Magic of Numbers It's hard to believe, but numbers, measurements, and magnitudes play no less, and often a greater, role in manipulating consciousness than words.Manipulative techniques, relying on numbers, are built on the reputation of impartiality and precision.A person may doubt the source of certain data, their reliability, but in the manipulation of consciousness, numbers are used not to deceive someone but to distort reality or create a new one.On one hand, making a person doubt their own abilities, and on the other, playing on the natural desire to seem "smart," "knowledgeable in complex matters"; few are willing to readily admit, not only to others but also to themselves, that they are unable to understand complex data, calculations, and interpret them correctly.This is clearly evident, for example, during election debates, when candidates bombard each other with various figures expressed in percentages, prices, losses, indicators of inflation, statistical data, results of polls, etc., not allowing the opponent to comment or even refute specific data.Calculations here are not made to convey information to the opponent, but rather to implant a certain frightening or enticing number into the voter's consciousness. Even if the number is completely absurd, like "5 million jobs."In general, the use of numbers, especially in the form of complex calculations, formulas, equations, tables, etc., lends an air of "solidity" and apparent reliability to any information.This is especially true in the context of currency exchange rates: everyone is familiar with manipulative mantras about the dollar against the national currency, which serve not for banking or attempts at stock speculation but rather have a purely political purpose – to increase tension and anxiety in society.Almost each of us has experienced the so-called "left-digit effect": a price is set, say, not 60,000 but 59,999 – with this approach, the buyer feels like they are purchasing the item not for sixty thousand rubles but for fifty-nine thousand.Its impact is linked to the fact that people read from left to right and often do not pay attention to the last digits. Therefore, purchasing a gadget with a price tag of "9999 Dollars" seems much more advantageous than buying the exact same device for 10000 – and the benefit is not in the saved cent!Marketers refer to the infamous "nine" as a "magic number" and consider its use not as deceiving buyers, but as a common unconscious perception by people. From our perspective, it's pure manipulation!Historical figures also hold significant importance in manipulating consciousness. We are not talking about discussions among professional historians that take place within the scientific community and involve various approaches to periodization of historical events, source analysis, and so on. Instead, we're referring to media speculations that arise depending on the authorities' needs for specific indicators in each particular period.For example, according to the American historian Robert Conquest, whose works were widely cited during the Perestroika, the number of prisoners in the USSR simultaneously amounted to 10 million people in 1937-1938.Subsequently, these data were repeatedly refuted (currently, the most accurate data are considered to be those of V.N. Zemskov: 3,777,380 people were arrested throughout the period of repressions), but they managed to play a role in manipulating the consciousness of the Soviet people.However, despite Conquest's data being disproven multiple times, politicians, depending on their beliefs, continue to compete. On one hand, attempting to "shock" citizens with even larger figures of losses, and on the other hand, conversely, pushing the repression figures to the levels of statistical error.Inflating data on something genuinely tragic may be associated not only with manipulation but also with sincere misconceptions ("fear has big eyes").On September 11, 2001, during live broadcasts from the scene, it was reported that there were "tens of thousands dead" in the Twin Towers that were attacked. However, in the final counts, it turned out that a total of 2,983 people died during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.Certainly, every person's life is valuable, and their death is a tragedy. Nevertheless, initial data on the victims of terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and technological catastrophes tend to be more trusted by viewers than the refined and, fortunately, often reduced loss figures.Since viewers who do not trust the authorities in reducing such data see it as an attempt for some reason to "conceal" the real losses—similar to propaganda during active military operations. One of its principles is to avoid reporting their own casualties and downplay their numbers, while exaggerating the losses on the enemy's side. It is believed that this approach sustains the morale of the army and the population.One way or another, exaggeration or understatement of figures is a crucial component of any campaign aimed at manipulating consciousness. For instance, data on participants in street protests are always presented as follows:1) From the organizers' perspective – the highest number;2) From the police or other law enforcement agencies – the lowest number;3) From "independent observers" (journalists, experts, etc.) – the average number.I dare to assume that this "average number" doesn't result from actual independent counts but rather by simply finding the arithmetic mean of the highest and lowest data. The use of average figures, in general, opens unprecedented opportunities for manipulating public consciousness.Although it is widely known that average values can only be used when there is no significant disparity between the parts of the whole, they are still successfully employed for consciousness manipulation by state statistical agencies worldwide. For example, when publishing data on "average salaries."It turns out that average indicators are derived from a dataset in which salaries of junior specialists and top managers of large state-owned corporations are mixed. To put it bluntly, salaries of daycare teachers and high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Education are blended together. When calculated this way, the figures for each sector do look quite decent. However, they fail to provide any real insight into the actual incomes of the majority of employees in this field.In this sense, the persisting illusions about the extraordinary earnings of programmers and other IT specialists in the USA are illustrative.Indeed, in average figures, incomes in this industry are high, but the salaries of leading specialists in Silicon Valley are far from what ordinary computer