Comments on: Amazingly Helpful Tips

By: Just Do It » Blog Archive » Infinite Solutions To Everyday Problems

Just Do It » Blog Archive » Infinite Solutions To Everyday Problems — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:20:15 +0000

[...] are this guy buying into a system for speeding up snail mail delivery, and these haughty types being all haughty about the whole [...]

By: Cameron

Cameron — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:56:36 +0000

The important thing to note here is that, even though these claims are all false, they are also testable.

By: Cade

Cade — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:50:38 +0000

I remember a while back when they fooled me with a different video. They claimed that if you followed a bunch of random steps with your gmail account, and log in a whole bunch of times to get to a “Google TV” site. Then they did a follow up video saying that you had to log in even more times to get to the Google TV site. It didn’t help that there were testimonials for it, too. They stole hours of my life and I want it back.

By: Scotty B

Scotty B — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:42:02 +0000

For example, here’s one where he teaches you how to get your YouTube video subscriptions sent directly to your iPod as a podcast:

Did you question whether these seemingly unbelievable things might be untrue?

[disclaimer: I didn't watch the videos because I can't at work] The first idea didn’t seem that outrageous because you can, in fact, put YouTube videos on your iPod, just not through a subscription service. If you are interested in doing this, just go to http://vixy.net/

Piece of cake,
Scotty B

By: Felicia Gilljam

Felicia Gilljam — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:04:30 +0000

Like Justin said, a lot of people who read this blog will be fooled by these videos simply because Hemant recommended them. After all we’re regulars here because we like and trust the author. So in this case, it isn’t actually the guy in the video who’s the authority, but Hemant.

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:35:13 +0000

No one here who watched these videos, and got “fooled” should feel any shame.

I cheated and skipped past watching either video and found out the ruse before I could fall for it. After reading the comments following I went back and watched with an eye for the satire or the con. I was almost ready to trust the guy even after I knew he was pulling my leg.

Later on I thought to myself if I had watched the videos in question would I have been fooled? I had to answer most likely , but not for the reasons proposed. If you did fall for it “even for a split-second” it may have been due to the clever format of the video or how the creator sounded like he was an authority.

Another reason we might have been fooled was because we assume Hemant will bring us trustworthy information. When he titles a post “Amazingly helpful tips” it might influence how we perceive the information following such words.

I think the lesson here maybe more then just questioning what people tell you, but to question even the people who you normally trust. Even a nice guy like Hemant might be trying to con you.

So if you were fooled maybe it was because someone you trusted told you it was good advice, disarming you for the con.

By: I like tea

I like tea — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:55:55 +0000

Do I get bonus points since I looked up LPC on Wikipedia immediately after watching the video? I figured I’d use the code, but I also figured that if it exists, my local one can be found on the Internet rather than by going to the post office and subjecting myself to blank stares from the clerks.

By: Susan B.

Susan B. — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:41:18 +0000

I did fall for these at first, until I scrolled down and read that they were made up. I think it’s not unreasonable to believe it (without additional information) since the suggestions do sound reasonable and at the beginning you have no reason to believe it might be a trick. The fact that the videos are so nicely put together also suggests someone who puts a lot of effort and care into his work, and therefore would have carefully researched the things he’s suggesting.

That said, before I made use of the “LPC code” for the mail, I certainly would have researched it myself before assuming it would work. A quick check on usps.com turns up no mention at all of an LPC code, and I would have grown suspicious.

By: Larry Moran

Larry Moran — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:10:39 +0000

I normally think of myself as a skeptical person but I have to admit that my bullshit detectors did not go off when I first saw the video. There were a few things that didn’t make sense but it wasn’t enough to make me think that the whole thing was made up.

The point is very important. If you sound authoritative then you can get away with anything. On the one hand, it’s scary. On the other hand, I’m going to practice sounding authoritative ….

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:59:05 +0000

I learned that nifty little trick from one of my first bosses: speak with authority and no one will question you, even if what you’re saying is a complete load of crap. Even someone who knows better won’t say anything for fear that they don’t have all the information. They assume you know something they don’t, and will stay quiet rather than risk making a fool of themselves by speaking out. (Obviously doesn’t work as well on the internet as it does in a meeting room with limited attendance).