Nobody doubts as hard as I do. I do it with a casual scorn that interferes with all sorts of nearby phenomena that require openness and uncritical belief to work. Just walking through a research hospital, I can screw up all their double-blind placebo trials!
Nah, I'm kidding. I'm a total sap for crap like that. Placebo effect, power of prayer, the ol' positive thunk to the head. I buy it all, hook-line.
In fact, I pretty much only take placebos. Or at least, I suspect that's what they've been prescribing me. Every time I need to get some medicine, it's like...the effect is really minimal, if it all. In fact, on behalf of what a loyal consumer I suspect I've become, I'd like to offer a suggestion to the booming multibillion dollar placebo industry. A way to boost the efficacy of their product. Or arguably, product(s).
You know what they should do, with placebos? They really want people to believe, right?
In a placebo, belief is the active ingredient.
So: to boost that belief, so that people don't just think they're taking a placebo - they should lace 'em with something to give you at least one clear, undeniable side effect. "Now, Mrs. Coppale, these may cause some intestinal distress for the first day or two, but keep taking them, it'll go away by the third day." And then right after you start taking them, you'd be like, "OH MAN! IT'S WORKING!! THIS IS POWERFUL MEDICINE!!!"
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