Do You Really Think You Think What You Want To Think?
I frequently chat with people about the power of suggestion. Specifically, the kind that involves subliminal programming. Once in a blue moon I will meet an individual that shares a similar perspective, but the common response is very dismissive, if not outright disgust at the notion.
So what is it exactly?
Most people have heard of it, some even have an idea of what it actually is, but most have no clue of how much it's used in society.
The general consensus seems to be: "Oh yeah, it was used back in the 50's in movies, didn't they flash a Coca Cola symbol or something, and it would make people want a Coke?" Well yes, that was one form, but I'm sure it didn't begin there.
When we refer to the word subliminal, we're talking about a thought process that we are not aware of, that is; it's not a conscious thought.
Our thoughts are either conscious or subconscious. If a thought is conscious, that means you are aware of the thought, if the thought is subconscious, then it's beyond your control. The subconscious mind is actually much more powerful than the conscious.
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If you were to make a comparison between the subconscious mind, and the conscious, I would use a computer as an example. Our brains after all, actually work in a less efficient, but similar manner.
Your conscious mind would look like the GUI (graphical user interface) This is where you make decisions consciously, in a linear fashion. You decide to open up your web browser, you click on the appropriate icon, and you are presented with a pretty web browser, where you then put in an address like https://steemit.com/@futuremind, and you have a great day. But the subconscious would be the scary terminal emulator, with long lists of codes that don't make any sense to to most people. When you clicked on that simple looking icon that brought you to a web browser, many different processes were taking place without you necessarily being aware. In fact that simple action made so many processes happen, that it would probably take three or four more paragraphs this size just to explain them all, if not more!
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The subliminal sensory stimuli work across 7 broad categories: Visual, auditory, touch, taste, smell, movement, and body awareness.
Subliminal programming targets the visual and auditory stimuli.
Let's talk about the different types of visual subliminals.
Subvisual: This is an image or a piece of text that is inserted into a frame of video that is so fast, that the viewer doesn't normally pick up it's presence. Generally it will be of a color that doesn't deviate from the color in the surrounding frames very much, as to not pop out and be obvious, but the subconscious easily captures the frame, and locks in the subconscious mind.
Embeds: These are images or messages hidden in plain sight. Their placed in advertisements more frequently than you would imagine.
Do you see the money in the lettuce?
Pretty harmless right? Think again...
These are the things your subconscious picks up without you even realizing it. (Visually speaking)
Now let's talk about audio.
Subaudible: Messages that are placed at a low volume, within a higher volume audio file, as to obscure or make impossible to pick up on, but the subconscious records and deciphers without you knowing. (I personally could see some flaws with this method because of issues with people's hearing.)
Backmasking: Generally used in music, where words or phrases appear as a normal line of speech, but when played in reverse , a clear message can be deciphered. (This probably is more effective than subaudible.)
What I personally believe to be one of the most powerful tools in audio programming today, is the power of suggestion. There are a broad range of types when it comes to this, but the type I see regularly is long term suggestion, and it's used heavily in commercials and news.
I recently saw a commercial with Ellen Degeneres as the voice host, pertaining to Spectrum TV and Internet services. At one point she states "No one can see the future." As soon as I heard this, I knew, this would be an extremely overplayed commercial, and I was correct. In my area they seem to play it every single commercial break. Why? What does it achieve? It's simple, by hearing "No one can see the future" multiple times a day, the message is burned into your subconscious, and reinforced by hearing it over and over, insuring everyone who hears it will surely, not be able to forget it. (Subconsciously speaking) What then happens if you think you have a vision of the future? A little voice in your head will tell you how foolish that is because "no one can see the future"...
Why would the powers that be want to enforce this type of suggestion? Well, it must coincide with their agenda. (Whatever that agenda may be) I am not going to voice my opinion, because my opinion clearly does not matter. I don't control television broadcasts, and I have no power to even suggest that bullshit commercials like this not be aired.
I can only suggest this: That if you have the ability to think for yourself, and can pick up on the messages that are intended to control your thinking, then you might be a little more equipped to defend yourself against the programming. Yes I consider this a mass programming, because that really is what it is. It's by design that the masses disgustingly turn their nose to rhetoric of this nature, because if we question our reality, if we question our media, if we question our nature, if we question what we think, then we just might be able to change it, and this would ultimately be detrimental to control over the masses. To continue on worrying about trivialities, and who has the latest and greatest piece of clothing, or technological hardware , the money keeps flowing to the top, and the masses remain divided.
