Dealing with the “Manipulation” Element of Maya

Manipulation can be done by a single person or it can be done by a whole system or society. But again, no matter who the perpetrator is, the power of manipulation to completely screw up your thought process and life is well documented.

In fact, you may be the most “evolved” person in the world and still be prey to manipulation.

 Even in the case of immensely respectable GENUINE Spiritual Leaders, inevitably corrupt people join their organization whose main motive is their own self-interest and pursuing power at the cost of anything, not necessarily propagating what the Original Guru said.

 Remember even Jesus had Judas who betrayed him, and Buddha had Devadutta who tried to kill him.

 Ironically, even if you yourself are a philosophically and spiritually grounded person, you still have to guard yourself from others around you, because you may think the world is a beautiful place, but the world itself doesn’t act that way.

This is why you need to be aware of common manipulation techniques TO have a basic degree of protection for yourself, your loved ones, your peace of mind and ensuring clarity in your decisions. Let’s take a look at them.

Propaganda and Fear-Mongering in Politics

Fear as a political tool is a classic tactic of manipulation, where leaders or political entities exaggerate threats to influence public opinion and control societal actions. This approach capitalizes on the natural human response to fear—seeking safety and certainty even at the cost of freedoms or rational decision-making. The following narrative explores how political figures use fear to consolidate power and manipulate public perception.

Exploration of Political Fear Manipulation

Let’s explore the FICTIONAL nation of Veridia. As you will see, this template is seen over and over again in different countries and different eras, simply because it works so well. It is also absolutely certain to work well in the future.

 In the fictional nation of Veridia, President Eldridge (obviously a made-up character, don’t bother researching on him!) faced declining popularity due to economic challenges and rising public dissatisfaction.

To reassert control and distract from domestic issues, Eldridge began a campaign focusing on external threats—imaginary enemies plotting to destabilize the country.

Through fiery speeches, government-sponsored news, and orchestrated public demonstrations, Eldridge and his administration propagated the narrative of imminent foreign invasion and internal enemies working to overthrow the established order.

 This campaign painted a dark picture: Veridia was a nation under siege, surrounded by enemies both foreign and domestic.

The relentless barrage of threatening images and dire warnings led to a climate of fear and paranoia among the populace. The fear of losing national stability or becoming victims of alleged conspiracies drove citizens to rally behind Eldridge, who promised security and strong leadership in these turbulent times.

Criticism against him was silenced, labelled as unpatriotic or treasonous, further stifling opposition.

Analysis of Manipulative Elements

Exaggeration of Threats: Eldridge exaggerated and sometimes fabricated external and internal threats to invoke a siege mentality among the populace.

Us vs. Them Rhetoric: By creating a clear divide—us (the homeland and its people) versus them (the external enemies and traitors within)—Eldridge simplified complex geopolitical and social issues into binary choices, manipulating emotions.

Control of Information: The administration’s tight control over media ensured that the public received a continuous stream of fear-inducing propaganda, which was rarely questioned or countered by alternative viewpoints.

The fictional account of President Eldridge illustrates a real-world tactic frequently observed in political landscapes around the globe.

By recognizing when fear is employed as a manipulative tool in politics, citizens can take proactive steps to question the narrative and seek independent information

Understanding these manipulation tactics empowers individuals and societies to make decisions based on informed judgments rather than manipulated emotions.

By the way, the idea of being blindly patriotic is one of the biggest delusions, because the concept of countries itself is a delusion.

Every animal thinks they control their territory. Dogs feel they control their territories, ants think they control their territory and attack other ants fiercely to control that territory. Humans think we control our territories. In reality, we control nothing, because the only true control over that territory is that of nature itself.

No countries actually exist in the nature, it’s only power struggles amongst humans that created the concepts of kingdoms and countries and borders, and by the way, those borders keep changing every few years.

So, if you are extremely patriotic about your “Country”, but then some politicians/armies get together, and your region becomes completely independent of what used to be your country, who do you owe your allegiance to now? The newly created country or the old country?

