The Double Edged Sword
The Double Edged Sword
Years ago I read a book titled, “Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer.” The title foretold the book’s contents perfectly, so much so that I have never forgotten the title. In many ways much of our technology is like our minds. There exists an incredible power for helpfulness as well as the potential for the opposite.
Of late I have seen several new studies employing subliminal communication that are potentially alarming. As recently as last week when I wrote this newsletter, an enquiry came into my office regarding the use of flashing imagery in the caller’s church.
This is a year of politics and most can remember the subliminal “rats” ad from the 2000 elections. We have already seen press stories regarding the misuse of subliminal methods including the “error” made by Fox TV when they showed Senator Obama’s face in the back of a sex offender story. Although technically not subliminal, the message if not a “mistake” could have the same effect that a 2008 subliminal study showed. In this study the American Flag was used to prime individuals by flashing it for a millisecond. The study showed that doing this created the tendency “to make white individuals less liking of Barack Obama” presumably because earlier studies have “tend to correlate whiteness with Americanness as opposed to blackness with Americanness.” (Romano 2008)
In February of this year the province of Ontario pulled 87 video slot machines from casinos after an investigation revealed that subliminal messages were flashing at players. (Staff 2008)
In the soon to be released new documentary in which I appear, Programming the Nation, there are numerous instances of subliminal abuse and misuse that are revealed. Until this new film is released, it is wise to pay attention to the methods that can be used to influence one’s every decision. Indeed, part of the reason for writing my latest book, Choices and Illusions, was to show just how our minds are persuaded to a belief that is not our own.
Bibliography
Romano, A. (2008) Expertinent: The Political Psychology of Race and Gender. Volume, DOI: http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/03/12/
expertinent-the-political-psychology-of-race-and-gender.aspx
Staff, CBC (2008) Ontario removes video slot machines flashing winning images. CBC News Volume, DOI: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/02/25/video-lottery.html
Years ago I read a book titled, “Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer.” The title foretold the book’s contents perfectly, so much so that I have never forgotten the title. In many ways much of our technology is like our minds. There exists an incredible power for helpfulness as well as the potential for the opposite.
Of late I have seen several new studies employing subliminal communication that are potentially alarming. As recently as last week when I wrote this newsletter, an enquiry came into my office regarding the use of flashing imagery in the caller’s church.
This is a year of politics and most can remember the subliminal “rats” ad from the 2000 elections. We have already seen press stories regarding the misuse of subliminal methods including the “error” made by Fox TV when they showed Senator Obama’s face in the back of a sex offender story. Although technically not subliminal, the message if not a “mistake” could have the same effect that a 2008 subliminal study showed. In this study the American Flag was used to prime individuals by flashing it for a millisecond. The study showed that doing this created the tendency “to make white individuals less liking of Barack Obama” presumably because earlier studies have “tend to correlate whiteness with Americanness as opposed to blackness with Americanness.” (Romano 2008)
In February of this year the province of Ontario pulled 87 video slot machines from casinos after an investigation revealed that subliminal messages were flashing at players. (Staff 2008)
In the soon to be released new documentary in which I appear, Programming the Nation, there are numerous instances of subliminal abuse and misuse that are revealed. Until this new film is released, it is wise to pay attention to the methods that can be used to influence one’s every decision. Indeed, part of the reason for writing my latest book, Choices and Illusions, was to show just how our minds are persuaded to a belief that is not our own.
Bibliography
Romano, A. (2008) Expertinent: The Political Psychology of Race and Gender. Volume, DOI: http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/03/12/
expertinent-the-political-psychology-of-race-and-gender.aspx
Staff, CBC (2008) Ontario removes video slot machines flashing winning images. CBC News Volume, DOI: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/02/25/video-lottery.html
posted by Eldon Taylor at 6:09 PM
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