Thank you for reading. @futuremind
david icke talks about a lot of this stuff in his books, using some of the same examples you do. it's quite frightening, and mind-opening.
only those with hubris say 'advertising doesn't have any effect on me.'
Indeed. I personally believe that being aware of it, limits it's effects, but even still, there is so much subliminal programing in society, that it effects even the ones who are aware. It really leaves you wondering how much control over your thoughts you really have, even if you think you are impervious to it.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the topic.
and not forgetting the things we are all directly taught in indoctrination centres as children about everything - history, geography, biology, physics, politics, economics, you name it, almost all of it is horse shit and designed to have us collectively wrongthink, disregard our senses, hate the wrong people and divide and rule us.
peace.
Okay...I haven't read a lot these days, this blew my mind wew.
Never paid good attention to ads, but seriously this subconscious thingy is getting on my nerves lul. Asking questions on everything is a good practice to keep yourself actually awake from some blindness in your mind, and be hopeful that you can find some hidden messages in each message...yea, do that if you can handle the constant doubt and sorts that comes from each question lol.
Nice representation of the layers of the mind by referring to a computer, if you are lucky (to meet a bug in Ubuntu), you can press Ctrl Alt F1 and see a constant spam of error messages regarding some IO port in your computer. Not sure why it reminded me of this, well, just saying :^)
You need moar readers dude.
P/s: It's actually quite impressive that someone is able to view at the TV for two days straight, I mean, it is a passive one-way communication, how did he managed to do it for so long...???
P/s: It's actually quite impressive that someone is able to view at the TV for two days straight, I mean, it is a passive one-way communication, how did he managed to do it for so long...???
LOL DUDE I don't know! But it's pretty common in the places I've been! I hear people talk about being bored all the time, and having nothing to do, and I seriously cannot understand it. I have a huge list of things I have not managed to get to yet. I barely ever have time to watch TV, or even the desire to do so.
Once in a while I like to watch a good movie, but come on.. life is not all about a TV screen. One could say the same for a computer screen, but I see a huge difference. I read, and learn what I desire to read and learn on a computer, not what is fed to me.
Thank you for your kind words regarding my writing. I worked very hard on this blog particularly, because it's something that I have been thinking about for years. As far as the analogy to a computer, this came as a natural thought, because our brains do work similarly to a computer, so it just made sense to me.
Thanks for upvoting, commenting, and stopping by! Your input is always appreciated!
Hi @futurmind, this is a very interesting subject, in the 80s it was a real stunt, that music bands put "secret statanist messages" in their lyrics, if you played the LP backwards; such as, for example:
Probably the best known 'backwards' album is Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. The band itself denies that they have hidden the message, and calls it pure coincidence.
It concerns the text:
"If there is a bustle in your hedgerow, do not be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
Yes, there are two ways you can go, but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on "
If you turn this around then you will hear if you listen carefully:
"Oh here's my sweet Satan.
The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is Satan.
He will give those with him 666.
There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan. "
Other bands like ,The Beatles,Judas Priest, Pink floyd...did it too, very good toppic @Futuremind ! :)
Yes @vee2180 I learned about the stairway to heaven message as a teenager after I learned how to play the entire song on guitar. My guitar teacher had told me about it. During that time, it was cassettes and cd's. I figured out how to reverse it on a cassette, then when computers started becoming popular, I was able to slow it down and clear up the audio. It certainly was a pretty clear message, and to date, the most compelling subliminal backmasking I have ever heard.
I have heard all the others too! Subliminals have been an interest of mine for a long long time. I can quickly pick up on them, and they are still heavily in use. They are getting better at hiding them too. Many I still don't catch and find out about later on.
This is interesting and I'm with you on the actual presence of manipulation (overt and covert) in almost every facet and level of human existence.. that this is used as a tool of distraction or disempowerment in order that the majority may remain compliant, disempowered and asleep. Your provided examples of subliminal messaging are striking, and I am also with you on the capacity of the sub/un-conscious mind to record the entirity of the information coming in, of which only a small subset gets filtered through to the conscious mind.
I therefore also agree with the implication that the vast majority of human interaction is likely to be driven by impulses that the individual is not consciously aware of. In other words, most reactions, states of mind, preferences and prejudices, beliefs and attitudes etc etc are a result of learnt, conditioned or programmed behaviour - they are neither natural, nor do they have anything much to do with who that individual really is or feels about life. This is my own experience of myself anyhow!