If you say “new country”, what if it gets divided again thanks to a bunch of politicians, within a few years. Who do you owe your loyalty to now? The new “new country”, the old “new country” or the old, old country? As any sane person can see, this is a never-ending game, created yet again by politicians and societal structures and extreme nationalism/jingoism is the propaganda they need to peddle to control the population of that region.

PS: Some people will naturally twist my comments, I want to clarify that there is nothing wrong with being patriotic in a healthy way.

 Humans are social animals and we all are meant to be part of groups that give us a sense of belonging, security and oneness.  There are UNDENIABLE benefits to being a part of one.

 Just don’t let yourself be manipulated by those who use it as a technique to guilt you.  Do not become a blind follower of ANYBODY.

 The Relentless Pushing of “Ideologies”

Understanding Ideological Manipulation

Ideologies are sets of beliefs used to understand the world. But when these ideologies are pushed too hard, it can lead to manipulation. This kind of manipulation happens in politics, social movements, and even marketing. People or groups often promote certain ideologies not just to benefit society, but to gain something for themselves.

Who Creates These Ideologies?

Ideologies are often developed by powerful people or groups wishing to control the public thought process. They can be large activist groups, political parties, big companies, or special interest groups.

These groups can benefit from having many people adopt their way of thinking. They usually hide who’s funding the ideology, trying to make it look like it’s a grassroots movement — something that came from the common people. They then take control of a segment of the media to relentlessly push their ideology

How Are These Ideologies Spread?

These beliefs are shared everywhere — on TV, in newspapers, on social media — everywhere you look. This makes the ideology seem like it’s everywhere and accepted by everyone, which can make more people start to follow it.

Influenced by these, you join certain communities that again turn out to be filled with strict adherents to this new ideology and your thought process gets corrupted further and further. Ironically, you are given the illusion that you are becoming super smart and exercising free choice, while the truth is far from it!

Once you join a community, there’s a lot of pressure to blindly accept these ideologies. It is subtly or even overtly implied that if you want to be seen as a good person, you should adopt these beliefs. This can make people who don’t agree feel left out or even like they’re bad people.

Because these ideologies are shown so much in media, it can seem like everyone agrees with them. This isn’t always true, but this illusion can stop people from seeing other points of view.

In some places, old-fashioned ideas about family roles are heavily promoted by local groups that benefit from keeping things the way they are. People who follow these old rules are often praised, while those who don’t are criticized.

Sometimes the OPPOSITE is done: “New and Revolutionary” ideologies are shoved down your throat. It seems it is being done for your benefit, but again it is truly being done by and for the benefit of the powerful groups or people funding it.

You are also manipulated and guilted, through various forms of media, social media and groups that can quickly become “echo chambers” (so that you hear the same thing again and again) and make you feel that ALL good and responsible people in the world believe in the new ideology and everyone else is either a fool or cruel or a less evolved species.

Let me share a real example. It’s as respectful as possible but if someone chooses to get offended anyway it is their problem – there is a school today that is forcing kids to paint their nails in support of people from the “LGBT” community.

Now, you can respect a black guy without painting your face black. You can respect an Indian without faking an Indian accent. So why can’t you respect someone else’s personal choices without being forced to dress like them to show “allegiance?” And you are doing it to kids?

Kids are not considered old enough to vote, they are not considered old enough to consent to drive or to drink or to do any of the adult things.

 So how are they considered old enough to “consent” that are literally being shoved down their throats? And if they don’t accept it, they are ostracized. 

Their whole life becomes a struggle for acceptance and they have no choice but to accept what the “teacher” says, or become a social outcast in their school.

How to Recognize and Resist Ideological Manipulation

Think about where your information comes from and question why someone might want you to believe a certain thing. Is there someone out there who benefits from you adopting this belief?

Look for different sources of information to get a broader view of the topic. This can help you see beyond the echo chamber of a single ideology.

Always remember, your first responsibility is to YOURSELF and not a group or an ideology no matter how much you are brainwashed to adhere to it or given the illusion that every “good” or “intelligent” person believes in it.