A Pill That Cures Racism?

[Ryan0594]

Racism stems from many different causes. Although I do not dismiss the possibility of biological racism, there are more valid explanations to be found in psychology and sociology.

[redstringuitar]

Will there be instructions on the packaging like "take 20 minutes before contact with individuals of other ethnicity"?

I wonder what percentage of the world's multitude of f***-ups started out as "fixes"?

[orangedrop]

Originally Posted by w3stie

Scientific studies (from reputable organisations) are usually conservative, full of caveats, and end up recommending further study. The popular press is never so careful and balanced. This is a quote from one of the research team;

‘Biological research aiming to make people morally better has a dark history. And propranolol is not a pill to cure racism. But given that many people are already using drugs like propranolol which have 'moral' side effects, we at least need to better understand what these effects are.'

The drug works to suppress the action of the amygdala which is how many other forms of psycho-active drugs work, including some recreational drugs. Bottom line is it suppresses fear, when we should probably be learning to confront our fears.

And to think I thought Inderal (Propranolol) is more commonly ised to treat arrythmia, tachycardia, hypertension etc. and as a beta blocker can be quite effective for these conditions.

I absolutely agree with your comment on facing our fears.

Bravo!

Medicating a symptom has never been as effective as treating the cause of a discomfort or disease.

However, it is far more profitable to medicate symptoms, especially when side effects are prevalent or even permanent!

This is why I play the blues

[uriah1]

Originally Posted by notdave

+1

[colchar]

Originally Posted by hannigan

Yes I read it and would be willing to bet big pharma funded the study,that seems to be how it works.

You can't have spent much time in university research departments. There are big issues with, and safeguards for, academic integrity and a university as big and rich as Oxford would not risk that for some pharmaceutical company.

[Boubou]

Originally Posted by Terbeck

Terbeck rejects the criticism that the study sample is too small to draw any conclusions, saying that most pharmacological studies have a small sample.

That right there. The sampling is too small to mean anything, but the idiotic author ignores it. I worked in pharma for 26 years,most studies have more than 1000 persons on drug, versus 1000 on placebo., not 36 persons.
Meaningless, a good journalist would have ignored the article.
The problem, is that one can publish a scientific article on what happens when 1 patient is treated in a certain way, no one can deny the result , it's to generalize from that , that is wrong.
As for big pharma being behind it, propranolol was discovered in the 1960's patents have expired, no monopoly possible, therefore very little money in it.
Sent from my iPad using TDPRI

[msfenderarg]

I wonder if it'll work on anti-sealites...?











You walrus loving so-and-so!....

[hannigan]

Originally Posted by colchar

You can't have spent much time in university research departments. There are big issues with, and safeguards for, academic integrity and a university as big and rich as Oxford would not risk that for some pharmaceutical company.

Even if pharma did not fund the study it is still an asinine study.

I recently have been reading about how the pharmaceutical industry funds many aspects of education and research.
For civility I will concede the point . :)

[J-man]

Originally Posted by hannigan

Even if pharma did not fund the study it is still an asinine study.

I recently have been reading about how the pharmaceutical industry funds many aspects of education and research.
For civility I will concede the point . :)

What you read probably doesn't apply to Britain, though. Completely different kettle of fish to the US when it comes to medicine and health care in general.

[TeleAnon]

They had a machine that cured racism. I learned about it when I was a kid:

[Ricky D.]

Originally Posted by colchar

The sample size is so small as to be insignificant but, if true, this is incredibly intriguing not only for its application to racism but, perhaps far more importantly, because of the possibility of developing other medications that could have similar effects on other conditions.

I do not want this to turn into a discussion about racism because that borders on the political which is not allowed here.

I merely post this because it is intriguing that this pill seems to affect the fear that underpins many racist attitudes and, as such, this might lead to medications that affect the fear that underpins conditions like OCD, claustrophobia, fear of heights (I am terrified of heights and would be happy to sure that), paranoia, etc.

If they can replicate these results in larger control groups this might be a major discovery that could lead to treatments and/or cures for so many other things and consequently help so many people.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/ar...ol-cure-racism

You are naive to think that grant chasing behavior doesn't drive this kind thing. Academic integrity didn't curtail the global warming scam, set the gold standard for getting paid for BS scholarship. This little study is getting attention only because they tied it to racism, always a media hot-button.

It's not like there aren't already a lot of substances that suppress fear responses. You might like the idea of some sort of mass medication to cure society's ills. I'll take the real world every time.

[Nick JD]

Originally Posted by TeleAnon

They had a machine that cured racism. I learned about it when I was a kid:

I think the Sneetches is more about caste and fashion than racism.

But people always seem to see the sinister in social commentary - especially the media these days.

I don't see racism in this - only a business making money from people's perpetual "keeping up with the jones's".

[davenumber2]

It's not fear. It's hatred. And this study is ridiculous.

[TeleAnon]

Read it again, Nick

[Nick JD]

Originally Posted by TeleAnon

Read it again, Nick

I just included the video. The Sneetches were all the same race - some had fashionable stars and were of a higher caste.

It's about upper and lower classes, not race. But people will read into things and interpret them how they see it I suppose.

[pjholland]

How does this pill improve my tone?

[diffeecult]

Originally Posted by telefunken

I hope they don't make a drug that suppresses my fear of BEARS!!!
Wait! Is my fear of bears irrational? wait! What am I saying?
I think I'm racist

Bears are nothing to be afraid of as long as you remember to have at least one person in the group that you can outrun.

[Wop Geronimo]

This is what I know. Racism is ignorance. And it is like guitars, comes in every style and color. Sadly, little progress will be made until it is accepted that whites are not the only racists. I am for equal, not special rights. The black community gets away with a lot of racism because people are scared to stand up and call out racism even if it is from a minority. Don't tell me you want to be treated the same then segregate yourself with race specific organizations, tv networks, clothing lines, dialect. etc.

These segregated projects should not be accepted from any race and it needs to be called out and shunned.

Just my opinion.

[fezz parka]

All I know is Halle Berry makes a pretty good Catwoman.

[garytelecastor]

Racism is learned behavior.
If anyone does want to end racism they won't be doing it with a pill.
There are some things that no matter what people try, they will never be eradicated.
I am a little disturbed by seeing people talk about killing others.
Stamping out the behaviors of hate can't be done with hate.