The analogy of 'programming' is perfect in this context IMO. We are conditioned/programmed to believe we are something we are not, and to put a keen sense of personal identity in externalities - job, status, possessions, relationships etc and many more subtle things besides. There are the familiar, everyday super-structures of the 'Matrix', which support and encourage fake notions of ourselves (social myths like 'competition', 'scarcity', etc; personal myths like 'unworthiness', 'entitlement' etc). These messages have been hammered into us everywhere our entire lives-long; not only by institutions and mass-media, but by parents & friends etc who couldn't know better (blame is just the same old game) and therefore just played along and amplified versions of these messages to us.
How can we know what is real? How can we know what is fake? We can't control it, as you also say above! Are we then its victims?
One of the major subliminal messages emanaing from the Matrix seems to be that it is not worth exploring inner space, and that reality is to be found only in the exernal material world! Yet wisdom from ancient times has it the other way around - that an enquiry into the self (along the lines of 'who am I?') is the starting question from which all the answers of the Universe may follow. I consider this to be a most practical approach as it has the potential to bring the contents of the un/sub-conscious mind into conscious awarenes.
Many thanks for an interesting and thought-provoking post @futuremind
🚣
I must say, I am sitting here slack jawed at how well you are able to convey your thoughts regarding the topic , and also, your ability to recap, and further explain what I was trying to convey here.
When this has been a prevalent topic of thought in one's mind for so many years, and you begin to realize, that it is getting worse every day, that the programming is becoming better, but yet for some reason you have the ability to recognize it, to see even your closest family effected by its sway, and know that you're powerless against it, it really starts to take somewhat of a toll. Does it not?
Then you begin to wonder. Why am I interested in the things I find interesting? Have I been preselected to utilize my mind in this way? Am I just going through the motions of my selected programming? Knowing full well that you are of a rare select if that is the case, it becomes kind of scary.
I think sometimes, who, or what has the scope on me, and am I deviating from the standard? Or am I right where I am supposed to be in this selection. Am I just lucky enough to be endowed in the rare group of individuals who are slightly in the "knowing" Or is it a farse?
Man I could go on and on with my thoughts regarding subliminal programming, and the power of suggestion.
I'm gonna check out your blog, and see what your brilliant mind has to offer to the Steemit community. I would love to see you blog on this topic as well, because it is clear you have given it much thought before composing your response to my blog.
Thank you for your very well thought out, and composed comment. I'm humbly grateful for that.
I'd like to use your second para as the starting point to respond to what you say. This is an interesting conversation, here are my thoughts:
So there is sensitivity without knowing why; there is the perception of others caught in traps and nothing one can do - any direct pointing out leads to alienation or conflict... yes indeed! However, we can fly in a plane and not know how it works - I think knowing why comes after the event. There is a sense of 'powerlessness'. There is also powerlessness to either change the Matrix or to change the opinions or perceptions of another. However, we are very very far from being powerless ourselves, and I think this is a very important point. Fighting where we don't stand a chance certainly drains us - ie resisting the Matrix with physical or emotional energy, or being hurt by rejection and dismissal. This is disempowering. I think (now) that sensitivity is a gift - it's not easy, and it appears to be much more convenient and satisfactory to have a fuckyou attitude to life and others, but that is an approach that is Matrix-approved, and it never works out in the long run. I know a fair number of 'successul' people, most acutely unhappy!
I can only give you my angle. For me, everything is accurate. There is a benign flow of Universal Energy which is very powerful and which is available to all of us all the time and in equal measure (it is unconditional and doesn't have to be deserved). Going with the flow is also to be guided by it - the process becomes the teacher. The why of things become clear as we explore the experience and understand it. Nothing is random. We have the natural ability to shape our reality. We are not enslaved, except by choice.
Everything is accurate, there is no deviation coz you always get back to where you need to be, and any detour is to explore a particular aspect in greater depth. There is no good/bad, these are value judgments and as such, part of the Matrix setup to fool us into giving up our power to outside forces. There is no power or authority that is higher than you - the Universe is, in a sense, the highest and greatest version of YOU! There is no power in the universe that can take over your being against your will.
The tougher the apparent life experience, the greater the potential for learning. If one considers that we may have actually chosen the life we live (pre-birth and therefore without the notions of good/bad, just with the intention of learning from experience), then surely, we must commend ourselves for having selected something as challenging as we have? It's not really a bullshit feelgood point at all. We do not need any external authority to validate our experience for us.
