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"With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2744		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  okenobi [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:25 pm ]
Post subject:  "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
Derren Brown said that tonight as part of his events show. He says, that by getting people into a heightened state of fear, he is able to manipulate their decisions.

Does that ring a bell for anyone? He's not the only one creating fear for his own purposes, at the moment.....

Discuss.
Author:  Linux_User [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
HMG....create "problem", provide solution = more government power, reduced governmental accountability and reduction in civil rights.
Author:  JJW009 [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
I studied two books in O' level English which described a similar fenominomom. One was 1984, and the other one wasn't.

It also reminds me of a song about the Falklands war. Although I remain content that it was a just war, I am still uncertain of the full motives.

Sorry for the long quote:

Quote:
The natives are restless tonight, sir
Cooped up on estates with no hope in sight
They need some kind of distraction
We can give them that
'Cause they'd kill if they only had something to kill for
They'd die if they only had something to die for
They'd cheer if they only had something to cheer for
We can give them that
So it's off to war we go (I couldn't believe it)
Bring out all the flags (I never believed it)
Fight the good fight

It's working like a dream, sir
Half the nation are hooked on the bait
Waiting for the next victorious instalment
We can give them that
'Cause it's no surprise that young men are heroes
It's no surprise that young men are strong
It's no surprise that young men are foolish
We've known that all along
Exciting pictures on News at Ten (I couldn't believe it)
Read all the crap on all the front pages (I never believed it)
Fight the good fight

Chorus:
Dead men in the South Atlantic
It's meant to warm our hearts
They think that they died for you and me
Oh God, what a farce, what a farce

And now it's the repeats
Plugging the Falklands and the Falklands' spirit
Show the pictures again and again
Till the next war comes around
'Cause we'll kill if we only have something to kill for
We'll die if we only have something to die for
We'll cheer if we only have something to cheer for
That is worthy of the name
Oh yes the next war (I never believed it)
See the propaganda in TV fiction (I never believed it)
Enemies with horns and tails

Chorus:
There are dead men in the South Atlantic
It's meant to warm our hearts
They think that they died for you and me
Oh God, what a farce, what a farce

There's crippled men back home in England
Doesn't it warm your hearts
They think they fought for peace and freedom
Poor boys, what a farce, what a farce


Oh yes, the next war...
Author:  bobbdobbs [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
AAH NEW MODEL ARMY.. fantastic
Author:  Angelic [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
A level psychology experiment =p

That was a while ago...
Author:  jonbwfc [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
One interesting theory I read is it's primordial. Essentially we're just 'clever apes'. Apes are pack animals, in the main. When apes are faced with a threat, they gather together because there's safety in numbers. This is still buried deep in our subconscious. Thus, when we're afraid, we want to be 'part of the group' more than if we're not. That manifests as an increased wish to be like or to agree with the people around us. It works on a personal level and also in a societal level - one of the ways dictators maintain power is by convincing the population that they are under threat and that 'the group' they should be part of is the one that follows the dictator. George Orwell made good use of it as a dramatic device in 1984, for example.

I still couldn't watch it though, the guy stamping on the cups thing. yeesh.


Jon
Author:  okenobi [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
Nice quote JJ.

The thing is, if one well-trained and experience man can pull this stuff off for entertainment - what can an entire government do? Nevermind dictators.
Author:  davrosG5 [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
okenobi wrote:
Nice quote JJ.

The thing is, if one well-trained and experience man can pull this stuff off for entertainment - what can an entire government do? Nevermind dictators.


Or perhaps more worrying, what could Derren Brown do if he was in Government.
Author:  Linux_User [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
davrosG5 wrote:
Or perhaps more worrying, what could Derren Brown do if he was in Government.
Stick you to your sofa. :lol:
Author:  l3v1ck [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
okenobi wrote:
... by getting people into a heightened state of fear, he is able to manipulate their decisions....

Does that ring a bell for anyone?

Isn't that how the BNP gets votes.
Author:  okenobi [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 1:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
l3v1ck wrote:
okenobi wrote:
... by getting people into a heightened state of fear, he is able to manipulate their decisions....

Does that ring a bell for anyone?

Isn't that how the BNP gets votes.


Amongst other parties, yes.
Author:  jonbwfc [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
Hmm.. I've actually watched the show again. I don't think he says fear induces suggestibility (although it does), he says fear induces predictability i.e. people who are afraid are more likely to all act the same way than people who aren't afraid. if you know how people who are afraid will act in a scary situation it means you've got a much better chance of being able to predict how one particular person will act in that scary situation. That combined with some level of suggestion via body language and the like might give the appearance of being able to control what someone was doing, when in fact they're doing what they would have done anyway, you've just been able to anticipate it.

Interesting nonetheless.

Jon
Author:  okenobi [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 4:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
jonbwfc wrote:
Hmm.. I've actually watched the show again. I don't think he says fear induces suggestibility (although it does), he says fear induces predictability i.e. people who are afraid are more likely to all act the same way than people who aren't afraid. if you know how people who are afraid will act in a scary situation it means you've got a much better chance of being able to predict how one particular person will act in that scary situation. That combined with some level of suggestion via body language and the like might give the appearance of being able to control what someone was doing, when in fact they're doing what they would have done anyway, you've just been able to anticipate it.

Interesting nonetheless.

Jon


Sorry Jon, yes you're correct. I didn't mean he could control them directly. But by making people fearful, if they then follow predictable behavioural patterns, it amounts to the same thing. By inducing fear, you are indirectly controlling them.

As you say, very interesting.
Author:  adidan [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
It's the basis for controlling any populace.

However, you have to be clever at how much fear you instill, to little or too much has a negative effect on your ability to control.
Author:  cloaked_wolf [ Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
Didn't they already do this experiment in America? 'Twas an anniversary of the successful experiment rather recently I believe.
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