professionals can earn. Nevertheless, many IT specialists still harbor dreams of moving to the USA, but often find themselves greatly disappointed when it finally happens: their income turns out to be, if not equal, only slightly higher than the corresponding qualified salaries in their home country, while the purchasing power and the overall cost of living turn out to be completely different.Of course, highly skilled professionals, especially "computer geniuses," are in demand in the American IT industry. Still, to find them, one must, like gold prospectors, sift through hundreds of kilograms of sand. In this case, the "sand" is represented by the intricate messages, ranging from advertisements to private conversations, about the extraordinary incomes of IT specialists.Distorted images also arise as a result of the unscrupulous use of relative numbers without specifying absolute values.Interestingly, when media caught in such manipulations are confronted, they often attribute them to something like a copyediting error or technical glitch. Additionally, data on something is often presented without correlation with previous and usual figures.At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic (March-April 2020), many information sources displayed daily death tolls. However, information about mortality during the same period in previous years was not provided. Readers were left with the choice either to delve into the matter themselves (the data on the number of deaths in March-April 2020 differed at the level of statistical error compared to previous years) or to be alarmed by the daily death toll and strictly adhere to all precautionary measures.Manipulation often involves presenting and evaluating certain information without any qualitative decryption.It's a well-known phenomenon: opposition politicians (this happens in any country with a government and opposition) lament when the state increases pensions and other social benefits.However, consciousness manipulation through numbers is not limited to political, economic, and social life. There are more serious interventions into a person's internal and, perhaps even, intimate world.Particularly in recent years, a global trend has emerged to alter age-related quantitative and qualitative characteristics. To achieve this, concepts like "boomers," "zoomers," and "millennials" are widely disseminated and introduced in the media. These terms are intended to suggest that individuals falling within these purely quantitative (birth years) definitions have some fundamental differences in goals, tasks, and worldviews. The UN and WHO continually shift age boundaries towards an increase in the age of hypothetical "youth." If many youth programs used to conclude around 27 years old, these programs have gradually extended to 35 years old. Currently, the World Health Organization has extended youthfulness up to 44 years. Other age categories have also been shifted, and, for instance, old age now only begins at 75.Partly, these changes are associated with the increase in life expectancy and quality of life in developed countries. However, mostly, they serve as a cover-up for the lack of qualified and reliable professionals in the labor market, as well as economic difficulties, resulting in the retirement age being raised in many countries.By formally extending the young and middle age, global organizations almost encourage those dreaming of retirement, manipulating them into considering themselves not yet old, i.e., ready to work without any privileges or benefits.The same goals are pursued by authorities when extending the age of safe childbearing for mothers. On the one hand, it's positive that medical advancements and improved quality of life give hope for motherhood to women of any age. On the other hand, it contributes to the emergence of "deferred motherhood," leading to health problems for women and their children. On the third hand, every individual's life differs from the advertising image, and theoretical possibilities don't necessarily translate into practical ones, leading to family dramas and personal tragedies.In general, blurring the lines between social and passport age provides ample ground for consciousness manipulation. Just recall election campaigns where opposition members use slogans like "hide grandma's passport," thereby showcasing the conservatism and loyalty of elderly people towards the existing power, influenced either by senility or induced by it.In one way or another, the "magic of numbers" is widely employed in consciousness manipulation—from simple commercial contexts to complex social and political scenarios.To be continued...#Psychology #Manipulation #Government

Gestures, Sounds, Smells Pt.1
It is known that conveyed information can be embodied not only in words and numbers.
Posture and gestures can be much more eloquent and precise than words – this is what scientists call nonverbal texts, in which visible bodily actions are used to convey important messages either instead of speech or simultaneously with spoken words.
Gestures can include hand movements, facial expressions (facial gestures), and other parts of the body.
Understanding specific gestures varies across different cultures: the most well-known, almost textbook example is the head nod among Bulgarians. In Russia and most other countries, a nod indicates agreement, while Bulgarians, on the contrary, by nodding, seem to say "no."
Through gestures and their interpretation, on the one hand, much can be understood about a culture, and on the other hand, these differences can be easily exploited for manipulative purposes.
For example, during the era of perestroika, much was written about smiling people from the Western world and the seemingly never-smiling Soviet people.
During those times, the reluctance to smile at everyone was explained by the difficult life in the USSR, where supposedly every stranger was perceived as an enemy, and in general, the unfriendliness of "Russian bears."
Even children in preschools were instructed during group photo sessions back then: "say cheese!" - it was assumed that this simple exercise would naturally stretch the lips into a joyful smile.
The stereotype of non-smiling Russians is still popular in the media, and from time to time, publications with detailed comments on this topic appear. While no one can count the exact number of gestures, it is impossible to deny their significance in propaganda and consciousness manipulation.
To exude the imperial grandeur inherent in an emperor, Napoleon took lessons in theatrical movement from the popular actor Talma of that time. The Minister of Culture of the USSR, Ekaterina Furtseva, learned to "carry herself" from the actress Vera Maretskaya.
