Adsactly Education - About Knowledge, Manipulation And Media
Adsactly Education - About Knowledge, Manipulation And Media
CCO from Pixabay
There are two very important quotes that have changed my life dramatically. And also their meaning has changed a lot for me since I read them quite differently than I did, when I first heard them.
Cogito ergo sum! (I think, therefore I am)
(René Descares)
And
Scio me nihil scire (I know that I know nothing)
(Plato)
Before going into detail, I will ask you to follow the 1 min instructions from the following video (I retrieved this by chance while randomly watching a german TV series… something I quite rarely do). The video was published on youtube in 2010 by Daniel Simons himself and since has 19 Million views. So chances are this is not new to you.
If we link this experience to the quotes above, we get an interesting shift in awareness:
• I think, therefore I am, but most of my thinking is based on incomplete information. So who am I, now? And if I let others think for me, what will I become?
• I know that I know nothing, and I am probably right about that.
Assumption: ALL of our decisions and opinions are based on incomplete information
While most people get along in life somehow, they do so by copy pasting behaviors that they think or experienced to work out for them. Also people act generally selfish. This doesn’t mean people can’t act altruistic, but that altruism is chosen as the best way to get along.
CC0 from Pixabay
Let’s scale this down a little bit:
Humans are choosing characters. Each and every move, word, action even thoughts are chosen from a wide variety of tools available. And these choices on the one hand are based on the information available and the experiences we think to remember from the past and on the other hand on which expected outcome is assumed best in this particular situation.
To give a simple example: You have to choose a walking way to buy you something from your local store. You have two possible ways, a fast one and a longer and harder one. Everyone would go for the short one at first glance. But if you like the view along the longer way you may chose that, if you want to lose weight, you may chose the longer way, if you need some time to think, you may chose the longer way. No one else will know the reason for your decision; sometimes even yourself will be unaware.
The critical points in this chain are easy to spot:
* The available information
We already learned that this is the most important part. No one has all the information ready. NO ONE. Additionally the interpretation of available information can diverge massively. For “normal” people the only way to gather information is by the Media, and it doesn’t matter if it’s Mainstream Media or Alternative Media. Media always is a prism, which distorts reality or truth in a direction that is wanted, expected, can be sold best or resonates most with the writer. The only thing a single person can do is gather ALL information that he can get or trust others to sum up information correctly. Personally I’d advise to DYOR (Do your own research) and always ask yourself what is really probable. Theories about probability are the most important means coming close to what is “real”. Also confront yourself with details that are not convenient to your experiences.
Past experiences
We all lived our lives to this point. This means we all have been quite successful so far, as we are not dead. We learned to survive by experiences we made, rules we follow and things we believe in, no matter how biased or superstitious these experiences and rules are. Don’t touch the cooker, it may be hot. Don’t cross the street at a red light… this may kill you and/or others. Don’t eat strange smelling stuff, it may kill you. Clean yourself, being dirty may make you sick. Simple so far.
But also our social experiences influence our behavior. Don’t fart in public, people will laugh about you and you’ll feel ashamed. Don’t oppose the majority. They are stronger than you. You’ll be much more accepted if you side with the stronger ones. Don’t criticize XYZ because you will be ostracized.
In fact fear of ostracism is one of the strongest motivations and worst expected outcomes regarding human behavior.
This fear is the most effective and most evil way to manipulate people doing things, even against their knowledge.
Expected outcome
This is a mixture from both above points. Available information mixed up with personal past experiences will form expected outcome. At least if we are informed in a certain way. If we aren’t this becomes strictly a part of available information. If we have no clue and don’t care about facts or information this becomes completely a part of our experiences and the “gut-feeling” that we have about something. Expected outcome is the driving force for personal preferences.
Personal preferences
Depending on our experiences, the information we get (first by parents, then in school, by society and the Media) and what we expect as results or outcomes of EVERYTHING, we set our personal preferences. These preferences are quite hard to change both for others and even harder for oneself.
This is the main reason we keep arguing about things, we have no clue about. That’s why we defend things we can’t fathom. And that’s why we fight each other instead of cooperating. But also this is why we cooperate instead of opposing certain things.
Why this is important to know?
You are manipulated. I am manipulated. All the time - and most of the time without knowing it. You are being manipulated by others and most of the time by yourself. You will be very much surprised how much your thinking will develop and change. How much your awareness will rise and how different you will see the world.
CC0 from pixabay
What’s the point?
Awareness. Simple as that. Most people are not aware why they behave as they do, even why they THINK as they do. Personally I try to gather every information available about a subject that caught my interest. From any available source… then I do the math. How probable is the information to be true. I try to check my reactions whether they are based on fear, positive or negative experiences and I try to get a set of different expected outcomes. Finally I check if everything is consistent with my (hopefully consistent) personal preferences.
YES this is a whole lot of work in the beginning, but it’s worth it.
You will never miss the gorilla in the middle of the room again.
Thank you for reading, let me know what you think in the comments!
##Authored by @pollux.one
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Thank you!
Lol I didn’t notice the gorilla 🦍! I just got fooled!
They know exactly how to pass their message to our brain subconsciously. At the end you have to do your own research as you mentioned, you have to use common sense. Unfortunately, even alternative media today can use fake news or this manipulative way to fool us. That’s why common sense and research is crucial.
