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Canadian Blood Services Promotes Pseudoscience

Posted by samzenpus on from the type-A-negative-personality dept.

trianglecat writes "The not-for-profit agency Canadian Blood Services has a section of their website based on the Japanese cultural belief of ketsueki-gata, which claims that a person's blood group determines or predicts their personality type. Disappointing for a self-proclaimed 'science-based' organization. The Ottawa Skeptics, based in the nation's capital, appear to be taking some action."

3 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. Nonsense peddlers often sneak in... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The thin edge of the wedge with this sort of thing is its popularity with the public at large. I'm sure the logic at CBS HQ was (unless the staff are themselves woo peddlers) "Well, yeah, it's pop-nonsense; but if it will draw attention, we'll get more blood donors, and we really need all of those we can get." That can be a compelling argument, and the compromise can seem so harmless at the time.

    You also see this sort of thing happen when otherwise respectable medical schools will get endowed institutes in nonsenseology because some big donor has $200 million; but also believes that squirting coffee up his ass cures cancer.

    1. Re:Nonsense peddlers often sneak in... by Rary · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. It clearly states that "The What's Your Type? program is a recruitment program with information provided for the participants' enjoyment" (emphasis added). It's just a silly recruitment program, and it blatantly says so. They're not claiming that there is any science behind it. This is not the science-oriented people in CBS backing this, it's the PR-oriented people.

      There is no conspiracy here to to drive a wedge of Japanese pseudoscience into an otherwise scientific organization. This is a bit of silliness to get people interested in donating blood.

      Seriously people. Relax. Loosen your tinfoil hats. "They" are not conspiring to take your precious science away.

      --

      "You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." -- Albert Einstein

  2. Why is this news? by Vyse+of+Arcadia · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This seems like a fairly harmless "just for fun" type thing. This is like ripping on someone for reading a fortune cookie.