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Opening Minds: The Secret World of Manipulation, Undue Influence and Brainwashing
We live in an age where unethical persuasion is applied every day, all day, to subvert reasoning through direct appeals to one’s emotions. Throughout history, people have been unwittingly influenced to act against their own better interests. But today, more sophisticated forms of influence have been devised, posing a significant threat to a free and open society. It is persuasion so sinister and subtle that it can derail critical thinking and overwhelm even the most intelligent of people, reducing them into unthinking compliance.
Manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing, or whatever one chooses to call such exploitive persuasion, challenges the very notion of human rights. The use of it by unscrupulous cults, totalitarian groups and abusive individuals is growing at an alarming rate. Yet, undue influence remains a well-kept secret in the media and for the general public. This book will show how the human mind is cajoled into submitting to unethical, uninvited external influence.
Manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing, or whatever one chooses to call such exploitive persuasion, challenges the very notion of human rights. The use of it by unscrupulous cults, totalitarian groups and abusive individuals is growing at an alarming rate. Yet, undue influence remains a well-kept secret in the media and for the general public. This book will show how the human mind is cajoled into submitting to unethical, uninvited external influence.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2015
12 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 31, 2021
A goofy cover page with a good message but questionable delivery
The author sets out to protect people from the extremely harmful effects of undue influence and manipulation that we see most prominently in cults but experience most commonly in relationships and secular interactions.
While he does broadly explain the principles at play the power of it was a bit diminished by the focus on giving overviews of famous studies and anecdotes of stage hypnotists at the expense of better explaining the principles and how to spot them in everyday life – which kid of leaves you with the feeling that its more of an expanded blog post than a book.
Finally there are just little factual errors which while they don't have a direct relevance to the message were there nevertheless more sloppy that you would expect from this author – the example which stuck out most for was conflating the World Wars by incorrectly referring to the German alliance of WWI as the Axis rather than the Central Powers.
The book was re-released this year with a different title - "Opening Our Minds: avoiding abusive relationships and authoritarian groups" so hopefully the later edition fixed these issues.
The author sets out to protect people from the extremely harmful effects of undue influence and manipulation that we see most prominently in cults but experience most commonly in relationships and secular interactions.
While he does broadly explain the principles at play the power of it was a bit diminished by the focus on giving overviews of famous studies and anecdotes of stage hypnotists at the expense of better explaining the principles and how to spot them in everyday life – which kid of leaves you with the feeling that its more of an expanded blog post than a book.
Finally there are just little factual errors which while they don't have a direct relevance to the message were there nevertheless more sloppy that you would expect from this author – the example which stuck out most for was conflating the World Wars by incorrectly referring to the German alliance of WWI as the Axis rather than the Central Powers.
The book was re-released this year with a different title - "Opening Our Minds: avoiding abusive relationships and authoritarian groups" so hopefully the later edition fixed these issues.
December 19, 2015
Totally engaging, thought-provoking, scary, extremely well-researched, brimming with mind-boggling facts and expertly-written is how I would describe Jon Atack’s new book.
In fact, Jon’s writing skills remind me of my grandfather, a very caring and wise man who was also a gifted story teller. Yes, Jon is in that league as he grabs and holds your attention right from the get-go and lights a fire your belly while doing it.
“Wow! So what is Jon’s book all about?” you ask.
Opening Minds is a stirring wake-up call, a warning about the ease by which the human mind can be tricked into surrendering to subtle, uninvited, and unethical persuasion techniques that can undermine even the most intelligent person’s critical thinking skills, reducing that person into unthinking compliance.
Jon makes a convincing case that psychological manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing, or whatever one chooses to call it, challenge the very notion of human rights. And that the use of undue influence by abusive individuals, authority figures, unscrupulous cults, high-control pseudo-religious groups and totalitarian organizations is growing at an alarming rate. Yet, the concept of undue influence remains a well-kept secret in both the media and for the general public.
In the book, Jon explains that it is only by understanding the principles of undue influence that our society can be made resistant to extremism. And he delivers the goods. Jon also does a masterful job of carefully and patiently explaining the process of undue influence and how it follows a predictable series of ten steps.
His compassionate but alarming story of Omar’s immersion and radicalization process into a terrorist cult is very powerful and should convince even the skeptics of how easy a smart and rational person can be turned into a suicide bomber.
For me, Jon’s chapter on how the mind works and what makes the mind susceptible to influence is ground-breaking. It was a real eye-opener when he reported, “If the unconscious mind is Mount Everest, then consciousness is about the size of a pebble on the top. The awareness or working memory is about two to three seconds in capacity. At most, it contains seven channels of information…” He then goes on to explain how the subconscious is manipulated by groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses, ISIS and Scientologists to foster a new identity, a pseudo-identity, within the victim of undue influence.
I personally believe that to clearly identify a problem is half of the resolution process. And Jon Atack does a superb job of explaining the sinister and pervasive problem of undue influence in today’s society.
Opening Minds: the secret world of manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing is a must-read for all concerned citizens around the world.
In fact, Jon’s writing skills remind me of my grandfather, a very caring and wise man who was also a gifted story teller. Yes, Jon is in that league as he grabs and holds your attention right from the get-go and lights a fire your belly while doing it.
“Wow! So what is Jon’s book all about?” you ask.
