Are you being manipulated? | David McCubbin | TEDxBurleigh Heads

The power play I'm most concerned about is AI. I'm not talking about artificial intelligence, although I watched the latest Terminator movie and could see how that could get pretty complicated. I'm talking about something deeply rooted in human nature that affects us all right now Artificial integrity when someone projects that they are intrinsically motivated to serve you or others when in reality their actions serve themselves is a seduction strategy that It gives power to someone, whether they have the wisdom or the compassion to use that power well and I know that I am not the only one who sees this in responsible journalism, in activism and advocacy.

Brave and brilliant people denounce the uses of power, but something is missing because the impact of the artificial is increasing. Integrity, employed as it is by politicians, business leaders, and internally driven people. violence in the week that I sat down to begin to gather my thoughts for this talk, a young woman was brutally murdered by someone who used to be her intimate partner and I discovered that on average that happens every week in this country, we know we have a problem, but we haven't figured it out yet, something is missing and that's why I wanted to describe the artificial integrity in a way that exposes it for what it is and offer some suggestions on how to take it apart.

I am a playwright and trained at the National Institute of Australia. of dramatic art I worked as an actor, writer and director and now in the business of leadership communication and the combination of those lived experiences, the deep exploration of character and motivation and the deep commitment to the characters that run corporations, I think I have a keen sensitivity to the way people use psychological action to gain and exert power. Communication is action. It's what we do to other people to get them to do what we want. I think of Newton's first law. It's what we do to other people. and if we agree that we should be responsible for what we do to other people, then we must recognize that there is a problem and that there are many actions that go unnoticed.

I mean physical actions, they are visible, so give a handshake and a punch. warm hug this has received a sensation in the nervous system and if that activity reaches the brain and influences perspectives opinions and behavior then it is a psychological action many psychological actions in fact most do not require physical contact Sight and sound without touching any of you I can welcome you, I can thank you, I can warn you or I can force you, and although they are more difficult to detect and name than physical actions, psychological actions can have an equal, if not greater, impact when I started helping people in business with leadership communication. which was almost a universal blind spot and that's what it means to match words to actions and actions to words.

People with excellent intentions struggled when it came time to act, getting nervous about boardroom presentations, selection interviews, and performance conversations—you know, interrogations. in front of the mess or um or a Senate investigation, that's a challenge from the beginning, I could see that there were limitations in just advising people to stand tall and speak from here and tell a story related to moral values, I mean , that is. Excellent advice for someone with a moral compass who knows why he stands tall and who can give voice to the impulses that come from his heart or his gut, but it is not good for any of us when this advice, this power is shared with psychopaths, narcissists and predators.

Who can practice standing taller and speaking deeply and calmingly? It's like giving the nuclear codes to some lunatic tyrants and kleptocrats. They stand up because they can and bullies exert coercion and control when it is their path of least resistance and as I discovered recently on a trip. to my local supermarket in artificial Integrity doesn't begin and end with middle-aged white guys like me. I was on a mission to get some sun dried tomatoes, except the Q box had stopped when a stiff three year old shouted: Father wants it AJ now not me what did I do it AJ this is not a good way to behave I am now this It's a very human drama and what's notable is that the child doesn't need to be taught how to access this kind of power, I mean, life was very hard for little children in the Paleolithic.

And that is why evolution has given them this superpower. No, the power to cause a ruus on a piece of bone marrow could be the difference between life and death. Nowadays, it's kind of a surprise, it's not life. and death, but AJ's primitive emotional brain says it is authorizing AJ to harness the power of law without foundation. I just want it and I want it now AJ, I'm sorry you can't have it, but I've been very good, yes, quite a bit. intuitively AJ turned it into a moral argument oh well then how is that fair? I think it's helpful to reference the work of Jonathan Heighton's colleagues who established moral foundation theory, defined six common hereditary ethical intuitions and yes, justice is one of them and there is Authority and there is holiness and there is care, aversion to harm, there is loyalty in the tribe and there is freedom, psychological actions that resonate with these moral nuances, violate our rational defenses, that is why the child with rights has so much power, but me.

