Conspiracy (Mind Control?) in British industry

I had a weird experience several years ago and having thought about it for a long time, I honestly believe that what I was seeing was some form of mind control. The idea that mind control is in the hands of business scares the bejesus out of me, frankly. I'll document my experience here, and I'm asking for any thoughts / alternative explanations please ...

I was working for a large, well established company in the UK retail sector, which underwent some changes at board level, and hard on the heels of some new divisional directors being appointed, throughout the whole company there was suddenly something new to enthuse about: "personal development"

OK - fair enough, I thought, maybe it's time I tried learning Spanish again.

Nope, that wasn't what it was about.

First of all these courses were residential. I complained due to my childcare commitments, and was immediately branded a troublemaker and "not a team player". (being "not a team player" is worse that a child molester!). Secondly, people who returned from these residential sessions scared the Hell out of me.

It genuinely was like a case of that film "invasion of the Body Snatchers", these people were changed, and not in a good way. There people were now convinced that "we aren't competent to do our jobs unless directed by someone senior (someone knowledgable)".

We're talking about very experienced staff who knew their jobs every which way imaginable suddenly being convinced that they knew nothing about the job at all, and the only way forwards was to be directed from above!

I was determined that my childcare commitments outweighed my loyalty to the company, and arguments continued, until in a blazing row with someone senior regarding the way senior management were directing things, he told me "you NEED to go on a course; because you're thinking WRONG - we will change that!"

What kind of a threat is that? "We will change how you think"??.

Well matey, the contents of my skull are mine to do with as I wish and NO WAY was I letting anyone else get in there and meddle.

I took a sideways move to get me out of the immediate heat, and soon secured another (far better) job with a smaller but more principled and ethical employer.

Can anyone suggest a reasonable explanation for what I observed?

Honestly what I imagine it as is what happens on this website alllll the time. Except people aren't sent to a class and the people that do change peoples mind on here I don't believe they do it intentionally. I'm pretty sure this course was very well written and gave its reasons on why these people should look up to their leader. It gave examples, it gave studies, it gave short stories, it probably even gave statistics. Have you noticed when you see a thread on ATS and the more well written it is the more believable it seems?

Hell even some of the Elenin/Nibiru threads were quite convincing with how well the author of them was.

reply to post by Pelvi


Looking up to your leader is one thing, probably a good thing. Adopting the attitude that "I know nothing" is more worrying.

You're suggesting (if I'm reading this correctly), that the course was particularly persuasive - this suggests that intelligent people accepted it at face value without any attempt at rational evaluation of what they were being presented with?

The insistence on residential courses perhaps has relevance? (similar to cult "programming" of members) Isolating people from the outside world and depriving them of access to friends/family who may keep them "grounded" in reality?

I'm sorry, but seeing long-experienced IT professionals (who are presumably intelligent people) adopt the belief that they are ignorant worried and still worries me.

reply to post by Maxine1969


Well I mean how else do you believe it was done? Do you think it was done with a chant every morning like walmart? Do you think it was through many pushups and situps like the military? Do you think it was done through persuasion and/or manipulation like public threads or salesman?

The real question is what approach these guys took to get everyone so serious about the idea they are nothing. Now I assure you someone didn't come up on stage and tell them they were unintelligent, but they could have built the idea.

How could you build this idea? Well first you state what your goal is to the people. It could be for instance a more team oriented facility with a team leader. People will hear this and say okay that sounds friendly (subconciously). Then they could tell you a story of a team oriented group, and have some "bad apples" also in this group for contrast.

Mind control works best when you let the people believe that your ideas are their ideas. Kinda like if someone is building a garage you put a blueprint under their pillow and leave it there for them to find and give them the wood and nails. The person would believe it was themselves who wanted this change when really they were tricked into building that specific garage or idea.

Just because someone is intelligent doesn't mean you aren't susceptible to this kind of herding.

reply to post by Maxine1969


Just a quick idea of how you can influence people to do things. Did you know you can actually pace a customer to buy things? It also requires you to say absolutely nothing. Now this doesn't mean it will sell every time, it just means this person will feel as if you are telling them the truth and know what you are talking about. It also establishes a level of comfort with that person that they don't even notice. How do you do this?

If the person folds their arms, you fold your arms a good 15-20 seconds later. If the person puts both hands on their hips or ANYTHING, you eventually copy them.

reply to post by Maxine1969


Have you heard about 'Common Purpose'? It teaches leadership in a similarly creepy way.

It sounds like your ex-company sent employees on a complementary course in 'followership'.