# One more advantage of silicone **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 9, 1999, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155 "1999-09-09T19:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 1999, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/1 "1999-09-10T05:45:00Z")
The mailbag article on silicon vs. silicone, [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msilicon.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msilicon.html) , fails to mention one of its most useful properties: It feels like boobies. If THAT ain’t a boon to civilization, I don’t know what is. * * * I’m not flying fast, just orbiting low. ---
**Author:** ![baggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@baggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/baggins)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/2 "1999-09-09T19:53:00Z")
Cecil wrote, “I specifically sought out silicone pacifiers for my son …” Oh my God, he’s reproducing!!! ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/3 "1999-09-09T21:40:00Z")
No, no, baggins – the mailbag items are not written by Cecil, nor even supervised by him, but by his loyal Straight Dope Science Advisory Staff. The silicon article was written by our very own DavidB … altho’ the thought of him reproducing is probably also kinda scarey… ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/4 "1999-09-09T23:35:00Z")
Tracer said: > [@](#): > > It feels like boobies. Hmmm, well, yes, I guess I missed that one. 🙂 Maybe that’s why my son likes it better for his pacifiers as well… ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 1999, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/5 "1999-09-10T14:11:00Z")
Let me point out that the answer to this mailbag question was well written and well presented. Sources are given, and an in-depth answer is offered. Kudos to David for the time and care on this one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 1999, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/6 "1999-09-14T14:52:00Z")
Yes, the answer was well thought-out and well presented, except for: \>\>correlation is not the same as causation While that’s true, it’s not what DavidB was talking about. He immediately goes on to argue, in fact, that there _was no_ correlation. The phenomenon he was talking about is called ‘illusory correlation,’ in which we perceive a correlation that is not there. Other than that, I agree that it was well-done. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 1999, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/7 "1999-09-15T13:27:00Z")
Thanks to both DSYoung and Bup! Regarding the correlation/causation bit, I think bup is probably right – it is an _apparent_ correlation, not a real one. I kind of implied the “apparent” part, but in the future I shall endeavor to be more specific. 🙂 Frankly, I’m a bit surprised – I thought sure there were gonna be a couple folks flaming me for the whole breast implant thing. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 1999, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/8 "1999-09-15T16:45:00Z")
OK, David, anything to oblige, you obviously breast-obsessed fetishist, you. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 1999, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/9 "1999-09-15T18:12:00Z")
No, no, no! That’s now what I meant. \< sigh \> must I do _everything_ myself? In general, whenever I point out that scientific studies have concluded the implants play no part in causing the claimed diseases, somebody with a lack of understanding of logic and science will jump up and say, “But I got implants and then I got this disease. See, that proves it!” Or, to paraphrase from a letter I got when doing a book review that dealt tangentially with this subject, a woman wrote to tell me that the scientific studies don’t show anything because each woman is different. So we have to look at each case. She just didn’t get it. What’s worse was that this woman was a science writer… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 1999, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/10 "1999-09-15T19:30:00Z")
No, what’s worse is that when she appears before the jury, they feel sorry for her and give her a zillion dollar award, even though she can’t prove causality. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 1999, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/11 "1999-09-15T20:04:00Z")
…thus causing a perfectly good company to go out of business and others to shy away from making this type of product. Wait, I covered that already in the Mailbag item itself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 1999, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/12 "1999-09-16T01:03:00Z")
David B remarked, in startlement: > [@](#): > > Frankly, I’m a bit surprised – I thought sure there were gonna be a couple folks flaming me for the whole breast implant thing. ## If you’re feeling logy and bored, David, I can post a link to the article where the silicone sisterhood is likely to see it. 🙂 “Kings die, and leave their crowns to their sons. Shmuel HaKatan took all the treasures in the world, and went away.” ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 1999, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-more-advantage-of-silicone/1155/13 "1999-09-16T12:05:00Z")
Uh, no, thanks. I’m not _that_ much of a glutton for punishment! 🙂