At TED, magician/comedian Eric Mead discusses “The Magic of the Placebo.” Based on the studies considering reports of patients, it turns out that needles injecting inert substances are more powerful than blue-colored pills containing inert substances, which are more powerful than white pills, which are more powerful than tablets. No active ingredient in any of these, yet we see predictable differences in the power of these “medicines.”

Belief is what makes placebos work.   But YOU are not so naive as to be taken in by something with no active ingredient, right? If you’re squeamish about needles, you’ll find this talk extra-interesting.

After viewing this video, I saw the story-telling power of Hollywood in a new light.