Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA19045 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Mon, 2 Apr 2001 15:39:01 +0100 Subject: RE: taboos Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2001 10:34:45 -0400 x-sender: wsmith1@camail2.harvard.edu x-mailer: Claris Emailer 2.0v3, Claritas Est Veritas From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu> To: "memetics list" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Message-ID: <20010402143447.AAA16167@camailp.harvard.edu@[128.103.125.215]> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On 04/02/01 10:21, Lawrence DeBivort said this-
>One could easily imagine a situation in which a subliminal signal that is
>broadcast is picked up consciously by some, unconsciously by some, and not
>at all by others; the first group simply is more perceptive, attentive, or
>alert to weak signals than the others. So a subliminal signal might be
>'caught' consciously by some, affect some unconsciously, and be entirely
>missed by others.
Granted some people might detect a flash frame left in a hastily edited
TV commercial- but _not granted_ that, they, or anyone else's behavior
upon apprehending this flash frame would be altered in any way.
The _proof_ of subliminal advertising and techniques is wanting, not the
(flimsy, and refuted by official sources) evidence of people trying.
After all, there is a large business of 'self-help' entrepreneurs out
there marketing 'subliminal' audio tapes, and other frauds.
So, if the _effect_ has no evidence, the attempt is _fraud_, not an
exercise in valid techniques.
And so I say there is no such thing as subliminal advertising, but there
may be fraudulent practices on the part of some marketeers.
But, perhaps not- the republican ad, for instance, is easily explained (I
have experience in video production and editing) as a too-quickly edited
and proofed chyron effect. That is what it looked like to me, and still
looks like to me.
It is interesting that the most vocal of 'subliminal' proponents are also
conspiracy kooks.
- Wade
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