Opening Minds is a stirring wake-up call, a warning about the ease by which the human mind can be tricked into surrendering to subtle, uninvited, and unethical persuasion techniques that can undermine even the most intelligent person’s critical thinking skills, reducing that person into unthinking compliance.
Jon makes a convincing case that psychological manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing, or whatever one chooses to call it, challenge the very notion of human rights. And that the use of undue influence by abusive individuals, authority figures, unscrupulous cults, high-control pseudo-religious groups and totalitarian organizations is growing at an alarming rate. Yet, the concept of undue influence remains a well-kept secret in both the media and for the general public.
In the book, Jon explains that it is only by understanding the principles of undue influence that our society can be made resistant to extremism. And he delivers the goods. Jon also does a masterful job of carefully and patiently explaining the process of undue influence and how it follows a predictable series of ten steps.
His compassionate but alarming story of Omar’s immersion and radicalization process into a terrorist cult is very powerful and should convince even the skeptics of how easy a smart and rational person can be turned into a suicide bomber.
For me, Jon’s chapter on how the mind works and what makes the mind susceptible to influence is ground-breaking. It was a real eye-opener when he reported, “If the unconscious mind is Mount Everest, then consciousness is about the size of a pebble on the top. The awareness or working memory is about two to three seconds in capacity. At most, it contains seven channels of information…” He then goes on to explain how the subconscious is manipulated by groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses, ISIS and Scientologists to foster a new identity, a pseudo-identity, within the victim of undue influence.
I personally believe that to clearly identify a problem is half of the resolution process. And Jon Atack does a superb job of explaining the sinister and pervasive problem of undue influence in today’s society.
Opening Minds: the secret world of manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing is a must-read for all concerned citizens around the world.
March 14, 2021
Wonderful introduction and overview of the history and methods of mind control.
Everyone needs to read a book about mind control before they go out into the world. It could be this one, or Combatting Cult Mind Control or some other overview of techniques that appeals to you, but we need to know about this stuff because sooner or later a predatory person will try to manipulate you or someone you love. It might be a "wellness workshop" or an "influencer" or a "new religious movement" or a "romantic partner" or a "truther" or a terrorist cell (what do they call themselves?) or a some randomer walking up to you in the street and tricking you into handing over your car keys.
We all need to know about how ordinary, smart and skeptical people can be tricked into relinquishing their money or their freedom (sometimes even in the name of freedom). Read a book and wear a God-damned face mask
Note:
If you've already studied psychology but want to learn about mind control / thought reform / undue influence then Combatting Cult Mind Control will probably give you more bang for your buck, because you'll be familiar with a fair chunk of Opening Minds thanks to studying social psychology. Just as reading Cialdini's Persuasion will save you money, these books will save your mind.
Everyone needs to read a book about mind control before they go out into the world. It could be this one, or Combatting Cult Mind Control or some other overview of techniques that appeals to you, but we need to know about this stuff because sooner or later a predatory person will try to manipulate you or someone you love. It might be a "wellness workshop" or an "influencer" or a "new religious movement" or a "romantic partner" or a "truther" or a terrorist cell (what do they call themselves?) or a some randomer walking up to you in the street and tricking you into handing over your car keys.
We all need to know about how ordinary, smart and skeptical people can be tricked into relinquishing their money or their freedom (sometimes even in the name of freedom). Read a book and wear a God-damned face mask
Note:
If you've already studied psychology but want to learn about mind control / thought reform / undue influence then Combatting Cult Mind Control will probably give you more bang for your buck, because you'll be familiar with a fair chunk of Opening Minds thanks to studying social psychology. Just as reading Cialdini's Persuasion will save you money, these books will save your mind.
July 27, 2022
Lectura muy útil y necesaria, porque explica y ayuda a identificar patrones de manipulación comunes, para que así se puedan combatir; siendo las explicaciones sencillas y con ejemplos. Le quito una estrella (en realidad la nota serían 3'5 estrellas, pero redondeo hacia arriba) porque no me termina de convencer la organización del libro. La noto algo caótica, habiendo, por ejemplo, partes en que repite lo mismo desde distintos ángulos, lo que me deja pensando en por qué no unifica partes enteras en lugar volver sobre el mismo tema para completarlo en capítulos diferentes. Se sentiría menos repetitivo.
El contenido está muy bien, pero siento que al libro le habría hecho falta una revisión para pulirlo y maquetarlo en su estructura y con eso mejoraría mucho.
El contenido está muy bien, pero siento que al libro le habría hecho falta una revisión para pulirlo y maquetarlo en su estructura y con eso mejoraría mucho.
February 7, 2025
There's a lot of excellent information on mind control in this book, presented in Atack's easy to read way. Definitely worth a look, especially the first few chapters. My only gripe is the references to politicians are slightly dated, and that might put off some younger people who really need to be reading this book.
April 11, 2018
Interesting read on the vulnerabilities of the mind to those who wish to manipulate it. The book mainly covers cults and terrorist groups, but it touches on other related subjects including social experiments and persuasion.
March 27, 2019
Fascinating read. Great analysis on the subject.
Recommended for reading on movements and manipulation.
Recommended for reading on movements and manipulation.
July 3, 2019
WOW this book starts out with a introduction of cults etc but after the first two chapters I couldn’t put it down. I read the entire book in one sitting. I am amazed This book changed my life.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews