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Phanteur, whole no. 3, July 1946

Page 6

6     PHANTEUR     6

On Forteans
---Being a rambling dissertation based on random observations of no signifigance.

Forteanism apparently attracts several rather distinct types of people. First, but far from foremost, are those serious searchers after unvarnished truth, who see in Fort's methods and collected data, a worthwhile approach to the many unsolved problems of the Universe. Practically all Forteans claim to belong to this group, but it is obvious that relatively few--of the vocal and literate ones, at any rate--are numbered among the members of this select circle.
A very much larger group consists of those odd individuals who have already solved the major problems, at least to their own satisfaction, and seek in Forteanism a means of proving the supposed truth of their conclusions. Some of these really have something to offer in the way of hypotheses, but greatly weaken their position and the worth of their proposals, by their one-sided approach, seeking and utilizing, as they do, only positive evidence, and disregarding the negative.
A third group consists of those energetic and generally thoughtful individuals who enjoy collecting and collating Fortean material, and in developing therefrom various more-or-less fantastic theories to account for the seemingly inexplicable phenomena encountered in this screw-ball Universe of ours. Many of this group are on the fringe of the select circle mentioned above. Not infrequently they produce some excellent story-ideas. They tend, however, as do those of the second group, to disregard such principles as that which goes, approximately thus: "When a choice is to be made between two or more explanations of a given phenomen, the simplest which is consistent with the facts shall be chosen."
The fourth, and apparently largest group, is made up of crackpots; neurotic individuals who attribute to Forteanism a religious aspect which is almost comically at odds with Fort's own expressed aims. These people tend to embrace astrology, theosophy, the shaver "myths," and a plethora of other -isms and -ologies. Fort's collected data impress them little, if at all; they go instead, in all seriousness, for his humorous "explanations." Every new "theory" put forward by the third group is seized upon as the latest and greatest "truth" of all; and if this latest "discovery" is completely contrary to all those "truths" which preceded it, that is all the better; the old had lost its appeal anyway, through long familiarity.
People are mostly crackpots, anyway, aren't they? Why, otherwise, would they write stuff like this?

---: oo0oo :---

Banquet on Black Bayou
I
All men shun Black Bayou at Midnight
When the moon rides full and high;
The strongest take fright at the ghastly sight
That greets the passer-by.
II
The Darky rools his gleaming eyes;
His face grows pale with fear;
The awful cries
As the victim dies
Are horrible to hear.
III
The Cajin makes an ancient sign;
Chants charms in French archaic;
There are things that dine
In the bright moon shine
That make the bravest quake.
IV
The full moon rises in the East;
Black Bayou is my goal.
I am marked by the Beast; tonight I shall feast
On a tasty snack--YOUR SOUL!
---: oo0oo :---

pacificonpostwarconpacificonpostwarconpacificonpostwarconpacificonpostwarconpac

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6 PHANTEUR 6 On Forteans ---Being a rambling dissertation based on random observations of no signifigance. Forteanism apparently attracts several rather distinct types of people. First, but far from foremost, are those serious searchers after unvarnished truth, who see in Fort's methods and collected data, a worthwhile approach to the many unsolved problems of the Universe. Practically all Forteans claim to belong to this group, but it is obvious that relatively few--of the vocal and literate ones, at any rate--are numbered among the members of this select circle. A very much larger group consists of those odd individuals who have already solved the major problems, at least to their own satisfaction, and seek in Forteanism a means of proving the supposed truth of their conclusions. Some of these really have something to offer in the way of hypotheses, but greatly weaken their position and the worth of their proposals, by their one-sided approach, seeking and utilizing, as they do, only positive evidence, and disregarding the negative. A third group consists of those energetic and generally thoughtful individuals who enjoy collecting and collating Fortean material, and in developing therefrom various more-or-less fantastic theories to account for the seemingly inexplicable phenomena encountered in this screw-ball Universe of ours. Many of this group are on the fringe of the select circle mentioned above. Not infrequently they produce some excellent story-ideas. They tend, however, as do those of the second group, to disregard such principles as that which goes, approximately thus: "When a choice is to be made between two or more explanations of a given phenomen, the simplest which is consistent with the facts shall be chosen." The fourth, and apparently largest group, is made up of crackpots; neurotic individuals who attribute to Forteanism a religious aspect which is almost comically at odds with Fort's own expressed aims. These people tend to embrace astrology, theosophy, the shaver "myths," and a plethora of other -isms and -ologies. Fort's collected data impress them little, if at all; they go instead, in all seriousness, for his humorous "explanations." Every new "theory" put forward by the third group is seized upon as the latest and greatest "truth" of all; and if this latest "discovery" is completely contrary to all those "truths" which preceded it, that is all the better; the old had lost its appeal anyway, through long familiarity. People are mostly crackpots, anyway, aren't they? Why, otherwise, would they write stuff like this? ---: oo0oo :--- Banquet on Black Bayou I All men shun Black Bayou at Midnight When the moon rides full and high; The strongest take fright at the ghastly sight That greets the passer-by. II The Darky rools his gleaming eyes; His face grows pale with fear; The awful cries As the victim dies Are horrible to hear. III The Cajin makes an ancient sign; Chants charms in French archaic; There are things that dine In the bright moon shine That make the bravest quake. IV The full moon rises in the East; Black Bayou is my goal. I am marked by the Beast; tonight I shall feast On a tasty snack--YOUR SOUL! ---: oo0oo :--- pacificonpostwarconpacificonpostwarconpacificonpostwarconpacificonpostwarconpac