was almost identical to the one I had a memory of, even though yesterday was the first time I've ever had the hat with the lights off, at least this year

[Thermal]

Great. Now I'm listening for the sound of demonic rats.

[arthwollipot]

Originally Posted by Thermal

Great. Now I'm listening for the sound of demonic rats.

What makes you think they make a sound?

[alfaniner]

Originally Posted by Nakani

How about static cling? Did the hat get stuck to a blanket or fuzzy PJ's?

That never even crossed my mind. What an excellent speculation! (to be clear, I'm serious)

[arthwollipot]

Originally Posted by alfaniner

That never even crossed my mind. What an excellent speculation! (to be clear, I'm serious)

It's an example of the principle "never think that you've thought of all the possibilities", which is a good general skeptical principle, applicable to many fields - UFOs, ghosts, poltergeists, Bigfoot, etc.

[Thermal]

Originally Posted by arthwollipot

What makes you think they make a sound?

Because they used to whisper "Lock her up", but now they say "Recount"

[Pixel42]

Originally Posted by Myriad

I'd say I'm 99.9% sure I really put the ring in the box on purpose and then forgot I'd done so. Even though one would think finding it missing from my finger would be quite a strong "memory jog."

It's possible you had a short TGA. Alone, doing a repetitive task, you might easily not have noticed.

I've had two TGAs, the first time I lost 18 hours and the second about two hours. It's disconcerting, to say the least. They were part of a series of memory glitches, major and minor, which ceased when I discontinued taking a statin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_global_amnesia

[Myriad]

Originally Posted by DebunkThisPls

I mean my fear here is that its a "glitch in the matrix" so I think, at least in my opinion, it's justified to not wanna be a piece of code in a computer.

Fair enough. Thanks for answering and explaining.

Suppose it turns out, some scientists prove tomorrow beyond all doubt that in fact we are just pieces of code in a computer.

Now, if that's true, it clearly implies we've always been pieces of code in a computer, right? And that everyone else we know is and always has been pieces of code in a computer. And this intricate fascinating world we think we live in is just more code. Okay... what's the problem? It's still the people and the world and the self you know.

There's a panel in a comic book called the Cartoon History of the Universe. It's in a chapter about ancient Mesopotamia, and the caption explains that the basic diet of ancient Mesopotamians consisted almost entirely of bread and onions. In the panel itself, one peasant is asking another, "Don't you get tired of bread and onions?" And the other one replies, in bewilderment, "Tired of food?!?

You can play the role of the first guy in the panel, asking "Aren't you afraid we're all just code in a computer?" And I'll be the one who replies, "Afraid of life?!?

And the same reply applies to people who are afraid or disappointed that we must just be complex behaviors emerging in interacting particles, or we're all just creations of a deity for the purpose of occasionally noticing how cool the world is and praising said deity, or if our lives in this world are nothing but an endless repetitive training exercise into which we get reincarnated over and over until we learn to behave better despite having our memories erased every time around, or if all of existence is just sparks in the tiny brain of a dreaming butterfly. All ontologies suck in their own ways, but only our actual experiences matter.

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by arthwollipot

Just stop responding to him. Let him be wrong.

Originally Posted by Pixel42

His explanation of why he did that seems plausible.

Thank you

[theprestige]

Originally Posted by Butter!

I just don't think it's unusual for someone who is learning skeptical thinking to circle around a lot. It took me years as a teen to fully believe that God wasn't trying to send me signs and warnings via coincidences. I needed reassurance constantly, and there was no one to give it to me. Maybe I'm way off in recognizing similarities here, but I don't think so.

This is a good point. I'm going to take a step back and give it some thought.

Quote:

If you're tired of repeating yourself, ignore the thread.

A perfectly cromulent option. I'm actually in the midst of deciding whether it's time to take that step.

Quote:

Also, why you gotta call my post a "rant?" It's so dismissive and rude. Must everything be written in the detached tone of a term paper? Thanks, but I've written my fill of those. I'm here to have chats.

I called it a "rant" because a post that doesn't quote anyone else or address their points directly, and opens with a sarcastic "Way to make skeptics look like the good guys, everybody. Well done!" doesn't seem very much like a "chat" to me. You want to have a chat with someone about the way they're engaging with the topic, direct your posts to them.

Quote:

Arth and DTP both listed you as one of the "good" posters ITT anyway, so not sure why you're bothered. I don't recall you attacking DTP the way Matthew did.

I'm bothered because you said "everybody" and not "Matthew". If you didn't mean for everybody to be bothered, you probably shouldn't have directed your rant chat at everybody.

Quote:

Do you think Matthew's angle is reasonable?

I am entirely uninterested in chatting about Matthew's angle.

[Thermal]

Originally Posted by DebunkThisPls

I can totally understand it from your POV, plus you've been pretty nice and helpful. I don't even know what to say about what Matthew is saying, he's just being ridiculous now. Although that is a crazy coincidence I suppose

Getting back on topic: you've mentioned simulation theory and glitches. All your threads seem to ask "explain how this isn't a glitch in the matrix', but you seem to shy away from talking about it directly. Is this something you think about a lot? This is entirely the right place to discuss it, and there are a treasure trove of posters with valuable input.

