Homeopathy rots the brain
My mom has recently been going on a rationalism trip, delighting in pointing out superstitions and telling me about morons in our circle of acquaintances. At lunch just now, for example, we were talking about that Dutch ark idiot, and were lamenting the fundification of the Netherlands together.
Then, after lunch, she pulled out these, because “someone told her they help”.
This is the fourth time I’ve had to explain the placebo effect to her. It’s getting old.
Incidentally, somewhere in between, my dad was talking about how Noah’s flood was actually inspired by the flooding of the Black Sea. I didn’t want to discourage or confuse him by pointing out the flaws in that or mentioning other floods and other cultures’ flood myths, since he seemed to be so certain, but at least he’s trying. This is a good sign.
And this is a kitty.
Coren said,
April 29th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Your mom still pwns my mom, who believes in just about anything that sound even remotely mystickal >.
Coren said,
April 29th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
I keep forgetting~
Your mom still pwns my mom, who believes in just about anything that sound even remotely mystickal >.<
Is that Ginkgo thing really homeopathy, though? As in no actual trace of Ginkgo left? Not that it matters, since Ginkgo doesn’t have any significant effects either…
In related news, I have recently noticed a seed of religious idiocy in my youngest sister. She seems to be actually buying the religious bullshit they’ve been feeding her at school. I should knock some sense into her, but I’m afraid that the harder I knock, the deeper it drives the idiocy.
Cairnarvon said,
April 29th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
I tend to call any “natural” alternative medicine type quackery homeopathy. The definition is too hazy anyway.
If you want to be technical about it, the dilution bit isn’t even a prerequisite.
It’s all the same kind of scam.
echomikeromeo said,
April 29th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
My parents, on the other hand, are fundamentalist atheists who think all forms of religion are “tribal nonsense”. That never stopped my sister and I from inventing our own religions in our youth, but we’ve since matured and moved on to join my parents in their cynicism.