"All of life is a gesture," said the Italian dictator and recognized master of propaganda, Benito Mussolini.
In modern times, the ability not only to control one's facial expressions and gestures but also to influence perception of one's message (emphasizing or disavowing spoken words) is a necessary skill not only for every political figure but also for any public figure in general.
Without this skill, embarrassments and awkward situations are inevitable – for example, let's recall the globally circulated 2008 video of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili chewing on his tie.
The importance of voice for politicians and public figures is also difficult to overstate.
The tone of voice, pronunciation, and speech manner of a politician constitute a crucial part of the politician's image and their ability to attract supporters. After all, a written and spoken text have completely different impacts.
In modern management, the voice is considered one of the most important tools for well-established communication: "A professional ailment of a modern manager is a kind of drying up of the personality, manifested through the voice. A person can excellently set tasks, reprimand, dismiss – their voice is heard. But when faced with a simple task, such as congratulating the women in their company on March 8th or simply praising a subordinate, they start to falter. If the boss clearly and confidently assigns a complex report to be done, and then reluctantly and without obvious interest listens to and comments on the results (i.e., cannot carry the entire 'tune' to the end) – this is more traumatizing than unpaid dollars," says a theatrical educator and business consultant, the CEO of the "World of Dialogue" center.
Acoustics – the world of sounds – is, in general, a crucial symbolic system. Its role in influencing the unconscious sphere, and consequently, in manipulating consciousness, is very significant…
To be continued…
#Manipulation #government

"Those who consider dreams a game of intellect are mistaken. No, dreams are the opposite; they are an escape from reason," noted Japanese writer Yukio Mishima in his novel "Confessions of a Mask."
A significant portion of consciousness manipulation is built on this division between fantasy and reality.
Scientists distinguish between two types of thinking – realistic and autistic.
According to E. Bleicher, who first described autistic thinking, this type of thinking is a complete opposite of realistic thinking. It is driven solely by desires.
In human consciousness, both types of thinking coexist, complementing each other, serving the construction of goals and their realization. It is important to maintain a balance between them.
The goal of realistic thinking is to create accurate perceptions of reality, while the goal of autistic thinking is to create pleasant perceptions of it, with any unpleasant aspects actively pushed away.
In the normal course, the interaction between these types of thinking looks like this: a person indulges in pleasant fantasies, for example, about a car – the comfort associated with having one's vehicle, speed, travel, elevating one's status in the eyes of others – this is the work of autistic thinking.
Next, realistic thinking comes into play: the person strives to earn more, saves money to buy a car, or takes a loan, carefully assessing the convenient balance between the car's price and their financial capacity.
They weigh all the pros and cons, acquire the car, and enjoy it, sequentially or even simultaneously realizing their fantasies about owning a car.
However, there are cases where immersion in a dream prevents a person from taking any actions to turn it into reality: they only indulge in fantasies, and sometimes even create a sort of "theater for themselves" – interested in the prices of expensive cars, visiting car showrooms without the intention to buy anything, just to play, and so on.
It cannot be said that they are doing anything criminal. After all, everyone has their ways to relax, and if they do not contradict the criminal code, do not hinder anyone, and primarily the person themselves in the fundamental aspects of their life, then why shouldn't they occasionally enjoy their own fantasies?
However, it is essential to remember that realistic and autistic thinking not only interact but also conflict, allowing individuals not to spoil their lives by yielding to unrealized dreams.
For example, buying a car within one's means rather than selling a property for the sake of buying the latest model of a "Mercedes."
It's an entirely different matter when manipulators connect to individual fantasies.
In this case, their main task becomes to "disable" or suppress realistic thinking and attempt to spread the fantasy itself, such as "everyone wants this," "everyone does this," to as many people and social groups as possible.
To achieve this, collective perceptions of "good," "convenient," "right" are created, exploiting traditionally attractive images and stereotypes, which, in practice, may turn out to be entirely different from what was initially claimed.
Exploiting Fantasies: A Tale of Deception
Allow me to recount the story of an elderly woman who fell victim to cunning, criminal entrepreneurs. They convinced her that it would be convenient for her to sell her massive apartment in the city center. In return, they promised to buy her a lovely house with a huge garden. She would live off the interest from the money left in the bank after the transaction.
According to the fraudsters, all "smart" elderly people are doing this nowadays. In the end, the protagonist finds herself in a rented cottage on a cemetery caretaker's property. While the cemetery does indeed have many green plantations, the remaining money promised to her was transferred from an account that never existed.
The housing promised as a replacement for valuable square meters in the city turned out to be unsuitable for living, and escaping from there was nearly impossible.
The manipulators successfully played on the fantasies generated by autistic thinking. They not only needed to understand the structure of desires in various layers of society but also had to excite these desires, making their fulfillment crucial for the targets of manipulation.
To achieve this, realistic thinking, and consequently, the perception of the world, is "blurred" through associations and metaphors. Let's delve into this further...
#Manipulation #society