😆 some people just don’t care... Anyway, you always have to use your past experience to make future moves or decisions. There is this very clever rule “learn from your mistakes” I always depend on it, on most of my decisions. Hey, it’s ok to make mistakes. As long as we learn from them and they don’t kill us we only get stronger and smarter. Just like your gorilla 🦍 test. I wouldn’t get fooled if I watched it again. Great point about “expect outcome”. You actually deal with it every single day, just by driving your car. You have to expect unexpected, to expect the outcome to be a good driver. It’s all playing out in your brain either short therm in a matter of seconds or long therm in a matter of your entire life.
I agree! Likewise!
Great article @pollux.one & @adsactly!
Most don't see it (at least if they don't know the test and watch it for the first time).
Glad if I was able to teach something.
Truly great post. Well written and considered. Thank you.
I have one more definitive saying in my life to go with the two that you presented: "It's not the stuff I don't know that bites me on the ass, it's the things I know that are wrong." Don Rogers
Every thing, every single thing is filtered through my very own set of filters. I have to be prepared to know that my filters are not working correctly.
Thanks Pollux One for a truly wonderful post. Gave me several things to run through my filters.
Thx Tom! Means much to me what you said and what you added in. I hate to be bitten anyway around... Glad that I still can make people think even more as they do already.
Excellent post @adsactly
I do think the mass media/corporations may have missed something though. The speed of information (internet), and the speed of distribution. Techniques like the ones you mention above, (lies, distraction, mind manipulation) work when there is no 'live' forum. 'Live', (or close to) discussions - on issues reported in the propaganda rags are obliterated before they have time to grow into a 'truth'. Unlike yesteryear.
Then, they could change opinion much easier, before people had a chance to talk about it..
I believe, never in history so much bad/wrong information was available. That is the main reason why we have to learn to overcome our own misconceptions and misinformations we cling to.
Beautiful write up.
Thank you for the Socratic paradox.
Everyone actually needs a little dose of philosophy to understand things better.
When we accept that we know nothing, then we can truly open our minds to learn and understand things better.
Often times I ask friends who criticize certains thing why they do and their responses are often times disappointing. Responses like... tradition or an age long belief or practice. I often times do my best to open their minds. Well like you rightly said, I become ostracized. Hahaha. It's the reality.
This piece you have written is worth more than all the money in the world.
Thank you for steeming.
Thank you very much.
Sometimes I wonder which way is more fulfilling. Being "happy" but adapted and basically a sheep, or being free and sometimes fighting a very lonely fight.
Awareness and selfawareness are topics that get more and more limelight recently and that is a good thing, I am thankful for that.
One major problem I see is that people never really learn to learn. I had a couple of teachers over the course of my life, some decent, others eh, but none of them were actually teaching me how to actually learn or concentrate or think critically.
Sometimes, I say that the school systems do not prepare us for being humans but for being working drones. And I don't like that one bit.
Knowledge is power and pursuing knowledge and understanding are some of the most important things we as humans can do in my opinion. Yet that gets discouraged unless said knowledge helps you make a profit or enables you to have power over others.
Such a waste.
This is so true. If you teach children how to learn.
Reading, Writing, basic maths, speaking in public and thinking logically.
They would be able to live on their own responsibility.
People nowadays are afraid of that and force other people into that, too.
In the end it is your decision to fight it, or to live with it.
In the modern world, most people prefer to copy the model of behavior from successful people. That is, seeing a successful person, a person consciously concludes, "if I do everything the same as he, then I will get the same success as he has."
I liked the example of "accessible information". Now people have access to a lot of information. At first it seemed a positive moment, but now we see a real picture. The more information, the easier it is to get lost in it. We can not know the whole truth. No one can.
The best way to go to the truth is to ask questions. Do not have to believe all the information that you see. It is best to think with your own head and look at the situation from different angles. That is, to investigate objectively and draw your own conclusions.
Since birth, a "program" of behavior has been tuned into our brains. We are told what is "good" and what is "bad". That is, the image of our thinking is the result of how we were taught to think. But we must draw our own conclusions. I look at all events and situations from the happy sides. I always try to follow common sense and draw my own conclusions. Need to be objective.
Thanks for the great posts!
Copying successful behavious is a good start. But that is not "you". You have to go further and find yourself in all that mess around you.
Sir @adsactly if I must confess this post has made my day...
You're my steemian of the week
#resteemed
Thank you!
Dear sir @adsactly I wish to be like you someday
Adsactly is not a person, but a community. It is hard to become a community. But it is quite easy to join. Just click on the discord link and you'll find out.
really great post
thx!
you are welcome
A good topic to deal with difficult reflexions, now that the speed of information overpowers the cognitive abilities of men, especially young people.
I am an art teacher and fortunately we still have some resources to address and deepen the theme of awareness. The arts still represent the last bulwark of massification, my students always explain to them that they have passion and love for the things they do. But we are still in areas full of obstacles, I am committed to transmitting content and not just technical ... the steps and not the gorilla! see you next @adsactly
Glad you liked it. Art is like good wine or cheese. You have to taste a lot of it to be able to judge what it good and what is bad. A lot of gorillaz to miss in that field.