Hey Soc,
Yeah, I would agree that this entire industry feeds off of people's subjectives beliefs regarding perceived benefits. Yes, you may call it 'placebo effect," but doctors have been prescribing placebos for ages, when they know that's all the patient really needs. I think we use the term "placebo effect" only to describe the power of human belief, and it does have a very powerful effect. Some may argue that there is no quantitative, objective evidence of benefit, but the fact that people PERCEIVE there to be a benefit may be all that is important.
After all, one can equally argue (with fairly convincing reasoning and evidence) that there really is no supernatural deity/deities in our reality, and yet, look at how persistant and pervasive is the human need for religion. It makes them FEEL better about their condition, in every sense, a huge placebo effect. Are spiritual leaders guilty of conspiring to deceive the human race? In some sense, yes, but in another sense, they are providing a service to help their fellow human in their limited and needy state. So it is with the "self-improvement" industry.
The fact that companies like Learning Strategies Corporation (LSC) has prospered for so long testifies to this human need to reinforce positive beliefs. Personally, I have benefited from many of their products, the ones which appealed to my needs and sensibilities at the time. But I've also stayed away (far away) from other products, because I know they are out (far out) of my realm of belief, and so would not benefit me anyway. Nevertheless, I have to acknowledge and respect the testimonies of other people here who seem to derive great satisfaction and results from those kinds of products. As long as such products are giving them the tools to become better people, and as long as they are willing to pay for such products, then placebo-vendors like LSC have legitimate purposes in our society. (There are many other things in this world which one can take issue against as being much more harmful to us.)
There are definitely times when a truly effective drug or therapy is necessary to properly treat a condition, but sometimes, a placebo is all that is needed.
Best,
HF
