[Neurons] 2019 Neurons #44 MIND-READING AT ITS WORST

[Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall

2019 Neurons #44

September 30, 2019

 

MIND-READING AT ITS WORST 

 

This week there was a big political hullabaloo about a phone call President
Trump had with the President of the Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.  Finally a
transcript was released and then a so-called "whistleblower" report
(so-called because he was not a direct witness, but got the information
second-hand and even third-hand from "the media") had been classified as
biased against President Trump and for a rival.  Also it was written in the
form of a lawyer brief.

 

Regardless of that, the Congressional Hearing was televised publically.
Normally, a chairman of such a committee would begin by quoting the facts of
the case, establishing the context, and invite the witness to make an
opening statement.  But to my absolute amazement, Representative Adam
Schiff, the chairman of the committee and a strong anti-Trump democrat began
by reading an account that he completely made-up.  Later he admitted that it
was a "parody" ("a work of close imitation for comic effect or in ridicule;
feeble or ridiculous imitation").  But he failed to note that in the
hearing.  He presented it in the context of a serious Congressional Hearing
as if it was real.  It wasn't.  He created a comic imitation of the
President's phone conversation.  It was his projections.  Yes, you read that
right.  He began with what he later said to Wolfe Blizer on CNN was mockery.
"I was mocking the President's behavior."

 

Now this "parody" was full of statements that the President never said and
never would say.  Yet Schiff made up a skit that would have been more
appropriate for Saturday Night Live than a Congressional Hearing.  So the
question I was immediately pondering as I listened to it was, "Why would
anyone do that?"

 

Now what he presented, if the parody had been true, would have condemned the
President.  Could that have been the reason?  Was he trying to manipulate
those present in the hearing room and all of those watching by setting a
frame that assumed his guilt?  After all, even if you admit, "It's a
parody," once the information is out-few people can simply dismiss it, set
it aside, and not let it influence them.  The NLP Communication Model views
this communication ploy as manipulative and therefore unethical.

 

I'm writing about this because Schiff's statements which assume he knows
President Trump's motives and intentions is the most overt example I've ever
seen.  In linguistics we call that mind-reading.  In psychology we call that
projection.  And the problem with projection is that it always reveals much
more about the speaker than the speaker's object.  As an unconscious defense
mechanism, it reveals things about the speaker which are typically the
speaker's blind-spots.  That's why anyone familiar with this basic
psychological fact is careful about attributing emotions, motives, and
intentions to others.

 

Now as if that was bad enough, what I thought was worse was that no one
called his hand on it.  Later various political pundits on various news
programs brought it up and addressed it a little bit.  But for the most
part, the most unworthy and unethical mind-reading and projection statements
was made ... and no one called Representative Schiff on it.  Not even the
witness, Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguir, challenged
it.

 

If I had been there, I would have confronted him about his mind-reading and
projection and challenged him about that languaging being manipulative.
Putting words, motives, emotions, and intentions into anyone's mouth- words
that if they had been spoken would convict that person of wrong-doing turns
the whole information-gathering process upside-down.  Instead of asking
open-ended questions searching for facts and truth, it starts from the
assumption of wrong-doing, and asks leading, rhetorical, and assumptive
questions which, if the person answers them, accepts all of the assumptive
frames.  This is always destructive to communication.  It undermines
critical thinking.  It shuts down a search for facts.  It forces people into
a game of manipulation and one-upmanship that is more appropriate a
seventh-grade boys locker room.  It is shameful for grown-up men and women.

 

Here is the made-up parody from Adam Schiff:

"And what is the President's response - well it reads like a classic
organized crime shake down [Schiff's judgment and frame about the
President's response].  In essence [well, in Schiff's view],  what the
President Trump communicates is this [mind-reading]:   We've been very good
to your country.  Very good.  No other country has done as much as we have.
But you know what, I don't see much reciprocity here. [A frame so it sounds
like a quid pro quo which is what the investigation is suppose to be
investigating, not assuming.]   You know what I mean? [Hypnotic invitation
to set in and experience the assumptions.]    I hear what you want.  I have
a favor I want from you though.  And I'm going to say this only seven times,
so you better listen good. [Seven times suggests the President is
patronizing and treating the Ukraine President as a child, a silly and
ridiculous mockery.]    I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent,
understand? [mind-reading, "dirt" is imposed and made-up by Schiff, rather
than investigate the facts.]    Lots of dirt, on this and on that.
[Repetition for hypnotic effect.]    I'm going to put you in touch with
people, and not just any people.  I'm going to put you in touch with the
Attorney General of the United States - my Attorney General, Bill Barr -
he's got the whole weight of American law enforcement behind him
[mind-reading and projecting intentions].  And I'm going to put you in touch
with Rudy, you're going to love him.  Trust me.  You know what I'm asking,
so I'm only going to say this a few more times, in a few more ways.
[mind-reading and mockery.]    And don't call me again.  I'll call you when
you've done what I asked. [a presupposition by Schiff to conclude the
parody.] 

 

Of course, the actual transcript of the phone call says none of this, nor
does it even suggest or imply any of this. In terms of undermining effective
communication, there's nothing better than  mind-reading and projecting
one's own assumptions.  For the actual transcript see:

 

www.politico.com/story/2019/09/25/trump-ukraine-phone-call-transcript-text-p
df-1510770 

 

 

 

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Neuro-Semantics

P.O. Box 8

Clifton CO. 81520 USA

www.neurosemantics.com   look for the special offer

 

Author of the stunning new history of NLP--- NLP Secrets.  

Investigative Journalism which has exposed what has been kept secrets for
decades. 

http://www.neurosemantics.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/NLP-Secrets-2_sml2.
png

 

 

 

 

 

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