Check out this picture.
Which line is longer? If you use no other means besides your eyesight to figure out which line is longer, it’s only natural to conclude that the lower line is longer. However, if you get yourself a ruler and measure them, you’ll find out that neither is longer. Both lines are equal in length. It shows just how easily tricked our senses (or rather, our minds) are. It’s not necessarily bad, though. Magicians (nowadays they’re called illusionists, mentalists, or whatever) are masters of manipulation, but nobody ever sue them or anything. We, the audience, enjoy their tricks. We even crave for more of them. The real danger doesn’t come from (somewhat) submitting ourselves to manipulation. Not realizing that we’re being manipulated is
Over the years, science had successfully revealed the physiological process of thinking. Stimuli from external or internal environment are transmitted by electrical current to the central nervous system, which produce certain responses. Human mind is considered as a very advanced CPU, nothing more. The psychological aspect of human mind however, cannot be revealed with such a mechanistic approach. They’re more complex and more difficult to comprehend. Unfortunately, mind manipulation through psychological approach is a more common practice, which makes it more difficult for us to detect and avoid.
Remember nice old Adolf Hitler? This guy was certainly one hell of a great mind manipulator. When I say “mind manipulator”, don’t think about all sorts of weird stuff like brainwashing or anything like that. Hitler was simply very good at reading people. He knew exactly how to mesmerize people with his words. It’s not WHAT he said that’s important, HOW he said it that mattered. I read somewhere that Hitler’s speeches didn’t contain much essence apart of the continuous rhetorical exclamations about how good the Germans (Aryans) were and how inferior everybody else was compared to them. You know; the kind of speech that would make you either die of boredom or snort because of lacking of logic. But thanks to Hitler’s expertise, he managed to convince the people with the supposed-to-be meaningless speeches. Nifty, eh?
Even to this day, mind manipulation is still practiced. Not just for political purposes such as the case in the past, but also for economical benefits of the manipulator.
How many women have been manipulated into buying certain beauty products simply because a celebrity appeared on the commercial? Of course, the celebrity looked good with it, but it didn’t certainly mean that everyone would look as good as her when they used the same product. Marketing experts would say that it’s a part of their “strategic plan”; which was basically just another way of saying “shrewd way of tricking people in to buying our stuff”.
How many people have been allured by the fake reality of so called reality shows? Honestly, mate. Would you be your real self when you’re fully aware that there were dozens of cameras capturing your actions?
Humans have the sharpest minds amongst all the creatures that walk the earth. Then, how come humans are easily manipulated? I don’t know for sure the answer to that question. I do know though, that there’s only one way to save ourselves (or at least minimalize the possibility) from mind manipulation. Constant vigilance!
Author’s Note: Thanks to Yenny for the info. They’re very helpful! :>
0 comments:
Post a Comment