[Aelinsaar]

Maybe training people to develop an illusory sense of control isn't really a good thing?

[nxc18]

It honestly sounds like a budget issue in most cases.

I take issue with the description of these as placebo when really they are just broken devices that were too expensive to remove.

[Aelinsaar]

Exactly, with the added insult of ad hoc justification.

[spyrosg]

You don't need to train them (us), we will seek it naturally. Happiness depends on it, and most people want to be happy.

[Aelinsaar]

On the other hand, who knows? Has there been a time when people where not generally trained from infancy to believe fallacy?

[TeMPOraL]

A lot of what we today consider fallacies are in fact very reasonable heuristics if you live in the conditions of our ancestors from before civilization. Though with illusion of control, people are pretty good if inventing it for themselves if no external placebo is provided. Consider rain dances, or various folk beliefs around curing diseases...

[Aelinsaar]

Oh the folk cures are the best! The ancient Greek ones were literally and figuratively, batshit. IIRC To treat epilepsy it was recommend that you eat the heart of a black donkey beneath the light of the moon on some specific night.

Foolproof!