Persuasion and Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today.

January 10, 2002 12:54 PM

Persuasion and Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today. Fascinating yet creepy.
posted by homunculus (13 comments total)

I can't believe that this sophisticated expert on communication and human perception isn't aware of the value of clean page design. What's with that background?
posted by Faze at 1:10 PM on January 10, 2002

Sorry about the previous post. The author of the article isn't responsible for the hideous design. It was somebody at something called "Serendipity."
posted by Faze at 1:20 PM on January 10, 2002

Sorry about the previous post. The author of the article isn't responsible for the hideous design. It was somebody at something called "Serendipity."
posted by Faze at 1:20 PM on January 10, 2002

I read it and I am growing sleepy, sleepy, sleepy...but that may be because it is repetitious, and a bit humdrum. We are all it seems candidates for hypnosis but we also know that not everyone can be hypnotized.
posted by Postroad at 1:39 PM on January 10, 2002

"Neither the editor nor the publisher know the current whereabouts of Dick Sutphen. Please conduct searches for the author through the usual channels. "

Now THAT'S creepy.
posted by acridrabbit at 1:40 PM on January 10, 2002

My favorite line in all of this garbage:

The only hope of attending such gatherings without being affected is to be a Buddha and allow no positive or negative emotions to surface. Few people are capable of such detachment.
posted by internal at 1:50 PM on January 10, 2002

That background definitely lulled me into an alpha state. I suddenly have the desire to purchase new age products.
posted by pb at 1:51 PM on January 10, 2002

Fascinating and creepy is right.

It's always disturbed me how, after so much psychological research has been done concerning mob mentality, mass media, brainwashing and coercion, NOTHING IS EVER DONE ABOUT IT. EVER.

Doesn't it bother you that your agency is so suppressed by your surroundings? Off I go, back to my delirious trance of the modern age...
posted by zekinskia at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2002

Wearing down resistance, increasing tension, jargon, isolation, deprivation, recruitment... Wait a minute! This describes graduate school! Oh no! I've been brainwashed into being a graduate student! Horror of horrors!
posted by LabTroglodyte at 4:30 PM on January 10, 2002

i've heard stuff like that before on my shortwave radio...late at night...it was the same station that talked about the black helicopters i think.
posted by bunnyfire at 5:28 PM on January 10, 2002

Uh oh! "The medium for takeover is here."

*Whew* good thing fewer and fewer people are using that horrible, brain washing medium (television)!

I think it is interesting how Sutphen equates an insurance salesman's sales pitch to a persuasive brain washing technique. Persuasive, yes.

Anyway... maybe I should learn how to brainwash...!
posted by crog at 7:58 PM on January 10, 2002

Here's the slightly better-designed author's official version of the article. And for those who are thinking of believing anything he says, read this overview of his teachings. Personally, he makes me want to give Dr. Bronner another chance.
posted by mmoncur at 2:38 AM on January 12, 2002

Your scepticism is obviously the result of past-life brainwashing. ;)

(Wow, I didn't see that before I posted the first link. It would appear Mr. Sutphen has his own agenda. I feel unclean. Maybe a nice long shower with some of Dr. Bronner's soap will cleanse me.)
posted by homunculus at 12:48 PM on January 12, 2002