On another side of the coin, we’ve people who are interested in nudging and exploiting the mind. An easily understandable example is advertisers, politicians, and influencers. They manipulate our thoughts by making use of our emotions, biases, and prejudices to reach their end goal.

Most of the time we are sold by what was presented because the story strikes the right chord.

I’m not condemning their behavior because even if you think you would not do think of “exploiting” others. Well, I’ve news for you. We all do it to a certain extent to get something we want in return. It’s part of the human game we all play together.

Like Getting A Job Interview

In order to score the position or dream job, we would do our best in preparation in foreseeing potential questions being asked, dress nicely, use the right word or jargon, speak in an appropriate tone, and showcase the right KPIs in order to be shortlisted in a job interview.

We would even try to mirror the interviewer’s behavior to become more likable if it is an in-person interview session.

We don’t often see it as influencing others because we thought only people doing sales, promoting, or only politician does it. Truth is, we are being sold to every time and we are doing the same thing as well to some degree.

Every Content is Striving For Our Mental Space

Open any news outlet or social media app. Then, scroll through carefully to examine the content whether it is an article or advertisement. Each is trying hard in fighting for our attention as we scan through the headlines finding worthy items within our peripheral.

Influencing and manipulation are becoming more visible nowadays. It’s usually done through advertising, marketing, thought leader, and expert. We even have a new class of people calling themselves influencers that do solely “influencing” on social media.

Recently, the “get-rich-quick” scheme gurus are pandering to the desperate in selling them a dream where very little work is required to gain a fortune. It’s disgusting.

Massive Consumption of Contents

Each piece of content whether it’s a TikTok video, good-looking ads, or a very well-written opinion piece is fiercely competing for our mental space. In the hope, to sway our opinions on certain topics, situations, products, or services which might lead to a favorable outcome.

An outcome like buying a certain brand, investing NFT (Non-Fungible Token) promoted by favorite personalities (don’t buy them), agreeing to certain political rhetoric, solidifying what to believe and not, etc.

We shouldn’t fool ourselves that we can’t be affected if we ignore it. Anything the mind comes across in reading, watching, experiencing, and listening has a certain degree of stickiness that lingers in the background until we uproot it.

If possible, we should not let them take roots in our minds in the first instance. As uprooting cost more than letting it grow in the first place.

A Chain Combo

An idea can be seeded from anywhere, anyone, and in any interaction. It depends on how deep does that particular idea goes and what buttons are pushed to evoke the preferred reaction. Like having a chain combo strike in a beat ’em up game.

The more chain combo used the higher the score at the end. In this instance, the more right buttons to push the more hearts and minds to be won.

For instance, what words (a word can have many subtexts, contexts, memories, emotions attached to it) are used, which biases (confirmation, survival, etc) are employed, what prejudice (formed conclusion) is used, and what emotion is triggered (greed, fear, love, etc).

How Do They Sticks?

Common techniques are like using a catchy tune, a phrase, playing on a deep-seated fear, a constant bombardment of an advertisement that leaves an impression on the target audience’s mind. For instance, McDonald’s always plays their signature jingle when the logo appears.

Also, the combination of different parts like words, images, audio, and videos can generate powerful draws and impressions to the receiving target. That might evoke emotions, memories, or commonly held values among a specific group.

TikTok: The Attention Black Hole

The platform contains a myriad of emotive content generated by users which uses catchy music and funny moments in short video format delivered in a never-ending feed. It might be a few fun videos at first until you finally found yourself wondering why hours had disappeared as you check app usage.

The result might send people into buying useless stuff unconsciously, choosing to believe rather than verification, accepting without giving critical thoughts, emulating others in fear of FOMO, and constantly clout chasing.

The never-ending novelty of the continuous feed is what glues people to the screen. The increasing usage time is good for the advertisers that want dedicated eyeballs to spent their budgets. However, bad for users’ productivity and mental health.

TikTok is not the only one but a lot of social media websites are doing the same thing as well. Others are drooling over what TikTok can pull off. I’m not judging it as good or bad but it is a symptom of our current society.

Influences Are Everywhere

We are most likely to accept an idea when the mind is confused. Being clouded with a sea of negative emotions makes it hard to be alert as it blurs the lines between ideas. Moreover, being stressed out by our modern lifestyle can lead to bad decisions making.

Day by day we are getting more confused in an already very confusing world. So, we should always try our best to find out the truth of the matter. To see for ourselves and the world with clarity rather than blindly accepting what was told or given to us.

Heck, you might now think that what was written above is creative writing 🤣. Good, this is where all of it starts. Go on and dig! Find out what are the facts, realities, and truth of the matter.

Take Away

Whatever is latched onto our mind as a fragment like a passing thought from an advertisement, social media post, a comment from a celebrity, or even a Reddit comment has the potential to manifest within us. Slowly brewing until actions are manifested outwardly into the world.

So, watch out for what is manifesting within and see through the matter completely if possible.