Phiten Necklaces. What.A.Scam. For those unfamiliar with this wonderful product, it is a nylon band that is coated in a titanium metal solution. The company’s website claims that "micro sized titanium spheres, as well as carbonized titanium" in the necklace are designed to "stabilize the flow of electric current and increase your body's energy level." What they don’t tell you is that they have absolutely no scientific research to back up these claims.
What they do have are professional athletes on their side. These iconic sports figure, mostly baseball players, have turned the Phiten into a must have fashion statement. Its like the trickle down effect; one player decides to try it and then all of a sudden the entire MLB has them. And from there, all the little kids who look up to those athletes get them. Players who wear Phitens have generally good feelings about them; some say that they “have a little more energy with it” (Endy Chavez) while others say they aren’t as sore and heal faster from injury while wearing it. There is no evidence that supports these claims with regard to the necklace itself. It’s all in their minds. If someone tells you a necklace is going to make you feel and play better and you believe it, your going to play and feel better whether it actually works or not. So in fact you are conned into paying $23 for a psychological boost.
A *very* well written offensive toward the Phiten! Nice work in breaking down the illusion to point out what really makes the product "effective."
ReplyDeletenice blog. I have been reading this blog since the first post and it is the best.
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I visited my friend at her horse show and they were selling jewelry with similar types of "power." The necklaces and bracelets were not only intended for humans, but also for the horses. I found this interesting because as you mention, these accessories have somewhat of a placebo affect and no scientific backing. So, how would such a thing work on a horse if he has no understanding of the bracelet? Will the rider believe that the horse will perform and thus do better himself? Or, even better for the company, the rider buys a necklace for both himself and his horse so that his performance increases even more!
ReplyDeleteI think this point of buying skills could also return to the issue of socioeconomic class mentioned in class today. Although the phiten bracelets aren't very expensive, some of the jewelry I found was. Then the horse show becomes about who can afford the additional charms and/or it turns into a fashion statement of who is wearing them.