The Dark Side of Blogging: Are You Being Manipulated?
August 1st 2008 23:09
The Dark Side of Blogging: Are You Being Manipulated?
If you are reading this post then for some reason you have done one thing that I wanted you to do. Why are you here? Why are you reading this? Why don’t you leave?
You don’t leave but instead you are continuing to read this in either a curious or disenchanted manner. Who does the writer think he is by talking to me in this condescending tone? Why are you here and why are you continuing to read this?
I could be a liar, a killer, a thief. I could be a terrorist. I could be running a front for a radical group of extremists. I could be anything. The problem is you do not know much about me because I have chosen to tell you little. You may think that you know me because I have given out a few bits of information, but how much do you really have? You may think that you have terrific deductive skills and can deduce what I am, the way I think and where I go. You may make guesses as to my politics, religion or lack thereof, but what is you proof. You have no direct evidence and so you can prove nothing. So what is the answer? Good or Evil, Friend or Foe, Safe or Dangerous?
Doubts may set in and you may argue with yourself to reassert your original image of me. You may dismiss this as all nonsense and posturing. So why are you here and why are you continuing to read?
Perhaps I wrote something that you agreed with and decided that only good people could write such things. Perhaps I wrote something that you disagree with and decided that only bad people could be so narrow minded. Either way what I have written could be a ruse or a ploy to make you like me or hate me.
You go to check me out by talking to others to find out what I am like. Yet you get conflicting reports or you get one very specific report. From the opinion of one person you decided what I am. That one person asks you to ask another person whom they specify to confirm this. Sure enough they give the same answer. Yet each of those people are like me. You do not know them any better than you know me. They are strangers as much as I am a stranger to you. Why are you reading this? Why are you here?
So you are still reading this in an undecided manner trying to work out whether I am worthy of your trust. Or whether I am a dangerous person who will bleed you dry of all human feeling. Without trust you do not know either way. Are you still reading? Why is that so?
Trust is all you have in this mess of words and confusion. You trusted others to help form an opinion and you will need to trust the words I written if you are to trust me. They are only words after all, and can be twisted to match what you want to read. Will you keep reading if you think that perhaps my words are designed to lure you in and trick you?
Are you still reading? Why have you kept reading?
Perhaps you are very intelligent as I suspect that you are. I respect you intelligence and education. I know that you must be a good person who does not make rash prejudicial judgements. You sense of humour is what makes you human and likeable.
Then again I could be saying all these things merely to win your trust. Flattery will get me everywhere I am told; Not flattery of you in direct way, but in subtle manner where I praise your intelligence and respect you as nearing the level of a true intellectual. You are almost as good as I am at this creative pursuit of writing. Have you ever considered doing it professionally? Shall I introduce you to someone who can help? Are you impressed? I hope so because if that was my purpose that I have succeeded. Perhaps you trust me because I can give you a small dream and hope in a direction that you want to move. I may know what people want. They want hope and if I have no real hope to hand out, I can always tap into my stock of false hope. You do not know the difference because I will continue to wave this in front of your eyes and say it is real.
I noticed that you have not stopped reading. Why is that so?
Have ever noticed that we have so much in common, you and I? We have the same enemies. Not that I would encourage you any form of prejudice but these people are enemies of all humanity as you know, and if you don’t know let me explain it to you in my words. If you did not understand them before then perhaps you can after I explain them to you. They are as they make you feel. Trust the feelings that I validate for you and listen to what I say. If they make you feel bad after I speak to you then I have achieved my next goal. Trust me as I am your friend and a friend would not lie to you. Would friend use you like some disposable weapon to fling at an enemy? Yet that may be what I am thinking and with a little wound licking and few pats on the head after your failed attack then you will be none the wiser. We can blame the enemy together.
Are you still reading? Why are you reading this?
Slowly I suggest to you that if we are to be free then we must be rid of anyone who opposes us. You are my friend after all, would I tell you direct lies and provide questionable half truths? Or am I thinking that you are my pet who will attack and defend me to the end. Like a pet a I will hold the treat of false hope in front of your eyes and blame my enemies for stopping you from getting it. Have you ever thought of being a psychologist? You are very intelligent and seem to understand people. Or have you considered being a lawyer? You must have some kind of legal training because you are quick to see thing as I do. I am so impressed with your ability to agree with me you intelligent person.
Are you still reading this? Why?
What brought you here?
Why did you read this?
Loyalty, friendship, love and trust.
Hate, fear, defense and distrust.
All these things can be twisted and perverted in ways to engage people at an emotional level. False evidence and conspiracy theories of dark dangers trigger deeper more primal emotions that can make the even rational people fearful and angry. Hope and false hope provide directions, the question is how to tell the difference.
Evidence that is verifiable is better than some comfortable lie but comfort is hard to break.
If you trust everything I write just because I write it then what if I am trying to manipulate you? If you distrust me because of what you think I represent then what if others are manipulating you?
Trust is both a weakness and a strength. Good clear and direct evidence builds trust.
Question what is written and follow it up.
The more emotionally charged it is the greater likelihood that it is designed to be inflammitory to by-pass your critical thinking skill.
