I used to generally agree with Bill Maher

[shocksyde]

I'm watching his live show right now, and he just said something really strange.

He claimed that medication is bad for you. Even Penicillin. Is he out of his mind?

Heath Ledger came up and Maher said his death should teach everyone that all medication will eventually kill you. He completely overlooked the fact that it was the mixture of 6 different prescription drugs.

I'm actually ashamed to have liked him in the past based on this. What a complete moron.

 

[lokiju]

Sounds like he's into Scientology.

 

[shocksyde]

Originally posted by: lokiju
Sounds like he's into Scientology.

Yeah. Not good.

 

[Jeff7181]

I don't know the context, but I can see the rationale.
I don't take medication unless I absolutely have to because whatever symptom I have is interfering with my life. For example, a head cold that clogs me up so bad I can barely talk on the phone for 5 minutes without pausing to blow my nose.
I might take 2 or 3 doses of Tylenol PM a year to help me get to sleep when I have join pain or a head ache.
I know people who are on so many different medications it takes them a full glass of water to take all their crap in the morning... that is ridiculous. I'll die before I'm on that many meds.

 

[shocksyde]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
I don't know the context, but I can see the rationale.
I don't take medication unless I absolutely have to because whatever symptom I have is interfering with my life. For example, a head cold that clogs me up so bad I can barely talk on the phone for 5 minutes without pausing to blow my nose.
I might take 2 or 3 doses of Tylenol PM a year to help me get to sleep when I have join pain or a head ache.
I know people who are on so many different medications it takes them a full glass of water to take all their crap in the morning... that is ridiculous. I'll die before I'm on that many meds.

He's completely against them. Your view is fine with me.

 

[everman]

Originally posted by: lokiju
Sounds like he's into Scientology.

 

[cherrytwist]

Originally posted by: lokiju
Sounds like he's into Scientology.

Fail.

Maher then explained that certainty in one's religious belief is absurd, using the example of Scientology: "You [a Scientologist], like all religious people, have a neurological disorder. And the only reason why people think it's sane is because so many other people believe the same thing. It's insanity by consensus."

 

[sandorski]

The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

 

[shocksyde]

Originally posted by: sandorski
The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

Penicillin?

 

[RossMAN]

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=38&threadid=2145425

 

[FoBoT]

yeah, Maher is a nutbag

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: shocksyde

Originally posted by: sandorski
The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

Penicillin?

I haven't cared enough to do my own research, but I've heard liberal use of anti-biotics is promoting mutation and resulting in viruses and whatnot that are immune to traditional anti-biotics.
It's natural for every living thing to adapt to it's environment in order to survive. Over many generations of bacteria or viruses, it's not hard to believe that they'll eventually mutate to the point where penicillin has no affect.

 

[Ticky]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: shocksyde

Originally posted by: sandorski
The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

Penicillin?

I haven't cared enough to do my own research, but I've heard liberal use of anti-biotics is promoting mutation and resulting in viruses and whatnot that are immune to traditional anti-biotics.
It's natural for every living thing to adapt to it's environment in order to survive. Over many generations of bacteria or viruses, it's not hard to believe that they'll eventually mutate to the point where penicillin has no affect.

Antibiotics do not affect viruses.

 

[Farang]

I'd have to see the context, because I do believe most medication is bad for you. Over-the-counter stuff that usually just hides symptoms, psychiatric drugs that attempt to address natural personality deficiencies and end up only creating more. Every person I've know to have taken anti-depressants became a worse person on the drug. They were dreamy, stupid, uncaring, and not a human being.

With that said, Maher comes across as reasonable but when you delve deeper you'll see he supports PETA which is the line separating insane from practical. Actually it is way beyond that line, a fucking lunatic.

 

[shocksyde]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: shocksyde

Originally posted by: sandorski
The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

Penicillin?

I haven't cared enough to do my own research, but I've heard liberal use of anti-biotics is promoting mutation and resulting in viruses and whatnot that are immune to traditional anti-biotics.
It's natural for every living thing to adapt to it's environment in order to survive. Over many generations of bacteria or viruses, it's not hard to believe that they'll eventually mutate to the point where penicillin has no affect.

Ok, so which scenario is worse:

1. Nobody takes antibiotics and bacteria run wild in your body
2. People take antibiotics and at some point in the future all bacteria become immune to it and then run wild in your body

 

[DangerAardvark]

I just watch him because his stand-up is brilliant and for the format of his show... when he has good guests on at least. It's one of the only shows on television that will let a panel debate uninterrupted for as long as it does. I agree with a lot of what he says, but disagree with a lot too. And what's wrong with that? He's a comedian, not a role model.

He's a board member of PETA. He's pro-gun control. He has some odd ideas about Iraq. But I can still watch his show and laugh at his jokes because he's a comedian, not my personal Jesus.

He's been very outspoken against the pharmaceutical industry for a long time. Stating that all medication will eventually kill you is hyperbole at best, so I'm certainly not defending that. I haven't watched tonight's episode yet.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: shocksyde

Originally posted by: sandorski
The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

Penicillin?

Penicillin side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

*

diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
*

fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
*

easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
*

urinating less than usual or not at all;
*

severe skin rash, itching, or peeling;
*

agitation, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior; or
*

seizure (black-out or convulsions).

Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

*

nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
*

vaginal itching or discharge;
*

headache;
*

swollen, black, or "hairy" tongue; or
*

thrush (white patches or inside your mouth or throat).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

 

[DangerAardvark]

The number of lives saved by Penicillin far outweighs the watery stools it caused. It's probably the worst example he could have given. That said, overuse does lead to resistance.

 

[3NF]

Most prescription drugs are invented to make someone money. Restless Leg Syndrome - you need a pill for that? Give me a break. Now there are certainly some medications that help people, but if you abuse it (like Heath did), then it can kill you.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The number of lives saved by Penicillin far outweighs the watery stools it caused. It's probably the worst example he could have given. That said, overuse does lead to resistance.

True enough, but Prescription Drugs are not really harmless. Which was likely his point.

 

[Turin39789]

shit penicillin will kill me. I took it once and went into anaphylactic shock and nearly died.

 

[SmoochyTX]

I stopped paying attention to Maher in 2001. Can't believe it took you this long. LOL

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: shocksyde

Originally posted by: sandorski
The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

Penicillin?

Penicillin side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
<snip>.

Fairly uncommon. Most people who take the stuff suffer NONE of those effects.

I agree that medications should only be used when necessary. Going way overboard and taking pills for everything will cause more problems than it prevents. But cutting them out entirely is just as bad.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: shocksyde

Originally posted by: sandorski
The vast majority of Prescription Drugs have nasty side effects. He is correct, but sometimes they are all that will help certain conditions.

Penicillin?

Penicillin side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
<snip>.

Fairly uncommon. Most people who take the stuff suffer NONE of those effects.

I agree that medications should only be used when necessary. Going way overboard and taking pills for everything will cause more problems than it prevents. But cutting them out entirely is just as bad.

Agreed

 

[0roo0roo]

maher is generally full of sh*t.'
he gets nuts over vaccination as well