I consider myself to be neither more, nor less than; not better, not worse than - any being of any type. We are all unique expressions of ONE infinite source (no conventional notions of God here), and as such there is no basis for comparison. Comparison, along with appearance, is deceptive, and yet another tool of the Matrix :D. On a positive note, I consider many people to be ready to wake up, just fearful of showing it and unknowing of how to!
There is nothing to fear. We carry the energy of pain and trauma from childhood (I read your other response) and it manifests through life until we learn to let it go. In doing so we grow. But the gaze, as stated, has to be resolutely inwards; without blame, without judgement etc, just with the clear intention of understanding through observation.
Your response was such a delight to read @futuremind, thank you so much for your kind words.
You are one of the deepest thinkers I have ever had the pleasure to speak with. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and all of it really makes complete sense to me. I really am not sure how to respond because my mind is completely blown right now..
Furthermore, I need to learn this awesome markup text you are doing (If that is what it's called?) I ONLY know that, and
THATso far! lolThanks for saying that - am a fellow traveller, like you and all of us :D
Do you mean the markdown on some of my poetry? That's just using the kind of stuff that's listed here. I also added in-line custom images to space it out and add some elements. Not sure if that's what you meant.
Yes, the custom formatting so to speak. How you showed my paragraphs in a lighter greyscale color, with the line going down, also the different size lettering and structuring of your poetry. I was taken back. It's one thing to be able to lay down some some powerful poetry, the the "Word Art " as one of your commenters described, is truly astounding.
Thanks man, and I get you now! The quote is when you insert the code '>' at the start of the para and leave a single blank space between it and your text
you can have sub or sup script by using these opening and closing tags.
Just listened to Working Class Hero - respect my friend, I enjoyed your passionate rendition of it. Thanks
Have taken a screen-shot of what the box looks like to me, so you can see the code :D
Thank you for the compliment on my video, and
Piece of cake!!!
Awesome article! As for those that dismiss you, people don't like to think they're being controlled, or that they are wrong. The inability to admit the possibility is what makes it clear to me, that they are indeed being controlled whether by some greater force or conspiracy or their own ego.
My mantra is to question everything. I teach that to my students and my kids. Do your own research, make up your own mind on a subject based on that research. not what I or anyone else tells you.
The trick, of course, is, that once you make up your mind, you need to question that too. Questioning others comes easy but sometimes we need to step back and question ourselves too.
The truth is that things we think are impossible (like being controlled by advertising) just seem that way because we aren't educated on the subject. If it's a topic you care about (and I mean the proverbial "you") take the time to look at it carefully from all angles. If you don't care about it, don't tell people their wrong because you probably don't know enough about it to make that call.
Whew! Getting off my soapbox, for now at least.
Thanks for sharing your research @futuremind.
Thank you for your perspective @ntowl, I was trying to explain this to one particular individual who lives in front of a TV. I said your inability to even consider this, proves how effective it really is. He literally snickered in disgust, and I ended the conversation. It was as if he literally could not conceptualize it, and didn't even want to try. So why try to defend an uneducated standpoint!..?
He just kept proclaiming that spectrum TV plays high demand content that people want to see, and dismissed the idea of subliminals or suggestion. I tried to explain that what he wants to see could very well be by design. It was a fruitless conversation.
I think it's great that you teach individuals to think for themselves, and question things, even questioning what you think you want to think.. It's a real conundrum of a mind bender eh?
Thanks for stopping by!
@futuremind, I thought, You can see the future for sure and thus more equipped to defend yourself !!!! 😉
Upvoted on behalf of @thehumanbot and it's allies for writing this great original content. Do not use bid bots for at least 1-2 days, as your post may get picked up by top curators.
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On a side note..One of the individuals who dismissed my thoughts on the topic has been watching T.V. for the past two days straight..Approximately the length of time it took me to research, and write this article..How strange....
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It's funny, so many people use DVR to fast forward through commercials that they have changed them so that you can get the subliminal messages even better when you fast forward.
Really? I didn't know this! Thank you for sharing.
try it some time, they have a lot of large words and logos. I think it is always better for them for you to watch the commercial in fast forward to go directly to the subconscious.
I'm not so sure that I want more programming! Lol
they have to get you to see or hear something 7 times to get you to buy/remember it.