Skip to main content

Brainjacking - Brian Clegg *****

Brian Clegg's Brainjacking is a captivating exploration of the subtle and pervasive ways our minds are manipulated in today’s world, offering readers a blend of scientific insight, cultural commentary, and even speculative fiction. Clegg deftly tackles a wide range of topics, from artificial intelligence and deepfakes to psychological nudges and subliminal messaging, weaving them into an engaging narrative that prompts us to rethink how much of our thinking is truly our own.

One of the book’s standout strengths is Clegg’s ability to make complex and often unsettling topics accessible and engaging. Whether he's discussing the dangers of AI-generated deepfakes or the psychology behind targeted advertising, Clegg brings a clear, conversational tone to subjects that might otherwise feel daunting. His approach to brainjacking  -  the subtle art of influencing thoughts and behaviours  -  bridges scientific facts with everyday examples, showing how we’re often nudged or manipulated without realizing it. From the design of user interfaces to the power of storytelling, Clegg illustrates how manipulation is deeply embedded in the world around us.

The breadth of Brainjacking is impressive, as Clegg seamlessly moves between topics like Derren Brown’s psychological illusions, classic science fiction like The Space Merchants, and the latest research in cognitive psychology. He also discusses real-world examples, such as Cambridge Analytica’s controversial use of data and AI’s growing role in political manipulation. These examples make the abstract idea of brainjacking tangible and relatable, and Clegg does a great job balancing historical context with contemporary relevance.

Clegg’s thoughtful integration of science fiction into the discussion is particularly compelling. By referencing works like The Matrix or Philip K. Dick’s Minority Report, he not only highlights how long we’ve been fascinated by mind control and manipulation but also shows how these fictional scenarios are becoming eerily close to reality. This use of speculative fiction adds a layer of depth to the book, encouraging readers to imagine the potential future implications of the technologies and psychological techniques being explored.

Another highlight is Clegg's clear-eyed take on controversial psychological concepts like priming and hypnosis. While he acknowledges the scepticism and replication issues surrounding some of these studies, he doesn’t shy away from exploring their potential impact. Rather than dismissing them outright, he provides a balanced view, showing how even discredited theories offer insight into how easily our minds can be influenced.

What makes Brainjacking particularly engaging is how it doesn’t just leave readers with a sense of unease about manipulation. Clegg emphasizes the importance of awareness and critical thinking as tools to navigate a world where brainjacking is an ever-present reality. He encourages readers to question what they see, hear, and even think, fostering a more mindful approach to the information we consume.

In conclusion, Brainjacking is a fascinating, thought-provoking book that blends science, psychology, and culture into a highly readable and timely exploration of how our minds are shaped by external forces. Clegg’s approachable writing, combined with his wide-ranging insights, makes this a must-read for anyone curious about the hidden influences that affect our daily lives. It’s a book that not only informs but also empowers, giving readers the tools to recognize and resist the subtle manipulations that surround us.

Hardback:   
Kindle:  
Using these links earns us commission at no cost to you
These articles will always be free - but if you'd like to support my online work, consider buying a virtual coffee:
Review by Harriet Dunbar-Morris
Please note, this title is written by the editor of the Popular Science website. Our review is still an honest opinion – and we could hardly omit the book – but do want to make the connection clear.
- See all Brian's online articles or subscribe to a weekly email free here
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Antigravity Enigma - Andrew May ****

Antigravity - the ability to overcome the pull of gravity - has been a fantasy for thousands of years and subject to more scientific (if impractical) fictional representation since H. G. Wells came up with cavorite in The First Men in the Moon . But is it plausible scientifically?  Andrew May does a good job of pulling together three ways of looking at our love affair with antigravity (and the related concept of cancelling inertia) - in science fiction, in physics and in pseudoscience and crankery. As May points out, science fiction is an important starting point as the concept was deployed there well before we had a good enough understanding of gravity to make any sensible scientific stabs at the idea (even though, for instance, Michael Faraday did unsuccessfully experiment with a possible interaction between gravity and electromagnetism). We then get onto the science itself, noting the potential impact on any ideas of antigravity that come from the move from a Newtonian view of a...
Post a Comment
Read more

The World as We Know It - Peter Dear ***

History professor Peter Dear gives us a detailed and reasoned coverage of the development of science as a concept from its origins as natural philosophy, covering the years from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. inclusive If that sounds a little dry, frankly, it is. But if you don't mind a very academic approach, it is certainly interesting. Obviously a major theme running through is the move from largely gentleman natural philosophers (with both implications of that word 'gentleman') to professional academic scientists. What started with clubs for relatively well off men with an interest, when universities did not stray far beyond what was included in mathematics (astronomy, for instance), would become a very different beast. The main scientific subjects that Dear covers are physics and biology - we get, for instance, a lot on the gradual move away from a purely mechanical views of physics - the reason Newton's 'action at a distance' gravity caused such ...
Post a Comment
Read more

It's On You - Nick Chater and George Loewenstein *****

Going on the cover you might think this was a political polemic - and admittedly there's an element of that - but the reason it's so good is quite different. It shows how behavioural economics and social psychology have led us astray by putting the focus way too much on individuals. A particular target is the concept of nudges which (as described in Brainjacking ) have been hugely over-rated. But overall the key problem ties to another psychological concept: framing. Huge kudos to both Nick Chater and George Loewenstein - a behavioural scientist and an economics and psychology professor - for having the guts to take on the flaws in their own earlier work and that of colleagues, because they make clear just how limited and potentially dangerous is the belief that individuals changing their behaviour can solve large-scale problems. The main thesis of the book is that there are two ways to approach the major problems we face - an 'i-frame' where we focus on the individual ...
Post a Comment
Read more