Goop’s Netflix series: It’s so much worse than I expected and I can’t unsee it
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The expression take one for the team never seemed so appropriate.
Thank you for your sacrifice watching this train crash.
Thank you for your sacrifice watching this train crash.
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Jeez Beth, I don't know what you got paid but it wasn't enough.
I'd rather shovel a corral out again than watch that series.
I'd rather shovel a corral out again than watch that series.
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I guess the difference is that the original kind of "bush medicine" has actually led to some real medical discoveries.
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""The Iceman" for his ability to withstand extreme cold for long periods of time. He holds records for the fastest-recorded half-marathon while on snow and ice while barefoot."
So he's the only one who ever finished a half-marathon barefoot?
Because having spent the least time on the ice is the exact opposite of the ability to withstand extreme cold.
(Or he's just really good at slippery surfaces.)
So he's the only one who ever finished a half-marathon barefoot?
Because having spent the least time on the ice is the exact opposite of the ability to withstand extreme cold.
(Or he's just really good at slippery surfaces.)
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You’re braver then I in watching this crap.
I’d cancel Netflix if I could in protest.
(I use my brother’s account)
I’d cancel Netflix if I could in protest.
(I use my brother’s account)
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Next time you are on Netflix, don't forget to give this junk a thumb down rating.
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I know someone who suffers from an untreatable medical condition which is annoying but not that serious in the great scheme of things. She will fall for any scam if it seems to offer the prospect of a cure. And is always disappointed...but there's always a next time.
People without science degrees who don't understand how this all works are always liable to fall for these scams. For every rich bored person, there's likely to be a poor person desperate for help with a condition. And the with costs of medicine in your country, the threshold for spending money on scams is set high.
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While most nonsense claims are regulated under Trading Standards here in the UK, there's a rule especially for claims to "cure cancer" as it's seen as preying on the vulnerable. (Cancer Act, 1939) The act prohibits taking any part in publication, except under specified conditions, of advertisements that "offer to treat any person for cancer, or to prescribe any remedy therefor, or to give any advice in connection with the treatment thereof".
Such claims are usually dealt with strictly, and harshly. I hope there's something similar in other countries.
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You really don't see a problem with someone spending vast amounts of money and resources to promote pseudo science and general quackery?
And you can't see how this generally involves actively denying and/or denigrating anything which challenges their attempt to maximise revenues?
It may only be rich people who can afford her snake oil (and even then, you might be surprised how much even "poor" people are prepared to spend in the quest for eternal youth and/or healing), but that kind of messaging spreads far and wide.
And it also has a significant negative impact on anyone attempting to promote the scientific method or perform any critical analysis on Goop's claims.
Just look at how the "fake news" tactic has pretty much derailed any attempt to have a coherent public discussion about politics...
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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
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It may be marketed and priced towards the relatively well off, but that doesn't mean that those who are less well off won't either try and save up to "treat" themselves, or pay out for the inevitable cheaper knock off versions*.
Much worse though is that it's peddling anti-science, whilst pretending (at least on occasion) to have some evidential basis.
Slightly off topic, but to me, the pro-plague movement is just the most obvious issue with a failure to accept science and the scientific method. To me, this is a much wider issue than just pure science. Most, if not all, public policy could be radically improved with proper use of randomised trials and reliance on proper evidence. How wonderful would it be to have politicians willing to accept (and say) they don't know the best thing to do about X, but they're going to conduct proper research to find out...
* can you have a knock off version of something that's absolute bollocks in the first place??
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To be fair, tumeric is a known anti-inflammatory agent, similar to ibuprofen. Though the body is pretty poor at absorbing it, unless the tumeric is combined with pepper.
I did actually have a (relatively) polite debate with a snake-oil company on Facebook who were trying to sell some "super anti-inflammatory" pills based on tumeric. Oddly, they were completely unable to provide any evidence that their "super" recipe was any more effective than the standard (and far cheaper) pepper/tumeric pills sold on Amazon and the like...
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Ooh, cold water dips, they're a great mood lift because they set off a whole cascade of good feelings when you get out. After the after-drop and while giggling with swim buddies. It's a whole thing.
"... can cure cancer."
Oh, just fuck right hoff.
"... can cure cancer."
Oh, just fuck right hoff.
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For those who haven’t cancelled their Netflix subscription check out the first episode of The Chef Show. Gwyneth is shocked to learn she was in Spider-Man Homecoming.
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To be honest, the show looks as bad as I would expect based on what I know of Goop already. Thank you Beth for reviewing it, so I can be informed without the personal suffering- as I'm a physicist, I can start to imagine how rage inducing you must have found the whole series. I'm kind of surprised they did not include an anti-vaxer episode to fully round out the portfolio....
It looks like it could be dangerous for some people watching the show ("I've got depression, let me take unregulated psychoactives in a unmonitored environment"....."let me hyperventilate for a while and then dive into a freezing cold lake "...."I have cancer/illness, I need a wizard not a doctor".....). If we are lucky this will be banned in the UK when Ofcom sees it....
It looks like it could be dangerous for some people watching the show ("I've got depression, let me take unregulated psychoactives in a unmonitored environment"....."let me hyperventilate for a while and then dive into a freezing cold lake "...."I have cancer/illness, I need a wizard not a doctor".....). If we are lucky this will be banned in the UK when Ofcom sees it....
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The founder of chiropractic was taught the fundamentals of it by the ghost of a long dead doctor. Who could possibly have a problem with that?
