Elf Detection 101-How to find the hidden folk of Iceland

Slate ^ | 11 Mar 2009 | Juliet Lapidos

[BGHater]

An article on Iceland's de facto bankruptcy in the April issue of Vanity Fair notes that a "large number of Icelanders" believe in elves or "hidden people." This widespread folklore occasionally disrupts business in the sparsely populated North Atlantic country. Before the aluminum company Alcoa could erect a smelting factory, "it had to defer to a government expert to scour the enclosed plant site and certify that no elves were on or under it." How do you find an elf?

With psychic powers. According to a poll conducted in 2007, 54 percent of Icelanders don't deny the existence of elves and 8 percent believe in them outright, although only 3 percent claim to have encountered one personally. The ability to see the huldufólk, or hidden folk, can't be learned; you're just born with it. To find elves, seers don't really need to do anything—they'll just sense an elfin presence. The Vanity Fair article says that elf detection can take six months, but it's usually a quick process that can last under an hour. And although the magazine claims that a "government expert" had to certify the nonexistence of elves, the Icelandic Embassy insists that these consults are performed by freelancers, not government contractors.

The huldufólk are thought to live in another dimension, invisible to most. They build their homes inside rocks and on craggy hillsides, and they seem to favor lava formations. The port town of Hafnarfjördur, near Reykjavík, is thought to have a particularly large settlement of elves—as well as other mystical beings like dwarves (who also fit under the broad category of huldufólk).

[utherdoul]

A pity we have a Goblin in the white house rather than an Elf.

[Candor7]

This is a bogus article. Everyone can see elves, and psychic powers are not needed.But most of us have too much in the way.

What we call extraordinary perceptions are very ordinary, and natural energy exists all around us. Its not a matter of ESP, but it is a matter of understanding rather ancient ideas about how nature works, and internalizing them with a sense of genuine longing.

If you go to Japan, you will find little kami shrines all over the place. Japanese folks see kami every day. How come westerners cannot?

We are victims of two principles , causality, and scientific method, in Western culture. The fact is that we each create our own individual realities, and share conventions about it.

In Scotland you will find people who meet elves and talk to them every day.And they say they look like ordinary people, like you or I.In Japan it is the same with kami.

I have learned not to ridicule such people.Their world simply is far richer than mine is, and I cannot share it peceptually.

[americanophile]

...ah...ok

[George Smiley]

I think they emigrated from Iceland and joined the Cabinet.

[Incorrigible]

Perhaps the elves ran off with the money from the banks?

[bornred]

Before the aluminum company Alcoa could erect a smelting factory, "it had to defer to a government expert to scour the enclosed plant site and certify that no elves were on or under it."

Is this really any worse than our environmental impact reviews?

It's definitely a quicker and more efficient process...

[Oberon]

I once thought I had seen an elf... but it turned out he was just an elvish impersonator.

[Clock King]

I’ll stick with muggle magic, ie. technology. Course it helps that I’m already a wizard in that field.

[Clock King]

Perhaps the elves ran off with the money from the banks?

I can BELIEVE that!

[Candor7]

Its interesting that we are very stuck in our own little cultural worlds, just as other civilizations are stuck in theirs.

If you travel around the world and see that with your own eyes, the very rich variety of perceptive qualities begin to make one realize that our reality, whatever it is, is not the only one.

You should read up on Quantum physics and experiments done on isolated entangled particles. Then perhaps you actually might begin to see a little more than what you consider to be conventional.

For example:

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2008/813/3

Fear makes us stay in our own little worlds.

And if we see anything that doesnt fit our preconceived notions, it “just isn’t there.”

And so much of the wealth of what the phenomenal world has to offer is missed.God must think that this is a tragedy.

[Unam Sanctam]

The port town of Hafnarfjördur, near Reykjavík, is thought to have a particularly large settlement of elves—as well as other mystical beings like dwarves (who also fit under the broad category of huldufólk).

I don't think Legolas and Gimli would like being lumped together like that.

[aroostook war]

I’m definitely going to enjoy reading this article.
Thanks!

[Candor7]

Quantum based particle experiments have proven that we create our own worlds.

The observer actually affects what particles do

The act of observation alters how particles behave, and mind ntention also has been proven to alter the charateristics isplyed by particles.

Its a riot.

Yet many of us are completely stuck in causal reality, which is quite acceptable and understandable.

But as far as science goes, especially quantum physics, there is no doubt that the direct interaction between mind and matter in fact does exist.

Reality is hardly absolute. It is relative.

In many ways this makes the horion of human possibility rather vast and limitless. So vast in fact tat we must set oour own limits and parameters of imagination and function. Both good and bad in that.

On the other hand, ,we do not need to be stuck either.

[SunkenCiv]

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[blam]

The Iceland elves are descended from the Leprechauns that arrived with the Irish that were slaves to the Vikings.

[SunkenCiv]

I would have thought they were somehow connected to snow white.

[dfwgator]

It’s Loki’s fault!

[Grizzled Bear]

First you need to make a successful “Detection” roll on your D20...

[Grizzled Bear]

The fact is that we each create our own individual realities, and share conventions about it.

...Alright...Whatever works for you...say, isn't it medication time?