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Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

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Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#51

Post by netsharc »

infecto wrote: post #34
nimbius wrote: post #10

I once read an inspiring post from a european user who explained why these companies generally succeed. Namely, that formal treatment and healthcare for the underlying condition targeted by the "wellness" product is prohibitively expensive for American customers, and so snakeoil thrives in the absence of legitimate medical science. you could literally bankrupt these companies in less than a fortnight with single paye…

As opposed to the massive Homeopathy industry in Germany? I think the overall healthcare industry plays a part but I would bet that this is more of a human problem and less of an "american healthcare system is bad" issue. Germany has a massive homeopathic industry including brick and mortar stores, you could go to Asia and look at traditional chinese medicine. People love the idea of easy fixes where you can drink so…

Xi Jinping wants to promote TCM as superior Chinese tech (saving your lives using tech that's worked for millennia!), their doctors were even giving out TCM to fight Covid: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/04/asia/china-tcm-approved-c... (ah, but the Emperor is wearing the most magnificent garment!), I can imagine the CCP funding TCM practicioners all over the world (like the Thai government with Thai restaurants)...

Ah, the irrationality of humans strike again.

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#52

Post by technofiend »

nimbius wrote: post #10

I once read an inspiring post from a european user who explained why these companies generally succeed. Namely, that formal treatment and healthcare for the underlying condition targeted by the "wellness" product is prohibitively expensive for American customers, and so snakeoil thrives in the absence of legitimate medical science. you could literally bankrupt these companies in less than a fortnight with single paye…

>you could literally bankrupt these companies in less than a fortnight with single payer healthcare.

You'd certainly rob them of people who have legitimate and treatable complaints. But that does nothing to eliminate the people who think they're smarter than their doctors or don't trust them which ranges from Steve Jobs to ivermectin users. There are always those who view themselves outside the system, don't trust it, or simply don't want to accept their diagnosis and/or treatment.

Anecdotally I have a sister who was biopsied for cancer twenty+ years ago, and the result was negative. She's been telling people she has (not had) cancer ever since. With her it could just be a play for sympathy, but I wouldn't be surprised to see her buying anything that purported to "cure cancer", regardless of what any doctor tells her.

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#53

Post by HEmanZ »

nimbius wrote: post #10

I once read an inspiring post from a european user who explained why these companies generally succeed. Namely, that formal treatment and healthcare for the underlying condition targeted by the "wellness" product is prohibitively expensive for American customers, and so snakeoil thrives in the absence of legitimate medical science. you could literally bankrupt these companies in less than a fortnight with single paye…

This is the kind of “I’m 14 and this is deep” thing that gets passed all over Reddit or twitter, because it sounds good and aligns with political dogma. But doesn’t make sense if you actually think about it, at all.

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#54

Post by dfxm12 »

tomcar288 wrote: post #7

i'm not saying anything about the content of infowars but I can't believe how much money people will spend on "supplements", and pills and artificial products. and yet, somehow don't have any money for fruits, vegetables and beans. i can only imagine, there's something broken in how people are being raised.

It's more about the cult of personality of Alex Jones or Gwyneth Paltrow. They aren't buying products to be healthy, they are buying products to be more like/to support their favorite celebrities. While thinking about "blame", don't ignore that some people are working pretty hard to find & target these products to whales.

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#56

Post by amadeuspagel »

nimbius wrote: post #10

I once read an inspiring post from a european user who explained why these companies generally succeed. Namely, that formal treatment and healthcare for the underlying condition targeted by the "wellness" product is prohibitively expensive for American customers, and so snakeoil thrives in the absence of legitimate medical science. you could literally bankrupt these companies in less than a fortnight with single paye…

There is an unbelievable amount of medical quacks in germany, respected and supported by insurance companies[1].

[1]: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heilpraktiker

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#57

Post by danans »

nimbius wrote: post #10

I once read an inspiring post from a european user who explained why these companies generally succeed. Namely, that formal treatment and healthcare for the underlying condition targeted by the "wellness" product is prohibitively expensive for American customers, and so snakeoil thrives in the absence of legitimate medical science. you could literally bankrupt these companies in less than a fortnight with single paye…

> Namely, that formal treatment and healthcare for the underlying condition targeted by the "wellness" product is prohibitively expensive for American customers, and so snakeoil thrives in the absence of legitimate medical science.

The issue with that explanation is that plenty of Americans who have health insurance still buy lots of that snake oil.

A great number of the ailments that afflict Americans are related to practically inescapable aspects of our built environment: sedentarism, cheap and high sugar/salt processed foods, car-bound living environments. Those things are hard to change, and there is a ton of resistance to change because those things are very comfortable/convenient in the short term.

Science-based medicine itself struggles to treat these environment/lifestyle induced conditions. While single payer healthcare would help, it can't on its own fix the structural problems with how we live.

This, coupled with superstitious and/or pseudo-scientific beliefs and entertainment being part of American culture, results in many people putting stock in shortcut "solutions".

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#58

Post by gumby »

infecto wrote: post #34
nimbius wrote: post #10

I once read an inspiring post from a european user who explained why these companies generally succeed. Namely, that formal treatment and healthcare for the underlying condition targeted by the "wellness" product is prohibitively expensive for American customers, and so snakeoil thrives in the absence of legitimate medical science. you could literally bankrupt these companies in less than a fortnight with single paye…

As opposed to the massive Homeopathy industry in Germany? I think the overall healthcare industry plays a part but I would bet that this is more of a human problem and less of an "american healthcare system is bad" issue. Germany has a massive homeopathic industry including brick and mortar stores, you could go to Asia and look at traditional chinese medicine. People love the idea of easy fixes where you can drink so…

On homeopathy, I will say that when my mother in law's cancer got to the point where no more treatment was possible, she went home and diligently took her homeopathic "medicine" sent by her German health insurance. At first I thought it was 100% nonsense, but I realized it gave her a sense of agency over her situation, which was good for her (until she got too sick to do anything for herself). So only 98% nonsense.

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#59

Post by throwup238 »

Cheer2171 wrote: post #47
throwup238 wrote: post #5

I swear to god this whole simulation is starting to come apart at the seams. Goop ? Someone named a "modern lifestyle brand" company Goop ? And people are actually buying their shit? I think whoever is running the show should just hand the reigns to the Dwarf Fortress guys. At least their bugs are believable.

Similar to Chesterton's fence, if you don't understand why the Goop brand has become incredibly popular for a particular demographic, maybe you aren't qualified to critique it. In short: It is supposed to sound exactly as ridiculous as you think it sounds. The Goop line most famously includes a candle that is marketed as smelling like the creator's vagina. It is supposed to generate outrage among people of your demog…

What is my "demographic", exactly?

I'm not outraged, I'm amused... in a "bless your heart" kind of way.

Re: Infowars and Goop sell the same exact pseudoscientific "wellness" products

#60

Post by bombcar »

gumby wrote: post #48

Worth reading just to learn of the existence of "activated cashews" Our enzyme-rich, activated, and dehydrated cashews are a mineral-dense protein. Pure, alkaline water awakens the nuts' dormant properties, increasing digestibility and micronutrient, vitamin, and enzyme count. These raw, activated, bio-available nuts are a low-glycemic source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. As well as a product for sale at infowa…

This really activates my almonds.
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