Because It's Friday
2 hours ago
Thursday, March 24, 2016
The fear trick
The easiest way to manipulate someone is through fear. It's no secret that those who'd like to have power over other people use fear.
Fear makes us stupid. Think of decisions in your own life that you made when afraid. I bet you are a little embarrassed by most of them.
When I see a politician trying to use fear to get elected, I think: here's a person trying to get me to do something stupid.
Fear works -until it reaches a point where someone stands up and says something like “you should be ashamed of yourself.”
For example, take McCarthyism, the Communist witch hunt that ruined so many lives. Finally, Senator Margaret Chase Smith, a Maine Republican, gave her "Declaration of Conscience" speech to the Senate. It was a strong case for free speech rights. Personally, I think she caused a lot of people to step back from their fear so they could think clearly again.
There's hope. If the country could come to its senses during such a fear filled time, there's hope for us today. As divisive as things are in this country right now, they were worse in the past -and got better. All it takes is for people to stop being so afraid and to use their brains again.
Emotion is easy. Thinking is hard, but at least you are in control of yourself, instead of being controlled by the manipulator's fear.
-Sixbears
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You know, the bitterest irony of McCarthyism was that the commies really were infiltrating everything, particularly Hollywood, but also the schools and the news media. Unfortunately, they painted everyone with the same brush and ruined a lot of innocent people.
ReplyDeleteThe best lies have a kernel of truth to them.
DeleteFear of big oil economic collapse is another fear that is overblown and manipulative of the common man. It just will not happen, as we will adapt to more fracking (did not exist), or solar/wind, or more nuclear. Fear of big government is another when most folks will just go dark (turn to black market, go international) if that gets crazy. Fear is very manipulative. The biggest fear is fear of death in old age. Well folks it is going to happen, so live your life as if every day is a gift, one day at a time. -- trying to quell the fear daily.
ReplyDeleteThere's a power in accepting one's mortality and moving on from there.
DeleteThe worse they can do to you is kill you, and you are going to die anyway.
Oh Sixbears, you have a limited imagination, and that's a blessing, if you think killing you is the worst they can do....
DeleteWell, they could give me an office job. :)
DeleteBravo !!!!!! :)
Delete(P.S. - But the pessimistic guy is right)
Sometimes it's no fun at all to be right.
DeleteYou know the old saying, there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
ReplyDeleteLetting go of fear is to embrace freedom.
DeleteWhat they don't understand is, people have a limited capacity for fear. After a while, you get fatigued... you can even come to welcome what you feared.
DeleteWhich really should be in the plot of more horror movies.
This message brought to you by Cthulu 2016 - No Lives Matter.
Looks like a good year for the faceless god.
Delete