Tag: mind reading

Different Realities — Which Do You Live In?

11:05 pm

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Years ago, when I first started reading and writing about persuasion, I found myself moving further to the political right. Or, perhaps, further from the current political left.

Learning about the tools and techniques of persuasion, I could see the manipulation of the population and how easily our energy is directed.

Persuasion, at its core, is getting someone to see the benefits of an action or a believe, and to change their behavior ‘for the better’ because of it.

Manipulation, on the other hand, benefits the manipulator but not the manipulated. Rioting, anyone?

When you’re the first to mention an idea, you “win” that mind space. This is the purpose of a Blue Ocean strategy, that you define a new market and you’re the only one serving it.

But when someone already has an idea and you’re hoping to persuade them to see the benefit of its opposite? Much harder.

Continue reading “Different Realities — Which Do You Live In?”

13 Words to Identify Mind Readers

Dear reader, we’ve discussed mind-reading, remember? We know it’s probably not real… right?

Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. That’s beside the point. Honestly I don’t know the scope of reality beyond what my brain understands, and I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t understand.

A wise man is never certain about anything!

So I don’t know if some specially attuned people can read minds or not… but I’m pretty sure that your run-of-the-mill news reporter cannot.

Image "Newspapers B&W (3)" by Jon S, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
Image “Newspapers B&W (3)” by Jon S, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

Continue reading “13 Words to Identify Mind Readers”

Sabotage, Judgment, and Subjective Truth

“Ain’t no way that I can be happy when I’m happy” —Atmosphere, Give Me

How many times have you seen someone self-sabotage their own life?

I known people who have dropped out of school, directionless. I known people who have arrived to work drunk. I known people who have ruined a relationship over a few hours of fun. I’ve known people that sacrifice sleep and performance for video games.

All of these choices in the present have impacts that can last decades into the future.

Do you know why these people do what they do?

We can’t know people’s private thoughts. We can’t read their minds now, and we can’t deduce their feelings and opinions from the past.

"Head shot" by erat, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
“Head shot” by erat, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

Motivations are generally unknown Continue reading “Sabotage, Judgment, and Subjective Truth”

Mind Reading isn’t Real. Here’s How to Do It.

Mind reading, the art of knowing exactly what the other person is thinking.

It’s a dangerous sport, and one that we’re not very good at. It’s the source of many disagreements and misunderstandings. No matter, we all continue to try.

Image "distant distance" by Rennett Stowe, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
We believe we know what other people are thinking. Image “distant distance” by Rennett Stowe, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

I’ve certainly tried to finish someone’s sentences and been completely wrong. Haven’t you cut in because you knew exactly what the other person was going to say? How did that work out for you? Not always very well, I would bet.

“I opened the door to see…”

“…She was in the house!?” Continue reading “Mind Reading isn’t Real. Here’s How to Do It.”

God’s Debris by Scott Adams
Book Summary

True, simplicity is not proof of truth. But since we can
never understand true reality, if two models both explain the
same facts, it is more rational to use the simpler one. It is a
matter of convenience.

"God's Debris" by Scott Adams
“God’s Debris” by Scott Adams

Scott Adams’ book God’s Debris introduces us, the reader and first-person narrator, to the world’s smartest person sitting in a rocking chair, Avatar.

You (the narrator) and Avatar hold a wide-ranging conversation about God, religion, science, and probability.

And it’s persuasive.

Join us for a book summary on PRL!

Continue reading “God’s Debris by Scott Adams Book Summary”