How diet gurus hook us with religion veiled in science
lisabinco
Posts: 1,016 Member
Food as religion? Read the article, please, before commenting.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/06/11/412973926/how-diet-gurus-hook-us-with-religion-veiled-in-science
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/06/11/412973926/how-diet-gurus-hook-us-with-religion-veiled-in-science
0
Replies
-
I would like to see him differentiate between "religion" and "tactics used to get people to give you their money". I feel like anything people believe without evidence is being called a religion these days. And maybe that's valid but my instincts say no.
I really liked his diet plan with the highlights though, that was really effective at breaking down the sales pitch. I might keep that around to show people.
ETA: I wish there was a Like button, thank you for the interesting link
0 -
yeah, yup, uh huh...and then:How was I able to see through the madness? By rejecting conventional thinking and paying attention to genuine science, not myth! And after you read my diet, you'll be able to do the same.0
-
Well, I think it's the difference between a "faith-based" platform-and I'm using faith in a more literal sense, and a "knowledge-based" platform. In that instance, knowledge would rely specifically on evidence in a shared reality, perceptions depending. And it's very easy to jump concepts of faith (belief of something in the absence of evidence) to organized religion.0
-
“Emotional excitement reaches men through tea, tobacco, opium, whisky, and religion.” — George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)
http://www.salon.com/2014/01/04/this_is_your_brain_on_religion_uncovering_the_science_of_belief/
The sector of our brain that handles factual truth lies right beside the part that manages faith. No wonder people defend both virulently.0 -
Fabulous read. He had me hooked from the start when he talked about the illusion of control fad or what I call named diets gives. I've done lots of reading on the subject of faith, so this line of thinking about dieting resonates with me.
I also really like what he did at the end there, showing how easy it is to misuse science to mislead people.0 -
yeah, yup, uh huh...and then:How was I able to see through the madness? By rejecting conventional thinking and paying attention to genuine science, not myth! And after you read my diet, you'll be able to do the same.
Did you keep reading, John? Click on the highlights. It's not a real diet. He demonstrates how someone packages a diet plan and wraps it in a veneer of science and breaks it down by debunking his own "plan".
0 -
The money aspect of it makes me think of cults more so than religion, but the points still stand. Thanks for this!0
-
PeachyCarol wrote: »yeah, yup, uh huh...and then:How was I able to see through the madness? By rejecting conventional thinking and paying attention to genuine science, not myth! And after you read my diet, you'll be able to do the same.
Did you keep reading, John? Click on the highlights. It's not a real diet. He demonstrates how someone packages a diet plan and wraps it in a veneer of science and breaks it down by debunking his own "plan".
that's not his book...but this is (linked at the bottom) http://www.amazon.com/The-Gluten-Lie-Other-Myths/dp/1941393063/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1430947149&sr=8-1
0 -
PeachyCarol wrote: »yeah, yup, uh huh...and then:How was I able to see through the madness? By rejecting conventional thinking and paying attention to genuine science, not myth! And after you read my diet, you'll be able to do the same.
Did you keep reading, John? Click on the highlights. It's not a real diet. He demonstrates how someone packages a diet plan and wraps it in a veneer of science and breaks it down by debunking his own "plan".
that's not his book...but this is (linked at the bottom) http://www.amazon.com/The-Gluten-Lie-Other-Myths/dp/1941393063/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1430947149&sr=8-1
But the quote that bugged you was referring to that blurb about plastic making us fat. Read it if you didn't, making sure to click on the highlights.0 -
Really good article. I would also add that's there's an element of giving people "identity" as another selling point to fad diets. And the stench of gnosticism (i.e. people who know, or are in the know about what's really what, which sets them apart from the masses/sheep) is often strong in fad diets.
0 -
PeachyCarol wrote: »yeah, yup, uh huh...and then:How was I able to see through the madness? By rejecting conventional thinking and paying attention to genuine science, not myth! And after you read my diet, you'll be able to do the same.
Did you keep reading, John? Click on the highlights. It's not a real diet. He demonstrates how someone packages a diet plan and wraps it in a veneer of science and breaks it down by debunking his own "plan".
that's not his book...but this is (linked at the bottom) http://www.amazon.com/The-Gluten-Lie-Other-Myths/dp/1941393063/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1430947149&sr=8-1
But the quote that bugged you was referring to that blurb about plastic making us fat. Read it if you didn't, making sure to click on the highlights.
So awesome and clever.
0 -
The one star reviews on his book are everything wrong with the myths he's writing about. I might want to read his book. It seems like a good companion to Matt Fitzgerald's Diet Cults.0
-
This content has been removed.
-
PeachyCarol wrote: »yeah, yup, uh huh...and then:How was I able to see through the madness? By rejecting conventional thinking and paying attention to genuine science, not myth! And after you read my diet, you'll be able to do the same.
