Am I Being Manipulated?

 

Mongolia - photo credit: Aaron Springston

Most of us acknowledge that some prescription drugs cause adverse reactions, perhaps rendering us out of control and sleep-driving or eating. We know this and have a choice in whether or not to reap the meager benefits anyway. But what if we were told that our favorite food causes us to believe things which simply are not true, or made us buy things, or think the earth was flat? Would we stop eating it, or would we say, "Oh, I know when I'm being manipulated and I can eat chocolate and still think independently."? There is a new documentary out called "The Social Dilemma" and it tells us in detail how we are being manipulated by Facebook, in particular. This platform is the reason many people have become flat earthers, believing the world is flat and there is a great ice wall at the perimeter and you will be put into jail if you get there. Others believe in pizzagate and think there is a network of well-known people kidnapping children and performing horrendous atrocities. These are the extremes, but what of the influences which are much more subtle? I leave you with this quote from a review posted at Independent.co.uk, of this NetFlix documentary: "“It’s easy to think that it’s just a few stupid people who get convinced,” warns the engineer who created the rogue Youtube algorithm, “but the algorithm is getting smarter and smarter every day. Today they’re convincing people that the Earth is flat, but tomorrow they will be convincing you of something.” I'm not sure where I come down on this theory, but certainly will think seriously about it.


"As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind. It is the false belief that mind is in matter, and is both evil and good; that evil is as real as good and more powerful. This belief has not one quality of Truth. It is either ignorant or malicious. The malicious form of hypnotism ultimates in moral idiocy." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 103:18

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