Comments on: Tying Up Skepticism with a Pretty Ribbon http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/ The official blog of the Skeptologists Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:38:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Terrence Abrams http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-18803 Terrence Abrams Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:12:52 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-18803 I agree with the author's fine article here. Unfortuntately, one of your other responders is also correct. Kevin Trudeau's books are laced with about 40%-60% hard facts and proven methodologies that he takes from other sources (just altered enough to not even have to pay royalties on his information). When you can base massive marketing on a lot of truths that can fill infomercial time, and cover-up the other 50-60% of your books that are just a snake-oil sham, you can sell anything pretty effectively. For this up-n-coming/promising website and mission, I suggest marketing the site better on search engines and take up friends/partner links to geometrically increase your web presence and internet exposure with little costs and more free-media strategy. Get an always evolving Facebook page set up, a Twitter account with web broadcast shows and adds, etc... You're welcome to have a link on my company's website as were marketing this way too. (We tell the truth whereas a lot of our competitors do not.) Getting the message and exposure out there, for those of us wanting to deliver a more thorough piece of truth and business-with-integrity, always seems to be a rougher challenge than lying and taking shortcuts. Cheers my new friends, let me know what I can do in making your venture here more successful. I agree with the author’s fine article here. Unfortuntately, one of your other responders is also correct. Kevin Trudeau’s books are laced with about 40%-60% hard facts and proven methodologies that he takes from other sources (just altered enough to not even have to pay royalties on his information). When you can base massive marketing on a lot of truths that can fill infomercial time, and cover-up the other 50-60% of your books that are just a snake-oil sham, you can sell anything pretty effectively.

For this up-n-coming/promising website and mission, I suggest marketing the site better on search engines and take up friends/partner links to geometrically increase your web presence and internet exposure with little costs and more free-media strategy.

Get an always evolving Facebook page set up, a Twitter account with web broadcast shows and adds, etc… You’re welcome to have a link on my company’s website as were marketing this way too. (We tell the truth whereas a lot of our competitors do not.) Getting the message and exposure out there, for those of us wanting to deliver a more thorough piece of truth and business-with-integrity, always seems to be a rougher challenge than lying and taking shortcuts.

Cheers my new friends, let me know what I can do in making your venture here more successful.

]]> By: Zakumi http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-4121 Zakumi Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:20:22 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-4121 Alas, Trudeau is wrong about many things... however, it only takes a few web searches on scientific research sites (like scirus) to find that he isn't simply making most of it up. There are plenty of documented experiments that have shown of the more dangerous chemicals such as MSG, aspertame, etc., to be harmful to health. I've personally read both of his books, and although I don't believe everthing, I certainly learned much about health that I was previously unaware of. Is he only out for the riches, or is he sincerely focused on helping people? Not sure... but it doesn't necessarily change the veracity of his statements. Alas, Trudeau is wrong about many things… however, it only takes a few web searches on scientific research sites (like scirus) to find that he isn’t simply making most of it up. There are plenty of documented experiments that have shown of the more dangerous chemicals such as MSG, aspertame, etc., to be harmful to health. I’ve personally read both of his books, and although I don’t believe everthing, I certainly learned much about health that I was previously unaware of. Is he only out for the riches, or is he sincerely focused on helping people? Not sure… but it doesn’t necessarily change the veracity of his statements.

]]> By: Ben http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-1769 Ben Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:42:38 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-1769 @some guy A game show involving spotting logical fallacies would be pretty cool! @some guy

A game show involving spotting logical fallacies would be pretty cool!

]]> By: some guy http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-853 some guy Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:19:15 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-853 lets put some tits on this thing, we wont be able to keep critical thought in stock. i know it sounds like a joke but im half serious. what about a game show- who can spot the logical fallacy, million dollar jack pot and all that lets put some tits on this thing, we wont be able to keep critical thought in stock. i know it sounds like a joke but im half serious. what about a game show- who can spot the logical fallacy, million dollar jack pot and all that

]]> By: Rcreative1 http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-834 Rcreative1 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:36:36 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-834 Skepticism is popular and sellable when it takes the form of consumer protection. Consumer Reports magazine is just one example. We need a Reliable Products Shopping Channel with energetic, witty hosts, along the lines of Savage and Teller. The money will come either from direct sales of reliable products or from advertising fees paid by the manufacturer. The hosts could attempt to reproduce scientifically the results that sham products claim to produce, and then slap them with a "FAKE!" label ala the Mythbusters' "BUSTED" label. Skepticism is popular and sellable when it takes the form of consumer protection. Consumer Reports magazine is just one example. We need a Reliable Products Shopping Channel with energetic, witty hosts, along the lines of Savage and Teller. The money will come either from direct sales of reliable products or from advertising fees paid by the manufacturer. The hosts could attempt to reproduce scientifically the results that sham products claim to produce, and then slap them with a “FAKE!” label ala the Mythbusters’ “BUSTED” label.

