--- Judy Genova <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Reminds me of the macrobiotic gurus who scrambled to
> "explain" to those who
> faithfully followed the diet, only to have their
> cancer return.  Their reply
> to these unfortunate people:
>
>               "You did not chew well enough, and you
> must have been using too
> much           soy sauce and salt".


Yes, this is the procrustean bed method.  Make the
person fit the theory.  Yes, I have seen this happen
with macrobiotics and others....They dont get better
and in fact get worse.  When this happens they are
told that they are eliminating.  This goes on for
months and they are given anoter reason (like, you
need to chew each mouthful 100 times as you
cited)...Everything but the truth which is that the
diet isnt working.  It is amazing how people will
follow an AUTHORITY in spite of the obvious evidence.

Now this is a real danger when you have the AUTHORITY
of the mass media behind an idea or book.  It gives
the idea or book an almost magical quality.  Then it
gets on to the New York Times Besteller list and
people say...oh, it's on the NYT Besteller List, it
must be right!  There is a snowballing effect that
marketing causes.  Good marketing takes the place of
good quality.


>
> In other words, the problem was with YOU.  It could
> not have possibly been
> with the diet, the theory, or just G-d's will.  HOW
> ARROGANT.

Right on!


> I am not a violent person, but the closest I get to
> wanting to kill is when
> someone smugly tells me that I must have internal
> issues, and have to go
> DEAL.

I know what you mean.  This point of saying stuff
like, "you got issues, go deal with them", is a
defense mechanism, isn't it?

I once dated a psychotherapist.  Whenever we got into
an argument she had the tendency of finding something
psychologically wrong with me as a motive for my point
of view.  This was an excellent defense!  She could
never see things as just a difference of opinions that
needed to be sorted out.  That was very frustrating,
because you could not have human interaction.  As you
might imagine, I didn't date her for too long!

Thomas


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