You Should Be Paranoid
For a week now I have been pushing my cerebral capacity to its limits in a course training me to be a Crisis and Hostage Negotiator. It has certainly been a refreshing break from my daily rigours of working in the prison, even though our entire focus has been preparing myself and my colleagues for those times when things go sideways in a hurry. I must say I feel somewhat amazed knowing that the basis of the training that I have been receiving is no different to that received by people who negotiate in high profile media standoffs and hijackings! In fact, part of the course includes analysis of the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco, Texas, and the Gustafson Lake standoff here in Canada.
Furthering the “neatness” factor, I am being trained with and by guys who train FBI and RCMP negotiators who, through the mediums of Hollywood and Urban myth, seem like the superheroes of the negotiation world. There are even going to be chances to train with the FBI…. oh please be Agent Scully!!!
As would be expected, the fascinating side of the training that I am presently engaged revolves around the psychological sphere. It is amazing the number of tactics that can be implemented and, as a result of our social conditioning, have limited to complete success in manipulating behaviour. This is, of course, equally as scary as the same tactics used for good can be used for bad. Certainly we see evidence of psychological guerrilla warfare in many facets of our world, expressive particularly in the realms of marketing and trend setting. At the end of the day we can all be influenced and that’s frightening.
…Perhaps I’m doing this right now… to you… my reader…send money and follow me!....
Of course I say this in jest… but still send money and follow me… the fact is that there are many amongst us that are dead serious… send money now and be free!
Life, simple? NOT!
For a week now I have been pushing my cerebral capacity to its limits in a course training me to be a Crisis and Hostage Negotiator. It has certainly been a refreshing break from my daily rigours of working in the prison, even though our entire focus has been preparing myself and my colleagues for those times when things go sideways in a hurry. I must say I feel somewhat amazed knowing that the basis of the training that I have been receiving is no different to that received by people who negotiate in high profile media standoffs and hijackings! In fact, part of the course includes analysis of the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco, Texas, and the Gustafson Lake standoff here in Canada.
Furthering the “neatness” factor, I am being trained with and by guys who train FBI and RCMP negotiators who, through the mediums of Hollywood and Urban myth, seem like the superheroes of the negotiation world. There are even going to be chances to train with the FBI…. oh please be Agent Scully!!!
As would be expected, the fascinating side of the training that I am presently engaged revolves around the psychological sphere. It is amazing the number of tactics that can be implemented and, as a result of our social conditioning, have limited to complete success in manipulating behaviour. This is, of course, equally as scary as the same tactics used for good can be used for bad. Certainly we see evidence of psychological guerrilla warfare in many facets of our world, expressive particularly in the realms of marketing and trend setting. At the end of the day we can all be influenced and that’s frightening.
…Perhaps I’m doing this right now… to you… my reader…send money and follow me!....
Of course I say this in jest… but still send money and follow me… the fact is that there are many amongst us that are dead serious… send money now and be free!
Life, simple? NOT!
posted by Ed Meers @ 5/03/2006 07:00:00 p.m.
2 Comments:
At 12:40 p.m. ,
Anonymous said...
i, the cockroach in the wall, seem to have escaped to the top-of-the-hill/over the wall. i got a ride on a banana truck downtown and followed a homeless cat named mehindaballofat. she was iraqian wreck of suppressed emotions. the in flight movie on the back of the cat was scenes from brokeback mountain juxtaposed with the passenger. my mind is holding me hostage in this foreign place; can you talk me out of it? or am i too much out of it already?
At 8:53 p.m. ,
Anonymous said...
Auntiegrav incognito:
Serendipitously!! You have hit the nail on the proverbial head. The bull mounting the cow through the barbed wire fence sees only satisfaction. This button is pushed in our miniscule brains every time the sex is on TV.
I am in the epitome of Coercive Empire: Orlando. You being a security professional, and familiar with my rantings can appreciate this related to your point BE PARANOID! BE VERY PARANOID!
I am just a dirt farmer, of no consequence. Yet, due obviously to my internet activity, was selected for "Special Screening". Now I know. They know I know. And most of all, I know they know I know to be paranoid. I have not been making this crap up!!
Hi Dick. How's it going?
Back to your topic: "Coercion" by Douglas Rushkoff. We are animals, and we have the same buttons to push that the Border Collie does when she gets a treat for herding the sheep or lying at my feet.
"Send money now, God says so." God is 4000 years of marketing science..and a funny hat. Gotta go, this is costing some bucks.
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