[Chanakya]

DTP, forget this drama, and forget your hat as well, and check out Myriad's lovely post towards the bottom of the previous page. That's the kind of thinking that can trigger a great discussion, with adult or child, simulation-worrier or god-botherer, and might actually help you snap out of this anxiety.

[zooterkin]

A large number of posts have been moved to AAH. It should not be any surprise to members here that discussing one another rather than the topic is against the MA. Speculating about the identity of another member is verging on rule 8. By all means, question the details of a story, but keep it polite and relevant to the topic of the thread.

Posted By:zooterkin

[Matthew Ellard]

This is ridiculous.

If he takes photo of the Christmas hat after it "reappeared" and it is in the same position as before it "disappeared" ....then, in theory, it never disappeared in the first place. There is no magical story.

However, if they (including a nine year old girl )are both watching a movie on TV on the couch then how did the Christmas hat on the couch not get moved. No one picked up on that.

Thirdly, how is he "scared" and has to take a photo of the hat as evidence of something, while his sister, mother and father are all awake in the apartment, while this goes on, yet not scared at 12.45 midnight, on his own, when he posted this little story .

The "glitch in the matrix"claim is overwhelmed by "holes in the story".

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

This is ridiculous.

If he takes photo of the Christmas hat after it "reappeared" and it is in the same position as before it "disappeared" ....then, in theory, it never disappeared in the first place. There is no magical story.

However, if they (including a nine year old girl )are both watching a movie on TV on the couch then how did the Christmas hat on the couch not get moved. No one picked up on that.

Thirdly, how is he "scared" and has to take a photo of the hat as evidence of something, while his sister, mother and father are all awake in the apartment, while this goes on, yet not scared at 12.45 midnight, on his own, when he posted this little story .

The "glitch in the matrix"claim is overwhelmed by "holes in the story".

1. I understand this, I just took the picture for my own reference, just to make sure i wasn't crazy there, never really expected to post it here, plus, guess the official claim would be "teleported". And also, I took the photo in my room. As I've mentioned several times now, the first time this happened was in the living room and i discovered it in my bedroom. I then moved it a couple feet over to the foot of my bed and took this picture, then found it on the couch. Thats on my bed, different room


2. No one moved from the couch though. My sister stayed in the living room the whole time, my mom and her both said this, I was the only one who moved, so most likely i moved the hat between 8-10 before the movie.

3. And no, I was terrified at 12:45, I mentioned how scared i was the whole time. I was planning on going to bed and thinking about it but was so scared I just couldnt wait. And why does it even matter who was awake? My room door was locked, no one couldve gotten in. Although it should be noted that I did leave the room, so I guess at this point I've realized I almost certainly moved it myself and forgot, which I have been doing more frequently lately.

[Thermal]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

This is ridiculous.

If he takes photo of the Christmas hat after it "reappeared" and it is in the same position as before it "disappeared" ....then, in theory, it never disappeared in the first place. There is no magical story.

However, if they (including a nine year old girl )are both watching a movie on TV on the couch then how did the Christmas hat on the couch not get moved. No one picked up on that.

Thirdly, how is he "scared" and has to take a photo of the hat as evidence of something, while his sister, mother and father are all awake in the apartment, while this goes on, yet not scared at 12.45 midnight, on his own, when he posted this little story .

The "glitch in the matrix"claim is overwhelmed by "holes in the story".

I'd say a couch is plenty big enough for two kids and a hat with elbow room. Also, the hat could be on the arm or back, even if they were break dancing on the cushions

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Thermal

I'd say a couch is plenty big enough for two kids and a hat with elbow room. Also, the hat could be on the arm or back, even if they were break dancing on the cushions

Well plus we were sitting on the ground from 8-10, when I most likely moved it, except for when I got up once or twice. It most likely wasn't there when we watched the movie

[wasapi]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

I have more up my sleeve...........

Spare us. Or, perhaps you could grow some empathy.

[sackett]

Glitch in the matrix? Christ, that's not even an original fantasy. Neither is it interesting: it's pathetic Hollywoodoid crap.

When I was ca. 14, I consumed a lot of pulp science fiction, and encountered a great raft of notions and attempts at novelty. But even at that callow age, I never believed any of it. I played at writing a little of my own, with results you can imagine. I also watched the wooden sci fi movies of those days. Did I confuse any of it with reality? Of course ******* not!

Any more than I did at the age of 16, when the whole house of tinkertoys collapsed.

What's REALLY going on here? Even less than appears?

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by wasapi

Spare us. Or, perhaps you could grow some empathy.

THANK YOU. You are now one of my favorite people on this forum.

