Well I thought, initially, that the problem was that placebo was being taken as "not real" but it seems offence was taken over the fact it also means "all in the mind".
Of course, if you theorise that the forms of some stone circles are psychologically pleasing you are indeed saying their effect is in the mind and many people would have no problem with that. However, the anger comes, I think, from the mistaken interpretation that such a proposal is saying leylines and being able to "sense" previous "ritual activity" are fictions. It's a wrong intepretation of course because all of those things could co-exist independently - so it's bad behaviour prompted by mistaken interpretation.
Having said that, I personally don't believe in leylines or an ability to sense previous ritual activity no matter how vehemently those who say they can sense them insist they can sense them and in that I am at one with 99% of the population so feel no sense of guilt about my opinion. (And as for the accusation that if I don't support the idea of woo I can't have a proper interest in circles, well....)
If ever, for the first time in history, anyone shows under scientific test conditions they can find such things I'll be the first to cheer. But not until.
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