I also decided to make a card with some common examples of what internalized oppression about psi looks like. You may see these reflected in fiction, but usually when authors have psi characters reflecting these attitudes, they (the authors) are unaware that they are internalized oppression, and are taking these attitudes for granted as just the "inevitable, normal and natural" ways that someone who is psi would feel about him or herself.

There is nothing "inevitable" about feeling this way. Psi people who internalize these attitudes about themselves get them because of the messages we get from friends, family and the media, from a young age.

Writing about characters who experience internalized oppression is not per se fail -- it's fail 1) if you don't realize that these attitudes are internalized oppression and just take them as "obvious" without thinking about it, or 2) you recognize they are internalized oppression and don't really understand what that means and looks like, and so write about it very unrealistically.

Just making up how "tormented" psi people (youth or adults) must be for the fun fantasy of it can come across as a big "F U" to our actual lives.

Remember: It's bad enough to read a book/watch a show and see the non-psi characters spouting negative attitudes, but it hurts in a whole different way to see the psi characters themselves saying those same things. That only "works" in a story for me in very limited circumstances, which really make sense in the story.

The following is not an exhaustive list of all the ways internalized oppression can take shape. There will likely be at least one more card on this subject.



Even bad/ negative incidents are good, BECAUSE THEY ARE INCIDENTS! (Validation)
Refers to oneself or one’s experiences as “weirdshit”
Accepts that it’s normal/ expected that others will not believe him/her
Accepts that it’s normal/ expected that if others find out, they will be scared
Accepts that it’s normal/ expected that if others find out, they will think him/her “crazy”
Attacks other psi people to deflect self-hate
Accepts “scientism” and keeps trying to “prove it” to others
Accepts that there’s something sinful about psi
Accepts criminalization metaphor/ language for psi
Accepts medicalization language or context for psi, OR wishes he/ she could medicate it away
Accepts that he/she is “crazy” for being or believing in psi
Refuses to accept the validity of one’s psi experiences because they’re too scary/ unknown
Free Space: In the closet to friends, family, and/or lovers
Denial of difference, or validity of difference (to self or others)
Men: Rage, rage, RAGE!
Violence against self (physical or mental)
Engages in high-risk behavior (e.g. substance abuse)
Self-fear, hate and/ or disgust
For sensory psi: accepts one’s senses have to be controlled or repressed for one to be “good”
Men: Self-aggrandizement (“I’m the biggest badass on the block!”)
Rationalization (“Oh, it’s not really psi, it’s…”)
Tries to believe in contradictory realities at once (e.g. “I’m psi, but I don’t believe in psi because I’m a scientist”)
Accepts self as cursed
Accepts psi as “burden” or “gift one is “paying for”
Feels his/ her social or family problems are caused by his/ her being psi (self-blame)

Non-psi people playing “practicing psi” and fluffing it up
“If real telepaths existed, they would kill themselves at a young age.”
“If real telepaths existed, they would all flee society/ from other people.”
Analyzes what the ethics of telepathy “should be” by analogy to physical senses
“Telepathy works just like a physical distance sense, just in the mind.”
“You can’t sense people you’re not talking to, right?”
Assumes no psi people are reading the blog/ listening to the conversation
“OH NOES, my sexual thoughts!” (or anyone else’s)
In talking to psi person, uses “criminalizing” language for psi
“I don’t (or that person doesn’t) believe in psi because I am (he/ she is) very logical and rational.”
“My non-psi experience was, for all practical purposes, like your psi one!”
Keeps treating thought like speech/ hearing/ reading, even when told it’s not
Free Space: “But SF exaggerates/ distorts everything! This is no different.”
In a poll, belief in psi framed as “not neutral” or “showing a bias” -- the poll itself should not show a bias
“That person doesn’t believe in psi because he/ she is autistic.”
Psi person talks about life: “But I thought you wanted me to analyze/ solve your problem.”
“Tell me, what would a society of only telepaths be like?” (ethics, norms, etc.)
Assumes their sexual thoughts are special, shocking and unique, rather than typical
“Hypothetically, ‘real world’ society would OF COURSE hate/ fear you, but not me -- I’m here to help you with that!”
“I don’t (or that person doesn’t) believe in psi because no one has presented me (him/ her) with good evidence for it.”
“You/ your life is an interesting thought-experiment to me. (And what’s wrong with that?)”
You’re psi? Let’s play find the perfect metaphor!
Me: “I’m feeling talked over, shut down and exhausted.” Them: “But this is so much fun for me!”
“I know all about how to ‘educate the normals’! Let me tell you all my ideas!”
“I’m sure he/ she would be convinced if someone just gave him/ her good evidence!”

