Simon Willison’s Weblog

1st May 2009 - Link Blog

Quack Remedies Spread Faster *Because* They Don't Work. “... because (a) most people eventually get better on their own (and then blame it on the treatment), but (b) people adopt treatments based primarily on what they see other people doing, rather than by looking at scientific evidence. Basically, the longer you stay sick, the more time other people have to imitate you.”