Just how powerful is the placebo effect? Even now, scientists aren’t completely sure about how the placebo effect works. However, they do know that placebos work only against symptoms that patients can consciously perceive (and therefore perceive improvements), like emotional distress and pain. The effect is strong enough to match the pain relief of opioids, opening up the discussion of using placebo pills to help reduce the risk of addiction and overdose that comes with opioid use. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
