Friday, February 10, 2012

#295: Marc Neumann


Marc Neumann runs the Morgellon’s Research Organization. He is a bit crazy.

Not only is Neumann convinced, in stark opposition to medical science, that Morgellon’s is a genuine disease (that last one links to Wikipedia’s overly evenhanded description). He also knows what causes it: “Morgellons disease is caused from a biological insecticide, spread from US companies without any care if immunocompromised humans or animals gets sick from it.” It is all there, conspiracy theories, Galileo gambits … and Neumann really, really likes strawmen.

If you try to access his website from, say, the blog Respectful Insolence, you will find yourself blocked – and instead see one of the most stupidly inane and wrong quotes from the history of mankind: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident. And the highest form of recognition is the envy” (Schopenhauer). If you ever feel compelled to use that quote to describe some position, argument or claim, you have proven beyond any doubt that you are a crackpot. Just to emphasize: Neumann is not a Galileo.

The above is really all you need, but more on his work can be found here. Like all true cranks, he likes to respond to criticism and being called out with legal threats.

He associated with (indeed, was the peddler of the woo promoted by) the infamous Dr. Rolando Arafiles.

Diagnosis: Plentifully disturbed wingdings. Impact unknown, but can’t be much good.

(ed. note: I had trouble locating a photo I could reliably identify as being of Marc Neumann, so the above photo is of Dr. Arafiles)

4 comments:

  1. And do you have any sources for all these alleged accusations that this man holds to Galileo gambits, because when I read his site, it seemed as if he was opposed to conspiracy theories, and of everything I've read about Morgellon's, it seemed to be the most logical explanation. And the fact that the medical community is not up on something that is just becoming more widespread is no surprise.
    Also, on his site, I saw no reference to the Dr. Arafiles that you mentioned. How do you know there is a connection there. You offered no proof. Perhaps you are the one who is off here, as you offer no rationale...just strong opinions not backed up by any facts. Anyone can call people names, but only the wise have credibility. To me, yours seems lacking at this point.

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    1. Neumann did a series of TV shows (available on youtube) with Arafiles. I won't link directly to them, but you can find them from here. Some of the links have gone defunct since this entry was originally posted, and I apologize for that.

      I am sure Neumann is opposed to conspiracy theories - the vast majority of conspiracy theorists are, and don't recognize their own brands as the conspiracy theories they are. Think of climate change denialists.

      As for Morgellons, PalMD has done an excellent series covering this and other similar conditions here. For a really good introduction, I recommend this one - yes, this is an informal discussion, but it is well referenced and you can easily access the evidence from there.

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    2. I must second the previous comments on the main theme of this collection of unsubstantiated words you have decided to post as really just an opinion with an obvious bias. I have suffered from this malady and after reading his entry as a learned man of science. Delving into this very murky and polarizing topic is sadly a gamble most scientists/physicians (that have taken on the role of management/bureaucracy as well that we have seen time and again who will jettison there oaths ethics wise and "go along to get along", "turn a blind eye" (insert metaphor here) in order to have a secure hold on their current job while keeping themselves on the radar of the higher ups incase a positionopens up. We see this abandoning of one's morality by a number of people in the medical field, education, military, etc where we have these individuals with distinguished backgrounds and are found to have gone along or just ignored these blatant abuses of power or just flat out lies that when finally are made public industries/corporations/groups credibility and prospects for futures sustanence are severely damaged. He tries to provide for possibilities of the genesis that do not rely on unproveable conspiracies but at the same time is not letting the gmo/pesticide area of big ag off the hook. I am just reading this now and it looks like he updated his research in 2011 shortly before the CDC announced it had completed it's study on morgellons and was going to publish the findings (which they did in 2012). I can't imagine he was pleased with their vague and limited findings on a crucial aspect of the morgellons problem which is the "fibers" they deemed being similar to various fibers or strands of cotton & other textiles made up primarily of cellulose and after several methods of testing were dne they are just that and did not require further study. End of story, refer all future inquiries to the psychiatric field if your looking for any reprieve from this. Good looking out CDC. I am off to contact Mr. Neumann if he has not been silenced yet. Crossing my fingers

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    3. See a psychiatrist, they might cure you

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