Even question what I have written.
Half truths are also half lies.
If you are reading this post then for some reason you have done one thing that I wanted you to do. Why are you here? Why are you reading this? Why don’t you leave?
You don’t leave but instead you are continuing to read this in either a curious or disenchanted manner. Who does the writer think he is by talking to me in this condescending tone? Why are you here and why are you continuing to read this?
I could be a liar, a killer, a thief. I could be a terrorist. I could be running a front for a radical group of extremists. I could be anything. The problem is you do not know much about me because I have chosen to tell you little. You may think that you know me because I have given out a few bits of information, but how much do you really have? You may think that you have terrific deductive skills and can deduce what I am, the way I think and where I go. You may make guesses as to my politics, religion or lack thereof, but what is you proof. You have no direct evidence and so you can prove nothing. So what is the answer? Good or Evil, Friend or Foe, Safe or Dangerous?
Doubts may set in and you may argue with yourself to reassert your original image of me. You may dismiss this as all nonsense and posturing. So why are you here and why are you continuing to read?
Perhaps I wrote something that you agreed with and decided that only good people could write such things. Perhaps I wrote something that you disagree with and decided that only bad people could be so narrow minded. Either way what I have written could be a ruse or a ploy to make you like me or hate me.
You go to check me out by talking to others to find out what I am like. Yet you get conflicting reports or you get one very specific report. From the opinion of one person you decided what I am. That one person asks you to ask another person whom they specify to confirm this. Sure enough they give the same answer. Yet each of those people are like me. You do not know them any better than you know me. They are strangers as much as I am a stranger to you. Why are you reading this? Why are you here?
So you are still reading this in an undecided manner trying to work out whether I am worthy of your trust. Or whether I am a dangerous person who will bleed you dry of all human feeling. Without trust you do not know either way. Are you still reading? Why is that so?
Trust is all you have in this mess of words and confusion. You trusted others to help form an opinion and you will need to trust the words I written if you are to trust me. They are only words after all, and can be twisted to match what you want to read. Will you keep reading if you think that perhaps my words are designed to lure you in and trick you?
Are you still reading? Why have you kept reading?
Perhaps you are very intelligent as I suspect that you are. I respect you intelligence and education. I know that you must be a good person who does not make rash prejudicial judgements. You sense of humour is what makes you human and likeable.
Then again I could be saying all these things merely to win your trust. Flattery will get me everywhere I am told; Not flattery of you in direct way, but in subtle manner where I praise your intelligence and respect you as nearing the level of a true intellectual. You are almost as good as I am at this creative pursuit of writing. Have you ever considered doing it professionally? Shall I introduce you to someone who can help? Are you impressed? I hope so because if that was my purpose that I have succeeded. Perhaps you trust me because I can give you a small dream and hope in a direction that you want to move. I may know what people want. They want hope and if I have no real hope to hand out, I can always tap into my stock of false hope. You do not know the difference because I will continue to wave this in front of your eyes and say it is real.
I noticed that you have not stopped reading. Why is that so?
Have ever noticed that we have so much in common, you and I? We have the same enemies. Not that I would encourage you any form of prejudice but these people are enemies of all humanity as you know, and if you don’t know let me explain it to you in my words. If you did not understand them before then perhaps you can after I explain them to you. They are as they make you feel. Trust the feelings that I validate for you and listen to what I say. If they make you feel bad after I speak to you then I have achieved my next goal. Trust me as I am your friend and a friend would not lie to you. Would friend use you like some disposable weapon to fling at an enemy? Yet that may be what I am thinking and with a little wound licking and few pats on the head after your failed attack then you will be none the wiser. We can blame the enemy together.
Are you still reading? Why are you reading this?
Slowly I suggest to you that if we are to be free then we must be rid of anyone who opposes us. You are my friend after all, would I tell you direct lies and provide questionable half truths? Or am I thinking that you are my pet who will attack and defend me to the end. Like a pet a I will hold the treat of false hope in front of your eyes and blame my enemies for stopping you from getting it. Have you ever thought of being a psychologist? You are very intelligent and seem to understand people. Or have you considered being a lawyer? You must have some kind of legal training because you are quick to see thing as I do. I am so impressed with your ability to agree with me you intelligent person.
Are you still reading this? Why?
What brought you here?
Why did you read this?
Loyalty, friendship, love and trust.
Hate, fear, defense and distrust.
All these things can be twisted and perverted in ways to engage people at an emotional level. False evidence and conspiracy theories of dark dangers trigger deeper more primal emotions that can make the even rational people fearful and angry. Hope and false hope provide directions, the question is how to tell the difference.
Evidence that is verifiable is better than some comfortable lie but comfort is hard to break.
If you trust everything I write just because I write it then what if I am trying to manipulate you? If you distrust me because of what you think I represent then what if others are manipulating you?
Trust is both a weakness and a strength. Good clear and direct evidence builds trust.
Question what is written and follow it up.
The more emotionally charged it is the greater likelihood that it is designed to be inflammitory to by-pass your critical thinking skill.
Even question what I have written.
| 51 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
