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"With fear, comes increased suggestibility"
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okenobi
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:59 pm Posts: 4932 Location: Sestriere, Piemonte, Italia
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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.
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Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:25 pm |
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Linux_User
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:29 pm Posts: 7173
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HMG....create "problem", provide solution = more government power, reduced governmental accountability and reduction in civil rights.
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Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:31 pm |
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JJW009
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:58 pm Posts: 8767 Location: behind the sofa
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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: Oh yes, the next war...
_________________jonbwfc's law: "In any forum thread someone will, no matter what the subject, mention Firefly." When you're feeling too silly for x404, youRwired.net
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Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:34 pm |
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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm Posts: 5490 Location: just behind you!
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AAH NEW MODEL ARMY.. fantastic
_________________Finally joined Flickr
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Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:36 pm |
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Angelic
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:16 pm Posts: 704 Location: Leeds, UK
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A level psychology experiment =p
That was a while ago...
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Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:30 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm Posts: 17040
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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
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Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:03 pm |
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okenobi
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:59 pm Posts: 4932 Location: Sestriere, Piemonte, Italia
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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.
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:18 am |
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davrosG5
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:37 am Posts: 6954 Location: Peebo
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Or perhaps more worrying, what could Derren Brown do if he was in Government.
_________________ When they put teeth in your mouth, they spoiled a perfectly good bum. -Billy Connolly (to a heckler)
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:37 am |
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Linux_User
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:29 pm Posts: 7173
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Stick you to your sofa. 
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:29 am |
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l3v1ck
What's a life?
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:21 am Posts: 12700 Location: The Right Side of the Pennines (metaphorically & geographically)
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Isn't that how the BNP gets votes.
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:58 am |
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okenobi
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:59 pm Posts: 4932 Location: Sestriere, Piemonte, Italia
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Amongst other parties, yes.
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 1:31 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm Posts: 17040
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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
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:19 pm |
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okenobi
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:59 pm Posts: 4932 Location: Sestriere, Piemonte, Italia
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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.
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 4:30 pm |
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adidan
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:43 pm Posts: 5048
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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.
_________________ Fogmeister I ventured into Solitude but didn't really do much. jonbwfc I was behind her in a queue today - but I wouldn't describe it as 'bushy'.
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:45 pm |
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cloaked_wolf
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:46 pm Posts: 10022
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Didn't they already do this experiment in America? 'Twas an anniversary of the successful experiment rather recently I believe.
_________________ He fights for the users.
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Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:56 pm |
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