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

Phenomena - Camille Juzeau and the Shelf Studio ****

I am always a bit suspicious of books that are highly illustrated or claim to cover 'almost everything' - and in one sense this is clearly hyperbole. But I enjoyed Phenomena far more than I thought I would. The idea is to cover 125 topics with infographics. On the internet these tend to be long pages with lots of numbers and supposedly interesting factoids. Thankfully, here the term is used in a more eclectic fashion. Each topic gets a large (circa A4) page (a few get two) with a couple of paragraphs of text and a chunky graphic. Sometimes these do consist of many small parts - for example 'the limits of the human body' features nine graphs - three on sporting achievements, three on biometrics (e.g. height by date of birth) and three rather random items (GNP per person, agricultural yields of various crops and consumption of coal). Others have a single illustration, such as a map of the sewers of Paris. (Because, why wouldn't you want to see that?) Just those two s...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Bright Side - Sumit Paul-Choudhury ***

When I first saw The Bright Side (the subtitle doesn't help), I was worried it was a self-help manual, a format that rarely contains good science. In reality, Sumit Paul-Choudhury does not give us a checklist for becoming an optimist or anything similar - and there is a fair amount of science content. But to be honest, I didn't get on very well with this book. What Paul-Choudhury sets out to do is to both identify what optimism is and to assess its place in a world where we are beset with big problems such as climate change (which he goes into in some detail) that some activists position as an existential threat. This is all done in a friendly, approachable fashion. In that sense it's a classic pop-psychology title. For me, Paul-Choudhury certainly has it right about the lack of logic of extreme doom-mongers, such as Extinction Rebellion and teenage climate protestors, and his assessment of the nature of optimism seems very reasonable, if presented at a fairly overview leve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin Five Way Interview

Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin (born in 1999) is a distinguished composer, concert pianist, music theorist and researcher. Three of his piano CDs have been released in Germany. He started his undergraduate degree at the age of 13 in Kazakhstan, and having completed three musical doctorates in prominent Italian music institutions at the age of 20, he has mastered advanced composition techniques. In 2024 he completed a PhD in music at the University of St Andrews / Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (researching timbre-texture co-ordinate in avant- garde music), and was awarded The Silver Medal of The Worshipful Company of Musicians, London. He has held visiting affiliations at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and UCL, and has been lecturing and giving talks internationally since the age of 13. His latest book is Quantum Mechanics and Avant Garde Music . What links quantum physics and avant-garde music? The entire book is devoted to this question. To put it briefly, there are many different link...
Post a Comment
Read more