“I don’t have to believe you in order to be your therapist.”
“You believe in ESP? You need mental help now (for your delusion/ disorder).”
“I’m an atheist, I don’t believe in the supernatural.”
Mocking so-called psi people (or people who believe in psi) is OK/normal
“If psi is real, how come people don’t use it to get rich?”
“Here, let me explain to you why people hate telepaths.”
“This book/ article/ tv show is a TOTALLY positive presentation of psi/psi people!”
Extremely offensive book/ story/ show/ movie comes out -- no one talks about psi
“There are no real psi people, so no one could be offended by this story (someone else wrote).”
Women believe in psi, men are more “rational” (not weak-minded) and therefore do not
Psi is something only “very special” people have
Everyone is psi -- psi people’s life experiences are no different at all
Free Space: Absolutely anyone can be psi -- BUY MY BOOK!
Most people only use 10% of their brains! (Therefore you can fill the rest up with psi!)
Psi actors do not play psi characters
“Don’t bring in your life experiences, this is philosophy.”
“How should I know? I don’t have a crystal ball.”
“That’s all woo woo.”
“If I was psi, I’d use it to get out of homework.”
Real psi people would perform on stage for the entertainment of non-psi people
“I believe in psi AND I am psi” is not an answer choice in questionnaire
“I am certain psi is real” is not an answer choice in questionnaire
Acceptance of psi framed as “spiritual beliefs”
“You must also believe in (Nessie, UFOs, vampires, ghosts, angels, etc.).”
All forms of psi are the same, they’re all “generic psychic stuff”

Traditional realities replaced by Christianity and/or materialism
Psi experiences omitted from biographies of famous people
Psi framed as “superstition” or “primitive” beliefs
Kicked out of church for being psi or for attitudes about psi
“You should set up an ‘I’m psi, ask me anything’ booth in a café.”
“Real telepaths don’t need to use words.”
“It’s just a show/ movie/ story/ book.”
“Real empaths never act selfish.”
“I can’t be comfortable around you, knowing you are psi.”
“You’re a telepath, not an empath. This isn’t about you.”
“Real telepaths don’t have to check for understanding, they just know.”
“What do you think I am, psychic?”
Free Space: HOW DOES IT WORK? EDUCATE ME NOW!
“I’m just curious.”
Traditional and Native realities replaced by New Age fluff
“I want to learn telepathy -- will you teach me?”
“I’m teaching myself telepathy. You’re so fascinating!”
“You’re telepathic/ empathic? Let me tell you ALL MY PROBLEMS.”
“Oh, I thought that was just a lucky guess.”
“I can’t believe you, you’re the first I’ve ever met.”
“It’s really just subtle perception of body language.”
“If you were really psi, you’d let us test you.” / “If you refuse to be tested, it’s because you’re a fraud.”
Extremely offensive characterization = great book, “classic,” etc.
The only “convincing” evidence for psi comes from lab tests of people who don’t “claim” to be psi
“Sure your experiences are real. They’re just not what you say they are.”

