Derren Brown

[Smile]

I was exploring Derren Brown's videos on Youtube and found this:

Derren Brown Kung Fu Punch

 

He has a lot of interesting skills... like THIS

[Smile]

Derren Brown "instant conversion" part 1

Derren Brown "instant conversion" part 2

[freeform]

.

Edited December 18, 2019 by freeform

[三江源]

.

Edited April 9, 2015 by 三江源

[MASTERforge]

NLP often seems like 'magic'. It intrigues me. Does anyone know a good NLP book ? ( wide brief, I realise...)

 

The user's manual for the brain volume 1 & 2 by L Michael Hall Phd and Bob G Bodenhamer DMin.

 

This is about as comprehensive as it gets. Quite heavy reading but its all there and not watered down. The problem with NLP is that the jury is still out on it. Some people think its a valid science while others think its pseudoscience.

 

NLP is a mix of hypnosis, linguistics and a few other tools. Used to improve communication in business, life coaching and similar subjects. You will learn how to communicate more effectively by inderstanding how people interpret communication. There are topics on body language, changing the way you think to improve results in your life etc.

 

It can be quite an interesting read and I have used some of the skills to help me in life and they have given results. For example I have used relaxation techniques for job interviews and also body language techniques to gain rapport with the interviewer.

 

The problem with NLP is it tries to give definitive answers to complex problems. For example if a person speaks a certain way it advises to use similar words to gain rapport and friendship. This is called mirroring. Communication is so complex that it is almost impossible to give a set of rules that will create rapport. This is magnified with cross cultural differences.

 

My opinion is that if you buy the books they are an interesting read and if you apply the techniques then you may find positive changes in your life. To gain the skills of derren brown mean mastership of NLP and many other subjects. The question you have to ask yourself is, it it worth the effort to do neat tricks?

 

I would recommend learning about NLP but dont expect to gain any funky skills like Derren Brown

[freeform]

.

Edited December 18, 2019 by freeform

[thaddeus]

There is one trick he does where he's in a taxi asking to go to a famous London landmark - when they're near he makes the driver not notice where the landmark is (even though the taxi is right outside the landmark)... This is known as 'negative hallucination' in the hypnosis world - nearly everyone has experienced this effect (ever looked for your keys/glasses/pepper grinder while it's right under your nose?!)

What causes a person to do this? How does he do it? I'm guessing that we probably have stored the location of things (maps) in a certain part of our brain. Then if you ask someone to do something like recall something when they were 6 years old, it might divert attention from the landmark. Would be cool if things worked that way, do you have any insight into how he might do it other than a willing accomplice?

T

[freeform]

.

Edited December 18, 2019 by freeform

[forestofsouls]

How it works in the brain no one really knows... physical location of memories in the brain is not very likely (imo)... but that doesn't really matter...

 

I'm not sure what you mean with 'a willing accomplice' - the taxi driver is willing to drive the guy and talk to him, but he doesn't know that Derren is messing with him...

 

I've watched some of these Derren Brown videos. First off, I would admit that they're fun and entertaining. But a lot of the people he "suggests" things too strike me as though they are acting. I think the magic of Derren Brown is that he creates a suggestibility in his audience by using a scheme that appears to have some basis (NLP), camera shots/settings that borrow from the "reality TV" genre, and creating a credible illusion that he is altering people's minds. The audience, confronted with these things, buys into what he's doing is real, as opposed to elaborate set-ups. Having some one who pretends they're a regular guy is one of the oldest cons in the book.

[freeform]

.

Edited December 18, 2019 by freeform

[forestofsouls]

I went to see a stage magician once in college. The first thing he asked were for people who has already been hypnotized on stage before. Of all the people on stage (some of them left, and he said "They weren't deep enough"), one seemed authentically hypnotized and the rest were "hamming it up". Being in front of a lot of people is either energizing or terrifying, and I suspect that playing along with the hypnotist is a good outlet for either.

 

I don't know a lot about NLP, but some of their stuff makes sense. For instance, they suggest if you want some one to have a favorable memory of you, you have them recall and tell you about a pleasent time they had. Then they'll associate that emotion with you.

 

But I also know, after studying the workings of my own mind for a few years, that any change is hard, especially a drastic change. My mind and body are creatures of habit, and wish to follow the patterns already carved into them (i.e. "skandhas"). It gets to the point where the body/mind can operate without any attention (like when we're on autopilot going to work), which is why a lot of people in my opinion can drift through life on a low level of attention.

 

What I've seen is that our habits are formed by repetition. If you think/act/feel in a similar away over and over again you create a pattern in yourself. The solution is also reptition, repeated efforts. This comes home when one attempts sitting meditation: at first, the mind careens about as is its habit. The solution is to return time and again to one's mental anchor. Over time, you can develop concentration.

 

I'm skeptical of sudden changes--- they usually precede an inevitable backslide.

 

Regarding the woman: how do you know she wasn't an NLP plant, put in to promote a catharsis in others?

Edited November 6, 2006 by forestofsouls

[Smile]

If you're mean, you can try it on your friends - ask them the name of that song they love, and just as they're 'going inside' to find the info bring them back outside by making a noise, asking them a question or in some way distracting them, then quickly tell them the name of another song.... ask em again to remember their favourite song and it's quite likely they'll have that 'oh it's on the tip of my tongue' thing.

Yes, you can see that in his other video

 

The most impressive thing I've seen with him wass his show The Heist where he brain-washes normal businesmen to become real bank robbers.