[Matthew Ellard]

Originally Posted by Thermal

I'd say a couch is plenty big enough for two kids and a hat with elbow room. Also, the hat could be on the arm or back, even if they were break dancing on the cushions

A 9 year old and a 14 year old watch an entire movie, without moving on a couch, between 8 and 10pm? You also have two parents wandering in and out of the room, in a small apartment. That's not possible.

Also does the hat look as though it's on an arm, or over the back of a sofa?

[Matthew Ellard]

Originally Posted by wasapi

Spare us. Or, perhaps you could grow some empathy.

He now admits he moved it. His story was obviously rubbish from start to finish and he posted it on a skeptic forum. I don't have empathy for BS stories. about supernatural claims.

[Matthew Ellard]

Originally Posted by wasapi

Spare us. Or, perhaps you could grow some empathy.

[color="Navy"]Did you work out that he put it back on the couch to take the photo?

Edited by zooterkin:

<SNIP> Edited for rule 0 and rule 12.

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

He now admits he moved it. His story was obviously rubbish from start to finish and he posted it on a skeptic forum. I don't have empathy for BS stories. about supernatural claims.

At the time I made the post, i wasn't thinking straight and it freaked me out. When I thought more about it and talked with people on the forum, I realised the most logical explanation was that I moved it and forgot about it. I never admitted I moved it, because I don't have a memory of doing so, just that it's far more likely

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

He now admits he moved it. His story was obviously rubbish from start to finish and he posted it on a skeptic forum. I don't have empathy for BS stories. about supernatural claims.

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

A 9 year old and a 14 year old watch an entire movie, without moving on a couch, between 8 and 10pm? You also have two parents wandering in and out of the room, in a small apartment. That's not possible.

Also does the hat look as though it's on an arm, or over the back of a sofa?

One, I've said this so many times, please read. I only watched a movie from 10-11, i believe I moved it between 8-10, when I was playing Jenga with my sister. And I've said that my sister and mom stayed in the room the whole time. And that photo wasn't on the couch, I've said several times I took it on my bed, that's not the edge of the couch, it's my blanket.

Edit: And now you actually believe that I'm 14? I'm not gonna lie, looking back, I can understand your skepticism there, but once I showed the obvious proof that I'm 14, I figured at the least you'd stop interacting, not ridicule my story, which isn't made up btw. Most of what you've typed I've answered several times and you've ignored

[alfaniner]

Originally Posted by DebunkThisPls

At the time I made the post, i wasn't thinking straight and it freaked me out. When I thought more about it and talked with people on the forum, I realised the most logical explanation was that I moved it and forgot about it. I never admitted I moved it, because I don't have a memory of doing so, just that it's far more likely

Stick with that. That is by far the most logical explanation. Which is what we look for here.

[Matthew Ellard]

Originally Posted by DebunkThisPls

I moved it, because I don't have a memory of doing so, just that it's far more likely

You now are saying you moved the Christmas hat and then ...moved it back to take a photo of it.

Your entire magic moving hat story was rubbish from the very first post.

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by alfaniner

Stick with that. That is by far the most logical explanation. Which is what we look for here.

Thank you I will. Not sure why he said I admitted i moved it though. I still have no memory of doing it, but I was in that area and it didn't teleport, I realise that now

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

You now are saying you moved the Christmas hat and then ...moved it back to take a photo of it.

Your entire magic moving hat story was rubbish from the very first post.

Ok, listen. I've said this 3 times now. At first I was on the couch. I discovered it on my pillow at around 11:15. I then had it on my pillow, moved it to my blanket at the foot of my bed, and took this picture. I got up once or twice after this, and later discovered it on the couch at around 12. I believe i moved it and forgot about it, but you're missing details I've explained many a time

Edit: I also never even thought I was gonna post it here, I literally did it just to be 100% sure I had it in my room at one time, because after the first experience, my scared mind kinda believed it teleported, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy. Now it's helpful, to me at least, to know it was memory and not a hallucination. There's also no reason to even post here, I feel pretty confident in the answers others have given

[Matthew Ellard]

Originally Posted by DebunkThisPls

And that photo wasn't on the couch,

So your entire story is now that you took your Christmas hat into your bedroom, and took a photo of it........and that's it?

[DebunkThisPls]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ellard

So your entire story is now that you took your Christmas hat into your bedroom, and took a photo of it........and that's it?

I've said this in the original post:

1. I never admitted I moved it, I just figure its the most logical explanation.

2. I took a picture to confirm that it was in my room, as i was scared it might happen again. I'm not sure what to say at this point, it's all in the original post and ive said it 4 times now

Edit: Forgot to add, I believe I grabbed it from the couch between 8-10, before the movie, thats why i saw it in my room at 11:15 or so. Then, when i found it, I kinda freaked out, tried to calm down and then took that picture to make sure i had it in my room after the first experience, just to make sure i wasn't hallucinating. Then I left once ot twice and later realized it was missing and saw it back on the couch, where I believe i moved it. I didn't think this originally, I was afraid it "teleported". I'm now confident it didn't, so I feel better and don't see any need to argue about small details I've mentioned 4 times