Neruo Lingustic Programming

I was wondering what anyone's thoughts where on the subject. NLP is taking over in many major ways but they are subtle way here is a basic intro en.wikipedia.org...

An interesting thing to read for an opinion, is Derren Browns book. He is a mentalist/magician, who many said was using NLP for his tricks. In his book, he stated that he uses a few techniques from it, but generally knocks it as too new-agey.

From what I've read, that sounds about right, it seems that some of the people teaching it are building cultish groups. I'm skeptical of it mostly, but I think that there are a lot of things like that, that really do work a bit.

I used to be a high pressure salesman, and they taught us a few things that although they don't seem like much, really seemed to help. It's hard to know if it's the techniques that work, or it's just the added confidence it gives you is doing all the work.

The kind of ways of forming statements and questions, were things like:

If you could afford it, how many would you buy? four, five, mayber more?

That would be pushing them into giving you a positive answer you would like.

Also you'd say things like:

But if you could afford it, you would get some, Yes?

prompting them with yes like this is supposed to help push them to give you the answer you want.

Originally posted by jimminycricket
But if you could afford it, you would get some, Yes?

Yes, I would like some please. Thank you.

I think it is very real and widely used. Most don't even know they are using it or being manipulated by it.
People in sales are demanding specific language these days. If you don't use "their" corporate speak, they get very upset.
I've noticed this everywhere- cosmetic counters, banks, cellphone companies, even fast-food chains.
MSM uses it everywhere...and yes, I'm one of those who believes that Obama is very good at it.
I feel it is more important to develop a defense against it. Learn about it, what it is, how it works, and become aware of it. Then draw your own conclusion.

"NLP's claims for scientific respectability are not based on the scientific method." - From that same Wikipedia link.

That should be the FIRST thing that is asked in this thread.

IS IT TESTABLE?

If not then WHY is it not testable?

NLP is just a "technology" or a tool, thereby It's moraly neutral. It isn't bad nor evil.

It's based on the work of great communicators/healers like Milton Erickson.

Ross Jeffries use to to seduce woman.
Kenrick Cleveland use it to sell more stuff.
Anthony Robbins use it - among other things - to self-help.

If you have a FTP, I can send you all you NLP material you need to be a NLP God.

I gotta say, some NLP-like techniques really do seem to work. They have helped me quite a few times in my career.

I think there's much more to language than meets the ear, and so a multidiscplinary multi-"modal" framework for understanding the impact of language on human consciousness and therefore on the human mind-body reality, that's interesting and a worthwhile pursuit. Communication is everything. It could be said that the very meaning and purpose of life is a function of context and framing as decisive, and that's true I think. The word, the evaluation of things through language, is the very fount of creation, and of human potential, so I'm an advocate of quality NLP like that taught by people like Robert Dilts www.nlpu.com... (though I must admit that I haven't taken any of his courses). Hypnosis, is also very interesting as a therapeutic model.

NLP originated via an attempt to model the therapeutic work of a Hypnotherapist and a Family Therapist.

I am also interested in Logotherapy invented by Victor Frankle, which states that the highest urge of the human being, is not the urge to power, like Adler thought, or, the urge to sexual domination and animal instinct as Freud believed, but the WILL TO MEANING.

If so, then language is everything. For the human being, it's our only representation of life itself. Therefore, it only makes sense to embark upon a quest to try to master language and it's impact on our beliefs, interpretations and representations or our internal map of reality, so long as we remember the precept that "the map is not the territory", from which we can launch into a more metaphysical and meditative appreciation.

No man is an island however, and how we relate to and how we listen to and influence others, that's pretty important stuff. Heck even Jesus taught with metaphors.

[edit on 12-6-2009 by OmegaPoint]

I was in therapy for a year with a psychologist that used the Meta model of NLP. I don't know if the NLP part of the therapy worked or if the rapport and catharsis was the operating factor. But I am much happier and I don't self medicate with alcohol and drugs anymore. He also taught me some self-hypnosis techniques that I believed helped as well.

Being curious about the Meta model I briefly studied NLP and I must admit that if learned and practiced it is very easy to "win friends and influence people" if you catch my drift.

NLP totally works. Where it becomes a grey area are in other factors. The person using the NLP, and the person they are using it on. It all depends on the strength of both. By using the word strength, well that is open for further analysis.

NLP does work.

I don't see it in terms of the manipulation or sales aspect, but as part of what's called the "human potential movement". But it's of little use unless it can be employed to re-program the "inner voice" to become a supportive and positive affirmative voice, as opposed to one of negation and recrimination. I think it's value resides in the possibility of increasing conscious awareness by allowing people the opportunity to "distinguish" language and how they use it and the impact that it can have on both ourselves and on those with whom we are in communication. By looking at all these frames and sub modalities and whatnot, we begin to operate as an observer of communication, as opposed to thinking we are the communication, or the "inner voice" which is forever evaluating based on how we've constructed our filters and our internal map of reality. So it's best used as a tool for psychtherapy and for self evaluation and bringing about a shift in conscious awareness. Could it be used to manipulate others? I suppose, but that's not the kind of influence most people are really interested in I don't think. No, what everone really wants, is authenticity, and besides, most people can smell a rat or an inauthentic attempt to coerce.