Placebism

The Placebo Effect version of Debunkism—the ideological commitment to explaining away any phenomenon, experience, or reported effect as "just the placebo effect," regardless of evidence or context. Placebism treats "placebo" as a magic explanation that ends inquiry: it's not real, it's just placebo. The fallacy lies in using placebo as a dismissal rather than a phenomenon worthy of study. The placebo effect is real, interesting, and powerful—but Placebism uses it as a cudgel to avoid engaging with claims that challenge materialist orthodoxy. It's skepticism that has forgotten to be skeptical about its own explanations.

"He meditated and felt better. Placebism says: just placebo. Acupuncture helped her pain. Placebism says: just placebo. Thousands of years of healing traditions? Just placebo. Placebism uses 'placebo' like a magic word that makes experiences disappear. But the placebo effect is real—and using it to dismiss everything is ideology, not science. Placebism explains nothing; it just explains away."

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 4, 2026

planetism

The discrimination against planets.

There are billions of planets in the Milky way, yet we only memorize 8? That is planetism.

We mustn't show planetism against the planets we deem as unimportant for people to learn in school.

by Cas FCS May 19, 2020

placebic

Having the properties of a placebo.

Reading the morning paper as part of my routine is placebic. It doesn't actually make my day better, but I feel like it does

placebo

by The Unibrow May 2, 2010

Placeboism

Placeboism was founded by freakbymistake and drink_u_pretty_ to honour and worship the band, Placebo. We believe in polytheism because we worship THREE Gods: Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Hewitt

Dear Gods that are Placebo please make my mother buy me your album for my birthday

by DeeDee Ramone January 2, 2005

playerism

1. The distinctive quality or characteristic of being a player.
2. The doctrine, theory, principle or belief of being a player.

1. Charles was in rare form, his playerism was at it's peak form at the club the other evening.
2. Playerism is a state of mind, an identity or a way of life.

by Woody G. December 15, 2008

placebocism

first introduced by J.M. Jones a New England based paranormal investigator it is an exorcism ritual perfomed to remove a demon where non is actually present using instead the deception to cure a client.

With no demon actually present we prepared the room for the placebocism.

by therealdeal1 April 27, 2009

plamerism

The act of willfully repeating the same story to the same person(s) with complete and utter disregard for that person's actual interest in the story.

Dude, that is a total plamerism. You already told me that you once owned a BMW.

by AnnoyedJOPA May 11, 2014