An interesting new book from Germany has just been translated into English and a review of it in the Times Literary Supplement (August 21, 2026) concludes with a most consequential sentence.

The book is entitled Soul Magic: A Century of Psychotherapy, and the author is Steve Ayan. The consequential sentence at the end of the review, which was written by Jack Goulder, is this:

<blockquote>
"Ayan finishes with some reflections on the notion that the various different forms of psychotherapy all seem to work as well as each other, and that most of this is due to the placebo effect of there being a kindly listener in the room".
</blockquote>

Now there are at least two big ideas here, with strong practical effects:

The first is that in practice almost all forms of psychotherapy work the same.

(But hey, what about John and Yoko, and Carl Jung, and Brian Wilson, and ... PZ... and you? The author levels the playing field!) Moreover, he credits "kindly listening" to their shared (albeit flattened) success. That is a huge conclusion, with enormous possible consequences.

But second, Ayan believes that "kindly listening" is a placebo. That is to say, kindly listening is sort of a cover for nourishing peace of mind, but it is not a cure! So "psychotherapy", its 'success' rooted in simply the possibility of a troubled soul's being listened to, is not really about healing. It is sort of a cover, for a secondary effect rather than a primary one.

This podcast considers Ayan's rather stunning conclusion -- both its relativizing impact, and its diminishing of what actually goes on within a sufferer by means of "kindly listening".

PZ disagrees with the latter point. Based on a near lifetime of practical experience, he disagrees with the latter point. He'll wish to quote a classic song here: Roxy Music's "More Than This" (1982). You'll see.

(Oh, and didn't The Clash do a song once entitled "Kindly Listener" -- or was it Dave Mason? Or Talk Talk maybe?) LUV U.

An interesting new book from Germany has just been translated into English and a review of it in the Times Literary Supplement (August 21, 2026) concludes with a most consequential sentence. The book is entitled Soul Magic: A Century of Psychotherapy, and the author is Steve Ayan. The consequential sentence at the end of the review, which was written by Jack Goulder, is this: "Ayan finishes with some reflections on the notion that the various different forms of psychotherapy all seem to work as well as each other, and that most of this is due to the placebo effect of there being a kindly listener in the room". Now there are at least two big ideas here, with strong practical effects: The first is that in practice almost all forms of psychotherapy work the same. (But hey, what about John and Yoko, and Carl Jung, and Brian Wilson, and ... PZ... and you? The author levels the playing field!) Moreover, he credits "kindly listening" to their shared (albeit flattened) success. That is a huge conclusion, with enormous possible consequences. But second, Ayan believes that "kindly listening" is a placebo. That is to say, kindly listening is sort of a cover for nourishing peace of mind, but it is not a cure! So "psychotherapy", its 'success' rooted in simply the possibility of a troubled soul's being listened to, is not really about healing. It is sort of a cover, for a secondary effect rather than a primary one. This podcast considers Ayan's rather stunning conclusion -- both its relativizing impact, and its diminishing of what actually goes on within a sufferer by means of "kindly listening". PZ disagrees with the latter point. Based on a near lifetime of practical experience, he disagrees with the latter point. He'll wish to quote a classic song here: Roxy Music's "More Than This" (1982). You'll see. (Oh, and didn't The Clash do a song once entitled "Kindly Listener" -- or was it Dave Mason? Or Talk Talk maybe?) LUV U.

An interesting new book from Germany has just been translated into English and a review of it in the Times Literary Supplement (August 21, 2026) concludes with a most consequential sentence.

The book is entitled Soul Magic: A Century of Psychotherapy, and the author is Steve Ayan. The consequential sentence at the end of the review, which was written by Jack Goulder, is this:


"Ayan finishes with some reflections on the notion that the various different forms of psychotherapy all seem to work as well as each other, and that most of this is due to the placebo effect of there being a kindly listener in the room".


Now there are at least two big ideas here, with strong practical effects:

The first is that in practice almost all forms of psychotherapy work the same.

(But hey, what about John and Yoko, and Carl Jung, and Brian Wilson, and ... PZ... and you? The author levels the playing field!) Moreover, he credits "kindly listening" to their shared (albeit flattened) success. That is a huge conclusion, with enormous possible consequences.

But second, Ayan believes that "kindly listening" is a placebo. That is to say, kindly listening is sort of a cover for nourishing peace of mind, but it is not a cure! So "psychotherapy", its 'success' rooted in simply the possibility of a troubled soul's being listened to, is not really about healing. It is sort of a cover, for a secondary effect rather than a primary one.

This podcast considers Ayan's rather stunning conclusion -- both its relativizing impact, and its diminishing of what actually goes on within a sufferer by means of "kindly listening".

PZ disagrees with the latter point. Based on a near lifetime of practical experience, he disagrees with the latter point. He'll wish to quote a classic song here: Roxy Music's "More Than This" (1982). You'll see.

(Oh, and didn't The Clash do a song once entitled "Kindly Listener" -- or was it Dave Mason? Or Talk Talk maybe?) LUV U.