I've been very good, I'm sorry AJ, you can't have it, but I'm hungry. Len asks you to worry now. AJ, we go home as we grow, we learn from interactions like this how to acquire and wield power. Now we hope AJ learns a valuable lesson. It seems like I don't have the right to Kindergarten supplies and behaving like this won't get me what I want or maybe AJ learns a different lesson. The problem is that they don't think it's enough for Kinder supplies if I can resolve that I can have anything I want now let's hope AJ never sees this presentation because artificial integrity solves that rights problem and I'm going to show you how it works.

I'll tell you a three part story now, don't think about story structure, it's simply organizing information, stories are vehicles that convey psychological information to the minds of your bound audience and like any boxer, combine a cross jam of Maximum Impact, the structure of the powerful story is that sequence of psychological actions that appeal to moral values ​​so that action number one I am going to destabilize you by playing with your fears this world your world is a dangerous place there are other people who want to harm you and take away what is yours second action I am going to reassure you by presenting myself as your only option and I and only I have the power to protect you.

I'm made of the right stuff like you. I believe in us. Okay, third action. I'm going to force you to sign a contract that I have control over in the only way I can. protecting yourself is if you follow the rules and do what I tell you, which is fair given what I'm doing for you and that's it, three psychological actions camouflaged in a story that perversely appeals to freedom when the result is oppression, you love freedom, you want to be free, you must submit to me and that is the general way of nature of artificial integrity and there are some people in our world who are playing it dangerously well.

I mean, have you ever heard a candidate for political office say there are bad people out there who want to hurt us and only I can protect you, a business leader who says I'm what keeps this company afloat, so we do it. In my own way, it is clear that we know that the story of me and only me is used to coerce and control an intimate partner. You are a danger to yourself and your friends and family, they are just undermining us, honey, I can take care of everything, but from now on you have to tell me exactly where you are at all times and who you are talking to.

Well, now. What's really scary is that when I do this I feel good. I feel strong reward systems activated. Dopamine is delivered not because it is true but because performing these psychological actions is viscerally energizing, which affirms that I see power over the people within my reach and I simply want it and There are some people who have been using Artificial Integrity for so long that they believe that his story is true, which does not make it true or correct, nor, what do we do about it? First, recognize that Artificial Integrity is a strategy, it is not a strategy. person is not what they are, it is what they are doing if you challenge someone's integrity you will get drama and that is what plays and movies are for drama, we don't want drama, we just want them to stop recognizing that it is a strategy based in a lie the eye and the eye can only protect your story your goal is to safely deconstruct that story in a way that neutralizes that power take two take apart a story ask genuine questions how is the world dangerous for us that is not a question it is a challenge communication is action ask how is the world dangerous for us how is it that you are the only one who can provide protection how am I giving you power are you going to work now they will have answers for everything and if you are not convinced if you are unmoved keep it up your position and tell the truth I'm not convinced I mean they're not going to like that but with humility that's not a challenge it's a fact I wish I was I'm not convinced I'm not convinced that they should be destabilized I'm not convinced that you reassure me.

I'm not convinced I should accept your terms. We have the right to know our own minds and the truth is that their psychological actions have not moved you now if you are the only one receiving a II. I can protect your story. I won't pretend to know how complex, how scary, how exhausting it must be for you, so my only suggestion is don't try to handle this on your own, share your experiences and your thoughts with people you know have done it. your best interest at heart If you see this happening to another person just as you would not allow physical aggression to go unaddressed, I urge you to act against this pernicious psychological aggression, deconstruct the story by asking questions and standing your ground, deconstruct that history and illegitimate power.

It doesn't fall apart for a minute. I intend to speak for all middle-aged or bearded white men, but

being

one of them, I will say. I remember the times I have resorted to artificial integrity. Did I get what I wanted? I have nothing left but to regret, guys, let's acknowledge the fact that we have been given the potential to get what we think we want by playing this three card trick. I know we don't have an exclusive license, but admit it, we can get it. pretty good at it, we will be rewarded for it. I understand the appeal, but taking power over other people in this way is succumbing to the dark side and there are other ways, there are other power games to play, better ways to achieve it, that minimize the impact of blind privilege and prejudice and the truth begins with making the truth a priority and the truth is that relationships are more functional and satisfying, they create more health, wealth, love, security.

Legacy and freedom when power is shared, thank you.