Reddit reviews Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions

People use "brain washing" too freely.

My opinion is, people are too ashamed and scared to admit their own weaknesses.

Let me give you an example;

Bill Clinton. People love the guy. But here's the thing, a ton of people very much dislike his politics.

I forget the exact quote, but one of those people said, "You hate Bill Clinton before you meet him and after he leaves, but while he's there talking to you, you like the guy."

People can blame Scientology all they like, but I think it's exactly what the name sounds like; it's the religion of science. And it uses the science that everyone claims isn't a science, psychology.

Having a degree in psychology, and having had more people than I can count tell me I "should have picked a real degree," I can't help but feel a guilty twinge of happiness when I see people say things like "Scientology brainwashes people!"

No; they're using psychological principles to make you not only accept and like any horse poo they spout, but they change your beliefs. Brain wash? Pfft. They're doing what Bill Clinton does in his interviews.

It actually helps them that you claim they're brainwashing people, because it keeps people from learning the science behind what they're really doing (which just so happens to be my "worthless" degree). Words like brainwashing might as well be the modern day word for "magic," because 99% of people don't actually know what that means, or how people really change other people's minds. Another modern-magical word is "hypnosis." Everyone knows the word, and people are like "Oooo, magic..." but again, 99% of people don't know what it is or how it works. There are literal "magic shows" that have hypnotists, and people call things like that "mental magic."

Calling it brain washing is basically telling 99% of people, "It's not your fault. You couldn't help it. They used magic on you!" And for the people saying they were brainwashed? You notice how they never give real details about what the people actually did to them to "make" them want it? They might as well be saying "They used voodoo on me! I couldn't stop myself!"

Well you can stop yourself, it wasn't "brainwashing," and people want what Scientology has to offer because they're using science to make people want it (like Bill Clinton can control an interview on a supposedly Republican television network, and manage to look good, and make it look like everyone there loves him and he's in control). Even if they crash and burn as a religion, which I doubt, they'll make a ton of money in marketing.

If you're interested in the science, I'd recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/Charisma-Myth-Master-Personal-Magnetism-ebook/dp/B005GSZZ24/

and

http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Robert-Cialdini/dp/006124189X/

and

http://www.amazon.com/My-Voice-Will-Go-You/dp/0393301354/

and

http://www.amazon.com/Sleights-Mind-neuroscience-reveals-brains-ebook/dp/B003ZDNZYM/

#1
Because I will need refreshments while studying

[#2] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030HMQTS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=EPS3TS5HDN6C&coliid=I1RU8CYY4TTINL)
Because I need to look good while studying

[#3] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006R9JXZG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=QE8F4372V12A&coliid=I278R7PDI8I7XK&psc=1)
Because I will wave these magic wands and conjure up a new hat

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Because I think this may be one of the textbooks

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Because it's always good to prepared for emergencies, especially when studying magic

[Bonus] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FZ147G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3MTF6KZZSOOJR&coliid=I1F3K42FC1LC46&psc=1)
Because I need my dog to chill out so I can study