Episode 414 - "Placebo"?: No.

'Love is the Answer' to almost all human problems; but more accurately stated, 'Belovedness' is the Answer. Love springs from belovedness, and almost every rock song that has ever been sung echoes this.

It's an important distinction, tho', between love and belovedness, because love is almost always a response to belovedness In other words, belovedness comes prior to love. You cannot tell someone to love. But if they feel they are loved,

then their love comes naturally. "All I Gotta Do Is/Act Naturally" (The Beatles, 1965).

Love always comes from outside yourself. That is not an overstatement. For love to "work", it has to come from outside yourself. You didn't make it happen. Love fell into your lap. Just look at your own experience: "(That's When) I Saw Her Standing There" (once again, The Beatles, 1963).

One more thing, tho', and it's important. You can pray for it to happen. Belovedness is not strictly quixotic. If there is not human belovedness in your life, ask God to send you some. I mean that. We know He loves each of us from the bottom of His Heart. I write that with "sure and certain hope" -- and based on long experience. It's a good and almost necessary thing to pray for belovedness to happen.

As in Psalm 116:

<blockquote>
I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. 
Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. 
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell had hold of me: 
I found trouble and sorrow. 
Then I called upon the name of the Lord.... 
Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears...
</blockquote>

Ask God to send you some (human) love -- or even more of what you already have. LUV U.

'Love is the Answer' to almost all human problems; but more accurately stated, 'Belovedness' is the Answer. Love springs from belovedness, and almost every rock song that has ever been sung echoes this. It's an important distinction, tho', between love and belovedness, because love is almost always a response to belovedness In other words, belovedness comes prior to love. You cannot tell someone to love. But if they feel they are loved, then their love comes naturally. "All I Gotta Do Is/Act Naturally" (The Beatles, 1965). Love always comes from outside yourself. That is not an overstatement. For love to "work", it has to come from outside yourself. You didn't make it happen. Love fell into your lap. Just look at your own experience: "(That's When) I Saw Her Standing There" (once again, The Beatles, 1963). One more thing, tho', and it's important. You can pray for it to happen. Belovedness is not strictly quixotic. If there is not human belovedness in your life, ask God to send you some. I mean that. We know He loves each of us from the bottom of His Heart. I write that with "sure and certain hope" -- and based on long experience. It's a good and almost necessary thing to pray for belovedness to happen. As in Psalm 116: I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell had hold of me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord.... Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears... Ask God to send you some (human) love -- or even more of what you already have. LUV U.

'Love is the Answer' to almost all human problems; but more accurately stated, 'Belovedness' is the Answer. Love springs from belovedness, and almost every rock song that has ever been sung echoes this.

It's an important distinction, tho', between love and belovedness, because love is almost always a response to belovedness In other words, belovedness comes prior to love. You cannot tell someone to love. But if they feel they are loved,

then their love comes naturally. "All I Gotta Do Is/Act Naturally" (The Beatles, 1965).

Love always comes from outside yourself. That is not an overstatement. For love to "work", it has to come from outside yourself. You didn't make it happen. Love fell into your lap. Just look at your own experience: "(That's When) I Saw Her Standing There" (once again, The Beatles, 1963).

One more thing, tho', and it's important. You can pray for it to happen. Belovedness is not strictly quixotic. If there is not human belovedness in your life, ask God to send you some. I mean that. We know He loves each of us from the bottom of His Heart. I write that with "sure and certain hope" -- and based on long experience. It's a good and almost necessary thing to pray for belovedness to happen.

As in Psalm 116:


I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. 
Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. 
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell had hold of me: 
I found trouble and sorrow. 
Then I called upon the name of the Lord.... 
Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears...


Ask God to send you some (human) love -- or even more of what you already have. LUV U.

Episode 413 - "Red Planet Mars" (1952)

<pre><code>Our hero, again incarnated as the Queen of Thessaly, heads south, only to still find happiness.
</code></pre>

Our hero, again incarnated as the Queen of Thessaly, heads south, only to still find happiness.

Episode Three - The Alcestiad, Act Three

<pre><code>In which our hero introduces you to his search. "For you the living, this Mash was meant, too."
</code></pre>

In which our hero introduces you to his search. "For you the living, this Mash was meant, too."

In which our hero introduces you to his search.  "For you the living, this Mash was meant, too."


Episode One - What's it all about, Alfie?

<pre><code>Our hero, incarnated as an ancient Greek princess, finds Love and Happiness, Thornton-Wilder style.
</code></pre>

Our hero, incarnated as an ancient Greek princess, finds Love and Happiness, Thornton-Wilder style.

Episode Two - The Alcestiad, Act One

From "Telstar" to "Vault of Horror," from Rattigan to Kerouac, from the Village of Bray to the Village of Midwich, help PZ link old ancient news and pop culture. I think I can see him, "Crawling from the Wreckage." Will he find his way? This show is brought to you by Mockingbird! www.mbird.com

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