Manipulation, Solved

You’ve probably lied to someone today. You also probably think you lie less than everyone else. Welp, I have some bad news. We all manipulate, we all get played, and sometimes, the smarter you are, the easier you are to con.

In this episode, Drew and I get into what manipulation is, why everyone does it, and how to keep from getting fooled. We tell the story of how Freud’s nephew turned bacon into a doctor-approved breakfast, and how the TSA spent nearly $1 billion training officers to spot liars, with nothing to show for it. We walk through the one test that shows when persuasion crosses into manipulation, and the tactics advertisers, propagandists, and con artists have been running on you for a century. Then we cover why skeptics make some of the easiest marks and the only defense with serious evidence behind it.

We also spend a good chunk of time on the manipulator you know best (or least)... yourself.

You can’t fully escape influence, and you might not want to. But once you know the playbook, you’ll spot it, even when it’s coming from inside the house.

Get your free Manipulation guide:https://mrk.mn/bpxozoh3

CHAPTERS

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction: Are You Being Manipulated Right Now?
00:05:21 CHAPTER 1: Everybody Manipulates (The Water We Swim In)
00:11:14 How to Spot a Psychopath (It's Not What You Think)
00:18:42 We're All Manipulators: The Social Brain Hypothesis
00:21:50 The 6 Manipulation Tactics Couples Use
00:32:11 White Lies & Subconscious Manipulation
00:37:57 The Spectrum of Manipulation
00:43:27 Why We Believe Our Own Bullshit
00:52:58 The "Virtuous Victim" Red Flag
00:57:46 Is Self-Help Manipulation?
00:59:01 Can You Actually Spot a Liar?
01:11:55 CHAPTER 2: The Morality of Manipulation
01:21:15 The Murderer at the Door
01:29:59 Nudges: Is Good Manipulation Okay?
01:43:12 Kant vs. Machiavelli: The Angel and Devil on Your Shoulder
01:54:19 Family Secrets: When Is Lying to Protect Okay?
02:05:37 Consent: What Kind of Support Do People Want?
02:14:21 Power, Parenting & Manipulation
02:27:50 CHAPTER 3: The Practice of Persuasion
02:39:32 Robert Cialdini's 6 Principles of Influence
02:40:52 Principle 1: Reciprocity
02:45:16 Principle 2: Commitment & Consistency
02:49:57 Principle 3: Social Proof
02:56:29 Principle 4: Authority & the Milgram Experiments
03:02:39 Principle 5: Liking
03:04:09 Principle 6: Scarcity
03:10:25 Advanced Manipulation Tactics: Anchoring, Framing, and the Exposure Effect
03:23:18 CHAPTER 4: How to Resist Manipulation
03:28:35 Crypto, Madoff & Complex Schemes
03:33:30 The Teeth-Brushing Experiment
03:44:22 Practical Defenses Against Manipulation
03:51:50 Why You Need Diversity of Thought
03:57:47 Check Your Own Emotions
04:00:21 Conclusion: Living in the Age of Manipulation

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