my friend is a top medical student, but she's also a reflexologist

[jverne]

she is probably the highest of her class...constantly studying and i doubt she does anything else, since being constantly in her room alone with books.

so the other day we end up talking about alternative medicine, and obviously i called out bullshit (not the series but the actual meaning). she was very insulted by that. so we talked a bit more and she said she's a reflexology therapist.
ok, massaging the feet feels good, but you should have seen her talking about "qi" and how it releases the energy channels in the body. the conversation ended quite quickly.

to me it seems that even doctors are just as susceptible to BS as joe the plumber. if you think of it...your average doctor is no more than a very well trained mechanic. they are not really scientists (on average).
either that or it's another scam to earn a lot of money. those reflexology sessions are not that cheap you know. ****...i'd probably do it myself if i were in the situation, cause i'm broke.

 

[Tyguy]

I'd love to hear that conversation. I'm always perplexed by the susceptibility of mildly intelligent people to the world of alternative medicine. Wouldn't it be nice if they taught introduction to logic and reason in high school?

These are the kinds of people that hold the lives of their patients in their hands on many occasions, it's pretty sad.

And ok, I go to yoga sometimes but that's just to work up a sweat...I don't think realigning me "chi" will help me medically

 

[Eejit]

Alternative medicine is so wierd. It just doesn't seem to make sense, but sometimes works anyway. You might say that it's simply placebo effect - and I'm sure it often is - but Vet student friends of mine informed me that homeopathy has been shown to work on animals in some instances despite the fact that it's one of the most bullshitt-filled alternatives.

 

[jverne]

tell her to massage your dick

there's a big chance she may massage my face...if i did that

Alternative medicine is so wierd. It just doesn't seem to make sense, but sometimes works anyway. You might say that it's simply placebo effect - and I'm sure it often is - but Vet student friends of mine informed me that homeopathy has been shown to work on animals in some instances despite the fact that it's one of the most bullshitt-filled alternatives.

homeopathy...it depends...technically if you inject poison in someones brain, he might die.
but then you have the botulinum toxin that has been shown to tighten skin. some consider that homeopathy. :|

 

[Eejit]

The thing that makes homeopathy bullshit is that the serial dilutions really don't leave any of the original ingredient in the mixture. It's basically pure water. Homeopathists believe in bizarre explanations like "water memory" in order to explain its effect.

 

[PvtRyan]

Why People Believe Weird Things

The thing that makes homeopathy bullshit is that the serial dilutions really don't leave any of the original ingredient in the mixture. It's basically pure water. Homeopathists believe in bizarre explanations like "water memory" in order to explain its effect.

And yet, they can't explain why water doesn't hold the memory of all the urine and poo that's been in it

 

[bryanf445]

Did you get a foot rub out of it atleast? I'd say to her "prove it"

 

[Avoidist]

Isn't homeopathy where toxins are diluted to the extent that it's highly improbable there is a single molecule left in the "medicine"? Because scientifically speaking, that has to be bullshit.

homeopathy has been shown to work on animals in some instances

The phrasing there sounds like your friend hasn't heard of confirmation bias/random chance.

Edit: On a completely unrelated note, I take far too long to post my replies.

 

[Tyguy]

Why People Believe Weird Things

Have you read this? If so, is it good? Sounds like a good read from what wiki has to say about it.

 

[Eejit]

The phrasing there sounds like your friend hasn't heard of confirmation bias/random chance.

The phrasing simply reflects my uncertainty, and the fact that I'm reporting it third-hand. Her class was given a few lectures about homeopathy from one of their professors. Presumably those running the course used good judgement when they decided the students should be informed of its uses in veterinary medicine.
I do know there are numbers of homeopathic vet practices out there, and I wonder how this could continue to be the case since placebo effect is out of the equation.

 

[Raziaar]

I am an ultra skeptic. ULTRA!

 

[Jintor]

It's like my martial arts instructor. He is a ****ing god with the actual martial arts, the stuff that actual has a primary basis in physics and the abilities of the human body. But there's a lot of weird qi gong stuff that apparently lets him throw people across rooms and whatnot.

I've seen him do it and I still don't know wtf is going on. Placebo effect? Tiny mystical movements? The force? I don't know.

 

[Dekstar]

Since Tim Minchin has already been quoted in this thread:
"Do you know what they call alternative medicine that's been proved to work? MEDICINE."

 

[Tyguy]

Since Tim Minchin has already been quoted in this thread:
"Do you know what they call alternative medicine that's been proved to work? MEDICINE."

damn, i thought i saw all his stuff...you have a link to this one?

 

[Dekstar]

damn, i thought i saw all his stuff...you have a link to this one?

Sure, it's a beat poem like Mitsubishi Colt. I love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB_htqDCP-s

 

[Kadayi]

Reflexology isn't going to cure cancer, but it is pretty ****ing relaxing. Your feet take some serious punishment, having someone go over them and undo the knots is pretty blissful. My advice is see if you can garner a free session and find out.

 

[ktimekiller]

If i can get a free session of someone rubbing my feet hells yea im down

 

[CptStern]

The thing that makes homeopathy bullshit is that the serial dilutions.

I read that as serial delusionists ...thought you were talking about the religious

 

[Krynn72]

to me it seems that even doctors are just as susceptible to BS as joe the plumber. if you think of it...your average doctor is no more than a very well trained mechanic. they are not really scientists (on average).

A lot of very educated and intelligent people believe all sorts of silliness, like creationism, afterlife, magic medicine, ghosts etc. Intellect and booksmarts can't overcome some personality traits like faith or gullibility.

 

[VirusType2]

I don't know why, but I lol'd at magic medicine.