The Art of The Scam: A History Of Snake Oil Sales in America

By now, you've most likely realized that a lot of people are acting pretty dumb, regardless of how intelligent they are. It is easy to write this plague of anti-intellectualism off as some sort of phase caused by quarantine, but that would only make sense if people were actually staying at home. As we all know, many people are still carrying on with their lives as covid 19 did not even exist, even though doctors are now predicting daily deaths in the 5,000s as early as next month. Meanwhile, people continue to bicker over whether or not public safety and health regulations are too draconian.  Many people have ended relationships over this seemingly never-ending wave of science denial, yet it has persisted. What makes this delusions so powerful, and why do otherwise rational people follow them? In this episode of More Content Talk I analyze the history of snake oil salesmanship in the united states of America.  In this episode I explain how celebrity, money, power, and faith combine into a potent formula for hatred and division. The story often goes that we are scammed into believing pseudoscience, but how does this happen? Is there a secretive elite clique or external threat manipulating us from behind the scenes? Or is the mental breakdown happening from within? We clearly demonstrate america's dangerous flirtations with the insane as "science" in a historical context. What we found was not some secretive plot to control the world, but a society desperate for fantasy as opposed to knowledge. While it may be comforting to assume that powerful idealogues with quack theories are rare, american history paints quite a different picture. It has in fact been the historic reaction of americans to criticize intellectuals and experts. The demand for a more egalitarian society has weakened our scientific understanding by elevating pseudoscience to the realm of religion. Our need for fantasy in the face of adversity has blinded us to our reality. This disdain for reality has resulted in a snake oil more powerful than any con-artist could conjure. In our attempt to make everyone feel included by pandering to their beliefs, we have created a culture that does not really stand for anything, unless they are standing against those who do. Being contrary does not necessarily mean you are a revolutionary, but an increasing number of Americans, in their hunt for a return to the good old days, seem to think this is somehow needed. When proven systems are question by charlatans and quacks the thread that holds society together begins to become a bit too tight for its own good; eventually, it snaps. What are we searching for that we don't already have? Why is the most advanced civilization in the known universe also the most beholden to superstition? Are we doomed to repeat this foolish history? Is there a way out of our constant need for less when there is more, and more when there is less? Is the scam artist the antithesis to civilization or is he the manifestation of civilization, a kind of culmination of our wildest dreams, morphing into our darkest nightmares before our very eyes? Our institutions are malfunctioning, but no more than they have in the past. America was shrouded in pseudo science from its inception, and it is far past time that we dealt with it. Will you take a bite from the tree of folly? Chances are, you already have. Join us as we tame the serpent on More Content Talk.--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/appSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/morecontentplease/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.