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Comment by cardmagic | Hacker News Reader

Subliminal messages have as shoddy a track record as homeopathy. At best this is a placebo effect.

I agree that this is likely no better than placebo. I'd argue that a systematic method for _self-aware_ triggering of the placebo effect (without having to pay anybody money for it) is fundamentally valuable.

I don't think they're saying that it's a different effect from placebo with the same effect size, but that it's actually the placebo effect. You can't treat yourself with something that you don't believe works and trigger the placebo effect.

Technically placebos still work even when you know they are placebos.[1]

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/09/26/placebo-effect...

I have used this to personal benefit with "Vitamin Water". More recently I have picked up the even more affordable "Belly breathing" placebo. Now I have a placebo for free and all I have to do is breathe a particular way. Absolutely wonderful.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, we're essentially talking about priming. Subliminal advertising and subliminal persuasion is bunk, but spreading activation & other more subtle effects of priming are legitimate.

There's literally a whole section in this talking about how media depictions of the effects of priming are based on shoddy mid-century junk science. The article's premise does not rely upon such imaginary effects.

It’s exactly like homeopathy; it’s nothing. Well, except a dandy way to appeal to desperate and credulous selfhelpers.

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