Forbidden Knowledge – Does It Exist?
By Steve Gillman
Introductory comments by Royane Real
Author of “How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative”
If you want to learn how to use your brain more effectively, there's a lot more to it than simply learning ways to read faster and remember better. You also need to learn how to think better. I liked the following article because in it, the author is trying to get you to use your brain to think more clearly and think more effectively.
As the author point out, it doesn’t matter how smart you are and how much knowledge you have, you can still be tricked or influenced by people who know how to manipulate you on a subtle level. No matter how smart you are, you still have to train yourself to think clearly, and to watch out for cases where people are trying to manipulate you.
We all know that politicians and sales people in particular are good at trying to get other people to take the actions they want us to take. That’s why so many people are distrustful of most politicians and sales persons. Yet we still often end up doing what they want us to do, even though we think we can see through their tricks.
That’s why it’s a good idea to train yourself to spot those occasions when people are side-stepping the truth, or sanitizing what they say, or appealing to your emotions and insecurities. They may not be committing an outright lie, but they are somehow bending their interpretation of reality to profit from you.
To avoid being manipulated, ask yourself, “What is the evidence for what is being said here?” “ And can I really trust the evidence that’s being presented to me?”
Also ask yourself, “Who benefits if I believe this statement? How do they benefit? Does this person have a reputation for honesty and integrity?”
Here’s another way you can avoid being manipulated easily. You can also develop a deeper understanding of the issues being discussed if you make a point of seeking out some opposite opinions. In fact, these opposite opinions can help you understand the topic being discussed at a much deeper level.
I found the following article by author Steve Gillman quite interesting, although I don’t really think that the title of the article quite matches what the article is about.
I don’t believe that the article is really about “forbidden knowledge” as the title implies.
I think that in reality, the author is really trying to teach you to use your brain more effectively. The author is trying to get you to see that quite often you are being manipulated emotionally without you realizing it, and he shows you a few cunning ways in which this manipulation of your emotions might happen.
( The above introductory comments were written by Royane Real. Learn more ways to boost your brain power in my popular ebook : "How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative Download it or get the paperback version at http://www.lulu.com/real )
Feature article:
Forbidden Knowledge – Does It Exist?
By Steve Gillman
Is there really "forbidden knowledge?" Probably not much remains truly hidden or forbidden, but there are little secrets about how things work. Politicians, salesmen and others always learn and use subtle techniques to influence you, for example. Here are some examples.
Control Through Words
The classic joke, "Have you stopped beating your wife?" is difficult to answer without incriminating yourself. Politicians, of course, use this technique of the implicit premise for more than jokes.
For example, if they can get everyone to argue about how to do something, nobody questions if it should even be done. Implicit premises are a powerful method of control.
Get in the habit of recognizing the premises hidden in political debate.
Another way to influence is to control language. Social security payments don't come from actual investments, unless you call the government lending itself money "investing", so it isn't a "retirement fund." However, calling it that makes it seem safer and more acceptable than what it is: welfare. Without arguing right or wrong, can you see how the words used control the debate?
Words matter greatly. It might be hard for a defense contractor to sell "human shredder" bombs, so they use the name "daisy cutter." Start noticing how words are used to influence you.
Hypnotic Selling Techniques
"Does speaking before a crowd make you nervous? What if it was easy for you? Imagine standing there, knowing exactly what to say to make them love you. Wouldn't that feel wonderful? Just apply our simple methods, and you will have that power. Use the form below to ORDER RIGHT NOW."
The sales pitch above starts by getting you to say yes, which is habit forming. It hints at the possibility of a solution. "Imagine," in line three, gets you doing just that. Line four suggests positive emotion and gets another yes. "And" in line five infers cause and effect, suggesting you'll have the power BECAUSE you used their product. The last line directs you with "Use the form below."
The "order right now" is called an "embedded command," because putting it in capitals influences you without you noticing consciously.
That short paragraph uses six or more "hypnotic sales techniques." I learned dozens of these techniques, and when I used them to re-write the sign-up page for the Brain Power Newsletter, I started to get four times as many subscribers from the same traffic.
This may not be forbidden knowledge, but it is powerful stuff. Start watching for it or using it (with good intentions I hope).
More Forbidden Knowledge
Consistently lucky people are usually creating the conditions for "luck." There are a dozen techniques for doing this. Good salesmen are using techniques like "mirroring," and "leading," to persuade you.
The new science of behavioral economics is showing how little logic has to do with our choices. Smart marketers are drawing on their research to create methods of getting you to buy.
This hidden knowledge isn't all about influencing others. Every industry and human activity has little-known "tricks of the trade." Smart real estate agents sell expensive homes, for example. They know it takes the same work as selling a mobile home, but the commission can be five times as much. Those who don't use this "secret" struggle to make a living.
Subliminal techniques and other "forbidden knowledge" can be used for good or bad, so is it dangerous? Yes, especially if you don't have it. Having it means you can use it (ethically) and protect yourself from its mis-use.
Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower and related topics for years. For more on How To Increase Brain Power, and to get the Brain Power Newsletter and other free gifts, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com
Article source: http://www.999articles.com
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