]]> By: MarjorieS http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-827 MarjorieS Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:38:00 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-827 A good place to go to evaluate all these nonsensical claims for so-called alternative medicine is QuackWatch.com, although it has been poorly maintained. There is a federal office dedicated to scientific evaluation of so-called complementary and alternative medicine and virtually no well-designed study has shown any effect of any of this nonsense. I love talking to people who say they take their personal favorite eye of newt because it 'boosts the immune system'. When you drill any deeper, they don't even know what the immune system is. Read Nortin Hadler's "The Last Well Person" - it can help you develop a skeptically-inspired framework for analyzing medical and health claims of all sorts and thus avoid medicalization of everyday life. A good place to go to evaluate all these nonsensical claims for so-called alternative medicine is QuackWatch.com, although it has been poorly maintained. There is a federal office dedicated to scientific evaluation of so-called complementary and alternative medicine and virtually no well-designed study has shown any effect of any of this nonsense. I love talking to people who say they take their personal favorite eye of newt because it ‘boosts the immune system’. When you drill any deeper, they don’t even know what the immune system is.

Read Nortin Hadler’s “The Last Well Person” – it can help you develop a skeptically-inspired framework for analyzing medical and health claims of all sorts and thus avoid medicalization of everyday life.

]]> By: Brandon Putz http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-816 Brandon Putz Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:28:09 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-816 Skepticism offers a practical message that everyone can use - knowledge and critical thinking can prevent you from wasting money and being ripped off. Thrifty people everywhere - skepticism offers you the tools to distinguish (albeit, not with 100% accuracy) the good from the bad, the useful from the useless. Skepticism offers a practical message that everyone can use – knowledge and critical thinking can prevent you from wasting money and being ripped off. Thrifty people everywhere – skepticism offers you the tools to distinguish (albeit, not with 100% accuracy) the good from the bad, the useful from the useless.

]]> By: Roy Edmunds http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-775 Roy Edmunds Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:19:29 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-775 The answer is YES WE CAN. Haven't been listening to Obamas' speeches.They are full of what Americans really love, and that is hope. Hope, inspired hope. You sell the sizzle and then tell people how to apply the techniques to achieve their goals. You see, first comes hope, then comes a goal, then a plan to achieve the goal, and then the inspiration to work and keep working toward the achievement of that goal or surprisingly, finding something else that offers itself along the way. Its what happens along the way that is the juice. The process of working toward a goal you want to achieve is the reward. The achievement is almost an anticlimax compared to the journey. The 10,000 hour 'rule' of practice is the catch. You need mentors, role models, people who inspire with the TRUTH. Take it to the people, like Julius Sumner Miller did. The answer is YES WE CAN. Haven’t been listening to Obamas’ speeches.They are full of what Americans really love, and that is hope. Hope, inspired hope. You sell the sizzle and then tell people how to apply the techniques to achieve their goals. You see, first comes hope, then comes a goal, then a plan to achieve the goal, and then the inspiration to work and keep working toward the achievement of that goal or surprisingly, finding something else that offers itself along the way. Its what happens along the way that is the juice. The process of working toward a goal you want to achieve is the reward. The achievement is almost an anticlimax compared to the journey. The 10,000 hour ‘rule’ of practice is the catch. You need mentors, role models, people who inspire with the TRUTH. Take it to the people, like Julius Sumner Miller did.

]]> By: The Blind Watchmaker http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-537 The Blind Watchmaker Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:05:27 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-537 Hopefully, we can get some prime time representation with "The Skeptologist". Hopefully, we can get some prime time representation with “The Skeptologist”.

]]> By: MarkA http://www.skepticblog.org/2008/10/24/tying-up-skepticism/#comment-484 MarkA Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:56:17 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=12#comment-484 I think that one of the under-appreciated appeals of "alternative medicine" is that it tells people they are *smarter* than the doctors and scientists who disparage the treatment being offered. Some people harbor a subconscious resentment toward doctors, and the opportunity to "outsmart" them by using an alternative treatment has a lot of appeal. The same would apply toward alternative energy scams, as well. This is similar to what Chris is saying in comment #31. As mainstream medicine is the "establishment", and the Trudeaus of the world are the "outlaws" (it will be a long time before I'll be able to use the word "maverick" again), it would be hard for the skeptical community to use this effect to our advantage. We would have to be able to portray Trudeau as a bad guy, which would be near impossible. Marketing selection has already proved that Trudeau is successful at promoting himself as a good guy, otherwise he wouldn't be as famous as he is. I think that one of the under-appreciated appeals of “alternative medicine” is that it tells people they are *smarter* than the doctors and scientists who disparage the treatment being offered. Some people harbor a subconscious resentment toward doctors, and the opportunity to “outsmart” them by using an alternative treatment has a lot of appeal. The same would apply toward alternative energy scams, as well. This is similar to what Chris is saying in comment #31.

As mainstream medicine is the “establishment”, and the Trudeaus of the world are the “outlaws” (it will be a long time before I’ll be able to use the word “maverick” again), it would be hard for the skeptical community to use this effect to our advantage. We would have to be able to portray Trudeau as a bad guy, which would be near impossible. Marketing selection has already proved that Trudeau is successful at promoting himself as a good guy, otherwise he wouldn’t be as famous as he is.

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