by sandy82 » October 8th, 2005, 1:36 pm
[quote="Jerm"]Hmmm Sandy that is a good point. I do agree that it is unethical to not disclose the full contents of the subliminal script to the recipient. I also know the power of the human mind to create symptoms for things it doesn't have (i.e hypochondriacs), so a person suspecting that they have been given unwanted suggestions could simply be the victim of an overworked imagination. On the other hand, if a person was truly sure that they were acting in unusual ways due to a subliminal they'd purchased im sure (with an open minded judge) they could create a decent case against the person or company. I'd like to think that with today's audio technology it would be possible to isolate the suggestion portion of said subliminal to determine exactly what was being said.
On a side note, I have read a couple articles that theorize that around 8/\[url=(https?:\/\/[^\s\[]+):$uid\](.*?)\[\/url:$uid\]/i% of all 'professionally created' (meaning not free) subliminals are actually only background sound and in fact contain no real suggestions of any kind. If that is true then they are basically hoping that you will simply create the desired effect based on the alleged intent of the file. Suggestibility is an amazing thing.[/quote]
Jerm, you've hit on two very good points. I knew you would understand the ethical perspective instantly (because you're ethical). The scenario in your first paragraph is a reasonable one. Let me change it slightly...still reasonable, in the sense of reasonable possibility. Suppose the site's subject matter and a rural or modernity-threatened jury. Then suppose a spoiled 16 yo and indulgent parents with lots of money to shower on junior. I have in mind a particular 16 yo, and I bet you know which one. Life is too short and you are too generous to contemplate having to buy liability insurance when you're trying to do a selfless service.
On the second point, I mentioned in the other thread seeing a CD in the local library, containing a subliminal by someone named Stephen Heffernan (sp?). I checked it out. The CD case gives the subliminal messages. I can barely hear some of them, but mainly because I know they're there. Demigraff mentioned a product s/he had, which gives all the subliminal messages, plus a quick summary of applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the product (a game, I think) is sold.
Finally, I tell you a quick secret. Why do people seek the opinions of lawyers? Partly to get the lawyers' advice. Increasingly, to tap indirectly into the lawyers' malpractice insurance. You get a legal opinion from the lawyer in a letter. You get sued. You lose. You write/sue him. He pays.
I hope you can make the tapes. I'm raising a yellow, cautionary flag. I would feel irresponsible if I didn't.