“I believe it has a basis in brain science, and it is therefore not really psi.”
“I believe that science will one day explain it, and it is therefore not really psi.”
“I feel the pain of the whole world!”
“If I had telepathic powers, I’d use them to get laid.”
“I have crying fits of unknown origin. That makes me an empath.”
Academic discussion of psi as antithetical to serious scholarship
“If you all came out, then people would take you seriously.”
“We don’t have to change -- you’re not an organized/ socially recognized minority.”
“You’re whining about a problem that doesn’t exist.”
“Some empath you are, bitch.” (For not being “sensitive enough” to some emotional need)
(Their view of) science presented as the hallmark of reality (“scientism”)
“I use logic and reason. People who claim to be psi do not” OR “Therefore I know psi does not exist.”
Free Space: “My story is not supposed to be about REAL psi people, so STFU.”
People with unconventional beliefs (about other things) therefore aren’t really psi
Psi used to exist in ancient times (Bible times, etc.) but no longer exists
“That’s bound to happen eventually just by statistics.”
“Real telepathic people have no sense of privacy.”
“You can’t expect to be believed with claims like that.”
“I can’t believe your experiences -- this isn’t a double blind experiment.”
Acts as gatekeeper of “reality”
(After saying offensive things) “Never mind, I don’t actually care anyway.”
“She called when I was thinking about her! She must be psychic!”
“I cry at movies. That makes me an empath.”
Psi senses framed as “extra”sensory awareness, “para”normal, etc.
“You must know that (random fact) because you’re psi!” (Um, no.)

“If you complain about our bigotry, you started it. It’s your fault.”
“You’re a pain in the ass, therefore I declare you illegitimate.”
“So-called psi people have over-active (or uncomfortable) imaginations.”
“You just want to be a special snowflake.”
“So-called psi people are really just unstable or emotionally weak.”
Assumes he can speak with more authority on my senses than I can (and tries)
How “strange” an experience is defined by those who do not experience it
“It doesn’t matter if anyone believes in it.”
“You take yourself too seriously.”
“I have intuition -- I’M JUST LIKE YOU!”
“I’m just speaking in generalities (not about you).”
“I hate you for being in my head.” / “I hate you, get out of my head.”
Free Space: “Psi people do not exist, therefore I can make it all up.”
“There are no real psi people, so no one could really be offended by my story.”
“We can’t help our prejudice/bias, we’re techies (or scientists).”
Psi as random punch line (in advertisement, in a tv show, etc.)
“Aren’t I one, too? Just a little bit? Please?”
“It’s my creative license to write whatever I want.”
Comparisons to telephone psychics
“Good scientists do not ‘believe in’ psi.”
(In realistic fic) “Character thinks she’s psi! Let’s laugh at her!”
(In realistic fic) “Character thinks she’s psi! Look how wrong/ silly she is!”
“If psi people existed, normal people would be disabled!”
“If psi people existed, it would throw society as we know it into chaos.”
“You consider yourself a superior species.”

“If you can’t demonstrate it on command, you’re not really psi”
“If you won’t demonstrate it on command, you must be lying about it”
Psi people framed as “attention whores”
All psi people are fluffy bunnies/ posers/ wannabes
“You can’t ever know what you experienced was really someone else’s.”
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” (Burden of “proof” on us)
“There are posers, therefore none of you can be believed.”
“What do you expect me to be, a mind reader?”
“I resent your awarenesses.”
“I’m jealous of you.”
“They’re not other people’s feelings or thoughts, they’re your own.”
“You can’t own your issues, and so you project them onto other people.”
Free Space: NON-EXISTENCE (only alternatives are fiction, fraud or lunacy)
Psi = sin, evil, work of the devil
Puts psi people in the same category as “imaginary creatures”
Analyzes psi person or his/her experiences, and thinks that constitutes “relating to” that person
“I have an issue with one psi person, so I have an issue with them all.”
“I’m a psi researcher, and I believe in psi, therefore I’m an ally!”
“Your experiences don’t match spec fic, so they’re not really psi.”
“No offense, I’m a skeptic/ empiricist, ‘freethinker,’ etc.”
“Psi people manipulate others.”
“Psi people have crappy boundaries.”
Psi people “whine too much” and “create drama.”
“It’s the fault of whiny psi people or posers that we can’t be tolerant.”
“Psi-phobia doesn’t exist.”

