Emotional Manipulation of the Masses

We’ve all heard it before:  “She’s just using him.” or “He’s just playing her”, referring to one person manipulating another.  But how often do we stop and consider how much we are all manipulated on a minute by minute basis?  We can talk about, we can state that it happens, but how often do we actually stop and think about how much we think, say and do is all because of the massive influx of multi-media that we take in on a constant basis?

Why do you like a particular brand of soda?  Or why do you even like it at all?  If you do the research, there is absolutely no redeeming quality about it.  So do you like it because of it’s benefits?  Or do you like it because of the emotional tie created by creative marketing and product placement?

How about our social and political viewpoints?  Our media has already been proven to be biased, and provides questionable information at best.  So if we know we can’t believe what the media is telling us, and we know that it is designed to provoke an emotional response (usually to have a specific effect, or multiple effects), why are we still allowing these stories to affect how we think and feel, and what we believe?

The same methodology applies to the other aspects of our lives:  the things we do, the books we read, the dishes we use to  cook and eat our meals.  We must make every choice with full thought, and knowing that it is our choice, and we are not acting as a mindless, societal drone.  Through making every choice a conscious choice, we take our power back.  We can create a new society, a new world by not allowing ourselves to fall into the manipulation trap.  We hold the power over ourselves.  It is our individual choice to give it away and be manipulated, or to keep it and make informed decisions.  What will your choice be?