Dilbert Wouldn't Vote for Trump.

Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, is going to explain to listeners of BBC radio, today, why Americans will vote for Donald Trump.


Adams seems to believe that a majority of Americans have been easily duped by Trump, the P.T. Barnum, the Professor Harold Hill, of modern politics.


In his blog, Adams has alternately said that 1) he doesn't care who wins the presidency; 2) that Hillary Clinton won't because she is sick, or on drugs (he's not a doctor, nor has he attended medical school, nor has he actually met Hillary Clinton); 3) that Donald Trump will win; and finally, after losing millions of dollars in speaking fees, 4) that he endorses Gary Johnson.


He backhandedly admits that he is taking that last position to avoid further damage to the Dilbert brand, the loveable engineer that he's carelessly associated with Trump support. 


But the damage is done.


In addition to blowing this "pay no attention to the cartoonist behind the curtain" smoke, Scott Adams subjects his readers to a psychological manipulation in every blog post.


At the end of each of his posts, he suggests you buy his book(s), and includes a link to the item.


And each statement is a model of a psychological persuasion tool. Like the "because they drink tea" line in this one today.   He uses this one a lot.


Experiments have shown that people will often do what you ask if you just use the word "because" in your request. (See, Influence, by Robert Cialdini).


The reason you give doesn't need to make sense. It just has to be stated following a "because." Adams relies on you being unaware of this technique. And he probably has a chart showing him which manipulative techniques he uses get the best results.


"Welcome to my laboratory, rats.", he might say to himself each time he writes a post.


I've loved Dilbert for years. I've read three of Adams's books. But I can't stomach what appears to be his Big Bang Theory Sheldon Cooper-like concept of voters'  intelligence.


He ought to review Pre-Suasion, also by Robert Cialdini, the Godfather of psychological persuasion techniques.


If Adams did see that volume, he'd recognize that he has poisoned the susceptibility of a big part of his audience by injecting Trump into his conversations.


The readers' virtual arms are crossed and their heads tilted back before they even start to read.


If they even do read any more. 

Alchemy and Dragon tattoos

Seeking is like traveling. You have to look around while you're moving, or you will miss the whole point.


I took a few hours this past week to pick my head up from my seeking to look around and read some books. Of note were "Influence", "Siddartha", "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", and today, start to finish in 230 pages, "The Alchemist."


There is much to commend about any one of these books. Together though, they were like a spicy paella for the soul and the brain.


Reading new material excites neurons and opens the senses. Possibilities not previously conceived explode into being. Motivation and desire that may have sat collecting the stiffness of apathy springs up and says "Let's do it!"


Not a day goes by that I do not see the psychological clicks and whirrs described in Influence. My time next to a river nearly every day reminds me of Siddartha's view of the never ending nature of life, the universe and everything. In my practice the savagery and the inscrutable nature of people reflects right back to the sadistic and self serving characters in Dragon Tattoo. Finally, the crystal merchant in The Alchemist looked up at me today from the pages of the book and said "I am you. Is that enough?"


My personal legend has yet to be written, but I am on the path. Maktub.