All posts tagged: manipulation

How Colonizers Use Mind Control: A Conversation with Cindy Blackstock

The “merciless Indian savages…” Those words in the United States Declaration of Independence entrenched the way colonial states defined Indigenous peoples as “savage” and their relationship with the “civilized Americans” as represented by federal and state governments. This dehumanizing propaganda was the pen of history, of social norms and laws writing on our societal manuscript about what the United States is and who we are as Americans. It served to normalize and even legitimize the wrongful dispossession of land, resources and even the children from Indigenous peoples.

Steven Hassan, October 7, 2021

Opening Our Minds: Avoiding Abusive Relationships and Authoritarian Groups

Opening Our Minds: avoiding abusive relationships and authoritarian groups by Jon Atack is available in paperback, Audible and Kindle on Amazon. I am delighted to help bring attention to a new book which I think is a valuable contribution to our field. Disclosure: Jon is a good friend of mine, for decades, and is the leading

Steven Hassan, September 9, 2021

Multilevel Marketing and Consumer Protection

Multilevel Marketing (MLM) is a Worldwide Problem I recently had the exciting opportunity to be one of 37 Panelists at the First Global Conference on Multilevel Marketing (MLM). The virtual conference was held by the College of New Jersey’s School of Business, on April 30th and May 1st 2021 and attracted 500 participants from 49

Steven Hassan, May 20, 2021

Psychologist Abuse? Therapist Abuse? Life Coach Abuse?

Steven Hassan and Amy Avalon Therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, life coaches, and spiritual advisors are all expected to address emotional or spiritual well-being and nurture a person’s healing and positive growth. Most of them are committed to doing just that. Unfortunately, some have darker motivations, such as a desire for power, money, or sex. Instead of using their skills to help their clients, they use undue influence to

Steven Hassan, February 25, 2021

How to Help People Involved in QAnon–A Reddit AMA: QAnonCasualties

On Sunday, January 10, 2021, I was invited to answer questions during an Ask Me Anything (AMA) for the subreddit group QAnonCasualties. This is a link to the entire thread:  https://www.reddit.com/r/QAnonCasualties/comments/kukco0/ama_with_steven_hassan_phd/.  Below are most of the questions, along with my answers. This blog is longer than usual, but I felt it was important to include

Steven Hassan, January 15, 2021

Dismantling QAnon: A TEDxMidAtlantic Must Watch Program

Assuming the predictions are accurate and there is a Biden/Harris landslide, what will happen with the millions of people who believe that President Trump is a man of God doing Apocalyptic fulfillment, especially QAnon followers? This is an important question as most of us have friends or family members that are affected. I wanted to

Steven Hassan, October 29, 2020

The QAnon Media Ecosystem Is Not Helping People to Exit

  Originally published on Medium: <https://hassan-4414.medium.com/the-qanon-media-ecosystem-is-not-helping-people-to-exit-1045e0c8c8ee> Reporters covering QAnon for the past few years have over time inadvertently done more harm than good. In fact, they probably have done great damage. By amplifying the conspiracy to the level that it is now squarely in mainstream discourse is problematic. The way it is discussed and covered

Steven Hassan, October 29, 2020

Social Media, Cyber Warfare, Data Mining and AI Used to Target, Manipulate and Control People

  “The Great Hack“, “The Social Dilemma“, and “People You May Know” are three excellent documentaries that everyone must see to understand how modern day authoritarians are recruiting and indoctrinating people to do their bidding. Private and personal information is being harvested and used to create sophisticated psychological and political profiles which allow political and

Steven Hassan, October 16, 2020

What to Do About the QAnon and Those Ensnared in It? Interview with Travis View

Q is a high-security level clearance given to Intelligence operatives. Supposedly, QAnon was started by such a person. However, Gregg Housh (whom I met in the context of his organizing protests against Scientology all over the world), one of the original Anonymous founders, told me he knows the people who started QAnon! It was intended

Steven Hassan, August 22, 2020

The Dangerous World of Harmful Yoga Cults With Yoga Teacher and Author Matthew Remski

Earlier this month, Matthew Remski interviewed me for his podcast “Conspirituality” (my interview starts at the 37-minute mark) where we talk about my newest book, The Cult of Trump, and explore the overlaps between the cults of personality that destroy political, wellness, and spiritual cultures. We discuss changes in cultic technique in the age of lockdown, and how best to

Steven Hassan, July 31, 2020