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Human Factory Settings - Part 1: The Chemistry of Conviction: Why We Are Wired to Be Swindled
Human Factory Settings: The Psychology of Conviction and Influence 1 Human Factory Settings - Part 1: The Chemistry of Conviction: Why We Are Wired to Be Swindled 2 Human Factory Settings - Part 2: Your Mind's Blind Spots: The Illusion of Rational Choice 3 Human Factory Settings - Part 3: The Charisma Algorithm: The Six Pillars of Influence ← Series Home The Algorithm of Desire: Why We Are Wired to Be Swindled Imagine that you have just made a major decision—say, choosing an expensive new car or committing to a particular investment portfolio. After the choice is finalized, you feel a distinct surge of certainty; your belief in the correctness of the decision improves significantly, irrespective of any new evidence. This visceral conviction, which often flies in the face of objective facts or sound reason, presents a profound psychological paradox. Why does the human mind, ostensibly dedicated to logic and truth, so often prioritize emotional comfort and self-justification when assessing reality? The answer lies in recognizing that our deepest convictions are not born of pure thought but are rather the computational output of ancient, powerful biochemical systems. These systems evolved not to find truth in the abstract but to ensure survival by guiding the organism toward agreeable states and away from danger. When reason and feeling clash, the emotional engine of the mind invariably wins, making the brain highly receptive to emotional manipulation and persuasion.
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Human Factory Settings - Part 2: Your Mind's Blind Spots: The Illusion of Rational Choice
Human Factory Settings: The Psychology of Conviction and Influence 1 Human Factory Settings - Part 1: The Chemistry of Conviction: Why We Are Wired to Be Swindled 2 Human Factory Settings - Part 2: Your Mind's Blind Spots: The Illusion of Rational Choice 3 Human Factory Settings - Part 3: The Charisma Algorithm: The Six Pillars of Influence ← Series Home The Illusion of Omniscient Choice The traditional economic view posits the ideal decision-maker—Homo economicus (Econ)—as a dispassionate, objective actor who makes faultless forecasts and rational choices, unfailingly optimizing outcomes by diligently weighing all evidence. This model, which often shapes policy prescriptions, assumes that if citizens are simply given the widest possible range of choices, they will naturally select the best possible outcome for themselves. Yet, decades of evidence demonstrate that this vision is a profound fiction. Humans are routinely fooled by visual illusions and predictable cognitive biases, confirming that our subjective reality diverges sharply and systematically from flawless calculation.
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Human Factory Settings - Part 3: The Charisma Algorithm: The Six Pillars of Influence
Human Factory Settings: The Psychology of Conviction and Influence 1 Human Factory Settings - Part 1: The Chemistry of Conviction: Why We Are Wired to Be Swindled 2 Human Factory Settings - Part 2: Your Mind's Blind Spots: The Illusion of Rational Choice 3 Human Factory Settings - Part 3: The Charisma Algorithm: The Six Pillars of Influence ← Series Home The Anatomy of Influence: From Friendship to Fascism In the annals of commerce and politics, seemingly effortless compliance often yields the most stunning results. Consider the Tupperware party, an event where the persuasive power of friendship and pre-existing social bonds proved twice as likely to determine a purchase as the preference for the product itself. Or observe the staggering rates of obedience in the Milgram experiment, where only the perceived presence of legitimate authority compelled ordinary citizens to inflict maximum simulated pain. These examples are not anomalies; they are vivid demonstrations that persuasion, or “charm,” is not mystical but algorithmic—a methodical process that harnesses fundamental human social wiring to generate predictable assent.
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