/s
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You might want to give the podcast oh no ross and carrie a listen. The did a 10~ part series on flat earth. I also strongly recommend their series where they join scientology.
Edit: their ufo conference episodes were also really fun
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This is when it would be good to be prejudiced.
What did you expect from a dingbat?
If you submit to your intuition once in a while you will avoid many unpleasant interactions with ignorant foolishness.
What did you expect from a dingbat?
If you submit to your intuition once in a while you will avoid many unpleasant interactions with ignorant foolishness.
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Come on, you can do half the experiment right now and get an insight.
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This might be bad form of me, but are there any high quality trials or meta-studies of whether one set of acupuncture points is any better than another? My understanding is that acupuncture evidence, like chiropractic evidence, suggests that any small beneficial effects observed with pain control most likely come from the consultation procedure or from the ceremony, and not from the insertion of small needles into the skin in either specific or unspecific areas of the body.
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"However, a study of Hof and his twin brother—who doesn't partake in the Wim Hof method and has a sedentary lifestyle—suggested that it's genetics and brown-fat levels that account for their cold tolerance"
Followed the link and found the study doesn't completely align with that conclusion?
"...both subjects practiced a g-Tummo like breathing technique, which involves vigorous respiratory muscle activity"
"g-Tummo like breathing during cold exposure may cause additional heat production by vigorous isometric respiratory muscle contraction"
So from a casual look, this doesn't completely debunk the method - would have been better if the twin didn't do the breathing technique prior for a clearer picture.
Or am I not looking at this in enough detail? Genuinely curious as more and more of those around me are advocating the method.
Followed the link and found the study doesn't completely align with that conclusion?
"...both subjects practiced a g-Tummo like breathing technique, which involves vigorous respiratory muscle activity"
"g-Tummo like breathing during cold exposure may cause additional heat production by vigorous isometric respiratory muscle contraction"
So from a casual look, this doesn't completely debunk the method - would have been better if the twin didn't do the breathing technique prior for a clearer picture.
Or am I not looking at this in enough detail? Genuinely curious as more and more of those around me are advocating the method.
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So it is a comedy series then?
To be honest like others I had to skip through what is undoubtedly going to be a well written article, in the end she has often come across as a self righteous pompous ass whether it is true or not is another question but I'm not sure why anyone would think a company created by her and run by her would be any different.
To be honest like others I had to skip through what is undoubtedly going to be a well written article, in the end she has often come across as a self righteous pompous ass whether it is true or not is another question but I'm not sure why anyone would think a company created by her and run by her would be any different.
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In a pre-Witcher world I would have too.... with it existing and kicking ass....I am just too weak...
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thank you Beth (for taking one for the team and then writing a bloody brilliant article about that torture session), but it seems risky to write such a brilliant article in January; how the hell are you going to top this one 
The article made me guffaw a few times, which is much better then the mixture of boredom and rage that it seems I would have felt had I watched this series.
It was quite telling how the skeptics and people with actual skills that could be used to criticise Goop were shown enough to spew out their credentials and then disappeared.
And Lee's comment on physics...o jeez
Again, Beth and Arstechnica, damn fine work!
The article made me guffaw a few times, which is much better then the mixture of boredom and rage that it seems I would have felt had I watched this series.
It was quite telling how the skeptics and people with actual skills that could be used to criticise Goop were shown enough to spew out their credentials and then disappeared.
And Lee's comment on physics...o jeez
Again, Beth and Arstechnica, damn fine work!
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The female anatomy / pleasure episode sounds like it would just fill me with pity about women having cultural mores / pressures / men wanting to control knowledge about their body to deny them information to empower them forced on them and trying to break that.
The "learn how to be a psychic" episode sounds like I would be resisting the urge to break stuff out of anger so best I avoid it. Thank you for leaping on this logic hand grenade, Beth. Hopefully you can get back to letting us point and laugh at anti-vaxxers being told to get their disease vector kids out of public schools soon. You know, something more jovial.
The "learn how to be a psychic" episode sounds like I would be resisting the urge to break stuff out of anger so best I avoid it. Thank you for leaping on this logic hand grenade, Beth. Hopefully you can get back to letting us point and laugh at anti-vaxxers being told to get their disease vector kids out of public schools soon. You know, something more jovial.
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This is far worse than Peter Popoff miracle water, or any TV evangelist I’ve seen.
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Gwyneth, aren’t you an actress? Isn’t the job getting people to perceive you as someone you’re not?
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I have a crazy thought about her, but hear me out.
I think she's so full of shit she qualifies as a walking septic tank, she equates money with intellect and, like virtually every single rich person in the modern era, she does not give a flying fuck if she hurts or ruins the life of people beneath her in the totem pole. All she wants is their money.
Just a thought.
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Yeah great article I'm sure but I'm gonna cancel Netflix over this show and I hope this is the last article I see about it on Ars.
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
I can do the same thing without the Sturm Und Drang and the hypothermia with $0.10 of prednisone.
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This goop thing also gives a new but very appropriate meaning to the monologue Rick Gervais delivered at the Golden Globes.
Being a celebrity doesn't make you an authority on anything, statistically it is probably quite the opposite.
Being a celebrity doesn't make you an authority on anything, statistically it is probably quite the opposite.
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Yeah, we need to honor Beth for taking a big one for the team. Watching paltrow's un-infomercial series is not for the faint of heart. I feel dumber just for knowing it exists.
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The double-slit experiment is all about interference. What's the usual result of interfering with yourself?
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