Stupid Diets

I agree with how ridiculous this ad is and it also makes me wonder if we have really changed over the past century. I think that the reason people will do these crazy things that seem so ridiculous to us now is becuase they are so desperate to lose weight. People will believe what they want to if it means losing the twenty or so pounds they have been trying to lose so badly, especially if it requires something that doesn't involve much effort (like using soap to "wash away the fat"). I think that people are a little more knowledgable these days but still will give in to ridiculous weight loss ads to lose weight.

You know as stupid as that ad was, I'm sure that if it was somehow changed around and put out today, people would still believe and buy it. These days, losing weight is so extreme and the trend for all people. But I think a big part to people's gullibility is the fact they are just lazy in general. These days, we have become so accustomed to having things right away or having immediate results. For instance, our internet or getting somewhere. If our internet becomes even a bit slower we become angsty and anxious, or when going somewhere and we have to walk, we wish we had a car that could take us right there. All these are factors in why people are so likely to fall for these stupid ads.

I've heard of stupid diets, but this one takes the cake! (HA!) I think people back then were as skeptical as we are today... I really don't think society was that much dumber back then... But according to Flynn's theory, who knows? Maybe this can relate to IQ.

No matter what it is you could get probably get at least one person to believe it, and thats just the sad truth nowadays and in the past. Thats what some people are paid for though, to market a certain product and make the consumer believe that they NEED or want the good. Fill any niche that is necessary at the time, like for example if pollution gets bad enough and we need masks to go outside, they'll be just as many masks that actually filter the air as ones that don't work quite as good or at all. Marketers know if people want or need it, they will be more likely to just believe the ad at face value without really thinking about what their buying.

No matter what it is you could get probably get at least one person to believe it, and thats just the sad truth nowadays and in the past. That’s what some people are paid for though, to market a certain product and make the consumer believe that they NEED or want the good. Fill any niche that is necessary at the time, like for example if pollution gets bad enough and we need masks to go outside, they'll be just as many masks that actually filter the air as ones that don't work quite as good or at all. Marketers know if people want or need it, they will be more likely to just believe the ad at face value without really thinking about what their buying.

I agree that this is absolutely ridiculous. One thing that I believe that it is doing that isn't bad is that it isn't talking about taking essential macro and micro nutrients out of your diet. With today's "miracle" diets talking about taking essential nutrients out of your diet, at least this one is only saying that soap will "wash away your fat." It doesn't, as far as I know, have anything harmful in it and isn't requiring you to cut out the essential nutrients that we need, which could cause many adverse health problems. I don't agree with this add but I am glad that it isn't talking about reducing calories or essential nutrients to ridiculous amounts.

Actually laughed out loud when I saw this ad. Haha as unfortunate as it is that people likely believed and purchased this magic soap, you can't not admire the humor today. However, the last part of your piece poses an extremely valid question: are we really any different now? To a degree, I could argue yes and no. Today, all the fake weight loss programs out there have a goal, to convince people that "through clinical studies we can deduce that this product has made 87% people slimmer" yadda yadda yadda. False advertisements at least try to show research evidence. However, as a society we still fall for these flukes, thus making us no different than the past.

I am not surprised by the stupidity of this diet advertisement, but am surprised that dieting was such a prominent issue during these times. I thought it was a topic that is somewhat new, coming along with the rising obesity rates and more unhealthy/processed foods. The content of the advertisement does not surprise me, as there are some, just as ridiculous, diet programs claiming to be successful today. Many of us fall quite easily for these ads and believe them, because it says there are facts and they show how the diet has been successful. It is easy for someone to believe something when so many people are willing to try anything to lose weight.

I wrote a blog entry earlier this semester about crazy fad diets and the effects pseudo science has on some aspects of society, but this by far is the most ridiculous ad for weight loss program that I have seen anywhere else. I think its important to remember to use the 6 principles of critical thinking while looking at this ad because otherwise it is too easy to fall prey diets claiming to be successful (even though we as psy 1001 students know better!) I also was surprised at how old the idea of miracle diets was, as this dates back to the 1920's. It is sad to think that our society has always been so superficial and self-centered.