“I fetishize telepaths, telepathic sex or my idea of what that would be like.”
Brings up psychopaths or sociopaths
All people who “believe in” psi are crazy, irrational or inferior
“If I was aware of others’ thoughts, I’d go crazy/ kill myself.”
“How do you know it’s really theirs?”
“I believe you believe it.”
“I wish I could believe you, but I can’t.”
“If psi existed, that would be SO DAMN COOL.”
“Prove it to me.”
Frames psi as a belief or a claim
“Science hasn’t proved it, so I can’t believe you.”/ “There is no real evidence for psi.”
“You’re obviously exaggerating.”
Free Space: MY PRIVACY! OH NOES!
It’s not “really psi” unless you never make any mistakes
“I just write about it, don’t worry, I don’t BELIEVE IN it.”
“Can I experiment on you?”
New Age babble
Refuses to acknowledge I am psi no matter how many times I say it
“I want to be telepathically dominated/ telepaths should be sexually submissive.”
“If you’re so psychic, why haven’t you won the lottery?”
“Scan me now!”/ “What do you sense from me now?”
Frames psi as a collection of phenomena, not in terms of people
Disbelief is “reasonable,” denial of psi person’s experiences is called “debate”
People with mental illnesses who “claim to be psi” are therefore not really psi
Expects ally cookies for simply “believing” psi person that he/she is psi

In addition to the ever-growing list of spec fic psi fail bingo cards, which I am posting, I also have a separate set of "real life psi fail bingo" cards. These are all real things that have been said, mostly to/around me, though a few come from the experiences of friends. A few come from interviews with authors who have written about psi, and who have been asked about it.

Because these are based on real life, and written by one person, they are obviously biased towards the experiences of this one person (me) -- and hence also to my particular experiences and cultural contexts. These cards are absolutely not intended as representative of the experiences of all psi people. I am speaking for myself, and also trying to cover some of what I know my friends have encountered. Your mileage may vary, but I hope these cards can serve as a good jumping off point for conversation about, well, how not to be a jerk, and how to spot when others might be acting like jerks.

Person is psi, but no one believes him/ her because he/she is “crazy”
Character of color “explains” psi context to clueless white protagonist
White author tosses in token “exotic” or native context for psi
PK works like physical lifting -- lightweight objects are easier to move
Character of color exists in the story to be, or evoke, “mystical psi stuff”
Psi works better when two people (or more) concentrate on it together
Psi people as mutants
With practice, person can use PK to lift "heavier and heavier" objects
Alcohol facilitates psi
Person becomes psi -- vigilante justice time (using psi)!
Psi person doesn't tell anyone because he/ she is afraid they will hate/ fear/ abuse/ become violent toward/ leave him/ her
Getting angry makes psi happen (but just the way you want)
Free Space: Real psi = always works on command, exactly the way you want
PK as “mental beam”
Person becomes psi -- takes revenge on his/ her enemies (using psi)
Psi character suddenly develops ability to do anything the author dreams up, no matter how impossible, inconsistent or random
Psi person “discovered” -- everyone expects him/her to perform for their entertainment
Psi as “wish fulfillment” for author
Becoming psi makes otherwise not sadistic character into a sadist
Psychokinetic attack
Abuse of psi people (children and adults) not really abuse or human rights violation
Psi people dehumanized
Psi people worshipped
Psi people as either more than human (god-like) or less than human (have no rights) -- no room for other option (actually human)
Psi person “discovered” -- gov’t forces them to kill others (using psi)