The new Jesus and Mo strip, called “hands,” came with a note: “I don’t know what makes the boys feel entitled to make fun of Reiki, but they do.”
If you don’t know what the pseudoscience of reiki is, read here.
Those who believe in reiki, of course, like those who believe in homeopathy, do so on faith. They should get no more approbation for being “people of faith” than to those who adhere to Islam, Christianity, or any other religion.
A fifth panel to this J&M might have jeebus explain, “They were quick to direct me to the numerous ATMs and cashier booths throughout the fairgrounds.”
“Those who believe in reiki, of course, like those who believe in homeopathy, do so on faith. They should get no more approbation for being “people of faith” than to those who adhere to Islam, Christianity, or any other religion.”
And no less approbation!
Ouch! Fantastic…irony?
😎
Even more problematic is acupuncture, because so many people just blindly believe it. I have learned to just not try to argue about it.
Acupuncture at least involves physical contact and, if you ignore the crap about meridians and energy, could conceivably have some sort of biological mechanism. Well-designed studies, however, reveal it’s just an elaborate placebo.
Both reiki and acupuncture have their origins and explanations in a supernatural view of reality. If someone buys into the entire package, it’s a religion.
The physical contact probably enhances the placebo effect considerably. It is well known that the brain responds to taking action, regardless of its physical effect. Bloodletting probably worked some of the time.
Oh, I do argue about it — or try to. If they don’t hear it from friends, they’re never going to be exposed to the other side.
I never expect them to change their minds in front of me. My goal is to create enough internal doubt and defensiveness that, when faced with an extreme (“acupuncture cures cancer!”) they’ll reign themselves back.
I have a Pavlovian phobia about sharp pointy things. Somebody approaches me with a handful of needles, it’ll have a psychologically-mediated physiological effect all right. “You’re not sticking that @#$%ing thing in me!”
You could call it an ‘anti-placebo’ effect…
cr
I too have had friends and, even, relatives (oh! the shame!) extolling quackery, especially acupuncture. Just the placebo effect, I say; all in the mind.
And then stuff like this today (paywall; no doubt others know how to get through it): https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dr-michael-mosley-can-a-placeboreally-cure-a-bad-back-gj7mh8c9t