The fundamentals of coercion

This local blogger writes an insanely good post that details how people sell you, manipulate you and basically get you to act against your own interests. This is a must read not only if you don't wanna be conned but also if you're single and thinking about dating again.

Once the customer has been infantized, he is controlled by various tricks. One of the best-known is the "common enemy" technique. The salesman pretends to be conspiring with the customer against the nasty head of the dealership, or against another salesman who is greedy and dishonest. The "common enemy" technique is also used by the police (started by various intelligence agencies)--one interrogator, the "good cop," teams up with the subject against the other interrogator, the "bad cop."

It's scary how much this guy knows about mind control, but then he reveals that he once sold cars . . . So it makes sense.

If I can add one bit of advice, it's that "crazy" is hard to control. Whenever I feel pressured, I usually let loose with some non sequitur that usually puts all but the best manipulators (everyone but my Mother really) on their heels. "You wanna do what to my hand puppet?!" is usually good start. This great post also reminds me of an INSANE story I was watching again last night regarding a young girl working McDonald's who was held against her will, tortured and then molested all because some guy on the phone pranked the place using an authoritative voice and basically unleashed every malicious urge this poor broad's supervisors ever had.

Clearly, the power of suggestion is much more powerful than people think AND you (I) now have another reason to stay away from those tasty breakfast sandwiches that are clogging so many arteries across the country.