Did you keep reading, John? Click on the highlights. It's not a real diet. He demonstrates how someone packages a diet plan and wraps it in a veneer of science and breaks it down by debunking his own "plan".
that's not his book...but this is (linked at the bottom) http://www.amazon.com/The-Gluten-Lie-Other-Myths/dp/1941393063/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1430947149&sr=8-1
Would have been really cool if you could have just admitted you were wrong.0 -
This was brilliant, thanks for sharing!0
-
I knew it! Dastardly Packaging!
- awesome article! Thanks for sharing!0 -
This was brilliant, thanks for sharing!
umm...I get the satire...but he says so many diets are wrong (or implies it) by the sarcastic tone, then offers little substance.
Then the link at the bottom is to buy his book...which is the same way the thing he talks against gets you to buy something.
Sure, I agree that fad diets fool people, but it still hit me as off (even if the quote I linked is meant to be sarcastic/satire) as the article is kind of still a "sales pitch" to read his book.0 -
This was brilliant, thanks for sharing!
umm...I get the satire...but he says so many diets are wrong (or implies it) by the sarcastic tone, then offers little substance.
Then the link at the bottom is to buy his book...which is the same way the thing he talks against gets you to buy something.
Sure, I agree that fad diets fool people, but it still hit me as off (even if the quote I linked is meant to be sarcastic/satire) as the article is kind of still a "sales pitch" to read his book.
I see your point - BUT (of course there's a but) I think his point is more about the HOW of convincing people to buy into your diet by using a formulaic sales pitch that is easy to spot and also about how once you can spot it you can avoid being convinced by it. He may be making a pitch for his book but not by using the formula he shows in the example.0 -
**** I'm turning into (banned member)...even though I'm right (in my mind about the article being a sales pitch), I agree with the author and want to read the book.,0
-
This was brilliant, thanks for sharing!
umm...I get the satire...but he says so many diets are wrong (or implies it) by the sarcastic tone, then offers little substance.
Then the link at the bottom is to buy his book...which is the same way the thing he talks against gets you to buy something.
Sure, I agree that fad diets fool people, but it still hit me as off (even if the quote I linked is meant to be sarcastic/satire) as the article is kind of still a "sales pitch" to read his book.
I often see news sites refer to the work of the authors of their articles (and to their twitter handles etc). Maybe that's why I'm not struck by it in the same way as you are. I think that probably his book expounds further on what the article is about in any event, so if the article is a plug I'm fine with it, I think it's reasonable, and I don't think it impacts the thrust of the article whatsoever.
I don't think he was trying to prove that fad diets are wrong per se, but was demonstrating how fad diet proponents can and do use pseudo-science and inconclusive science and mystical language to persuade people into believing that something is a definite when it really isn't. That seemed to be the substance of the article and there was plenty of it in my view.0 -
This was brilliant, thanks for sharing!
umm...I get the satire...but he says so many diets are wrong (or implies it) by the sarcastic tone, then offers little substance.
Then the link at the bottom is to buy his book...which is the same way the thing he talks against gets you to buy something.
Sure, I agree that fad diets fool people, but it still hit me as off (even if the quote I linked is meant to be sarcastic/satire) as the article is kind of still a "sales pitch" to read his book.
I often see news sites refer to the work of the authors of their articles (and to their twitter handles etc). Maybe that's why I'm not struck by it in the same way as you are. I think that probably his book expounds further on what the article is about in any event, so if the article is a plug I'm fine with it, I think it's reasonable, and I don't think it impacts the thrust of the article whatsoever.
I don't think he was trying to prove that fad diets are wrong per se, but was demonstrating how fad diet proponents can and do use pseudo-science and inconclusive science and mystical language to persuade people into believing that something is a definite when it really isn't. That seemed to be the substance of the article and there was plenty of it in my view.
Me too. It seems to be pretty standard nowadays. I'm not sure if it's the publisher trying to lend more credence to having hired the person to write for them or if it is the author trying to draw attention to his/her publications, but either way, I don't think it's going to go away.
0 -
“Emotional excitement reaches men through tea, tobacco, opium, whisky, and religion.” — George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)
http://www.salon.com/2014/01/04/this_is_your_brain_on_religion_uncovering_the_science_of_belief/
Love the quote!
And thanks for your link. I love it when an article makes me think.0 -
What is the thinking of taking something "sacred" like bread (bread of life, staff of life, body of christ) and demonizing it (ie Atkins, paleo) what are the mental gymnastics required for that change of thought?
Nevermind I further read the article and it's to sell his book, LOL! Good trick though.0 -
Seems sort of ironic that he is attacking diet gurus but he (a religion professor) has now written a diet book....
I have his book, The Gluten Lie, and had planned to read it this weekend. Now? It looks like it could be a waste of time.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions