Can you beat mind control?

Applied applied psychology

Consider this a pop-quiz.

Watch the first twenty seconds of this video and tell me what’s going on:

If you need a hint, I’ll give you three:

1. Nothing on the internet is real

2. Stop thinking unproductively

3. What hypnotists can teach you about influence

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Do you think you have it? Well here’s the answer:

In the first twenty seconds of this video, our benevolent youtuber host informs us that only 15% of viewers will stick around to the end of the video, (and like and subscribe) which is a shame because the people who leave, are sick and broken shells of humans.

You gotta keep watching the YouTube video otherwise that proves you’re addicted to YouTube.

Is it true? Maybe. But who is he saying it for?

The internet is not optimized to make you a better person, the internet optimizes for itself, the great big face-stealing monster we all inhabit, and that’s who the YouTuber is optimizing it for. Because the great big face-stealing monster likes viewer retention.

Videos that are popular retain viewers and do well by the algorithm, and the YouTuber sees this and pushes the button directly by telling viewers to keep watching and the video gets promoted.

“Watch out for the face-stealing monster” the face stealing monster says, and we nod sagely.

If you’ve seen the black mirror episode 15 million merits- yeah basically that.

The second thing to recognize is that the YouTuber is using a weaponized unproductive thought. It’s a double-bind where if you don’t pay attention to the video, you prove him correct. By dismissing the video, you’re proving the theory true.

It was all predicted! Just like how if you leave a prosperity gospel cult because you don’t get paid your promised millions you’re proving that you don’t have faith which explains why you never got your millions.

Your adverse reaction is already written into the theory so when you have that reaction it proves the theory even more true!

The third and final point is that the YouTuber is using influence to get more influence. He has your attention for twenty seconds, and he does his best to use that to get your attention for five minutes. It’s a basic pattern, but it’s one you’ll see repeated everywhere, because it works.

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If you’re curious what the actual prescription of the video actually is to get people to stop scrolling- it’s meditation. Which is true and also bullshit.

Nobody who has to be bullied into watching five minutes of YouTube content with regular cuts and lo-fi music has the willpower to meditate. If they could they would, but they can’t and they won’t.

I’ll put up my solution soon.