The Hidden Broccoli Strategy

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The idea of "free will" is always a philosophically squishy one.

Once I was listening to a guy on the radio described how we humans could have free will while at the same time being "controlled" by an "all powerful" God.

His description was to imagine that you are in a helicopter reporting on traffic. 

You can see a traffic jam a couple miles up ahead.

But directly below, the traffic is moving smoothly.

But if the people below KNEW about the upcoming traffic jam, they could get off and take another route.

So at the same time, the guy in the helicopter KNOWS that they are going to get stuck in traffic, AND the people driving believe they are making the right choice.

(Of course, the whole point of a traffic helicopter is to warn people so they can make better choices).

But as a metaphor (that the guy on the radio was describing) the guy in the helicopter is like God, who can SEE the future. And even know we have the freedom to choose (getting off the freeway, for example) we will choose according to our nature.

This makes our choices predictable.

We'll choose predictably if things are presented to us in a certain way.

Like if you had a group of hungry kids sitting around the dinner table.

You could "persuade them" to eat or not eat based on what you put in front of them.

You COULD put down a big, steaming plate of broccoli.

Or you could put something that looks and smells delicious.

And if you are REALLY CLEVER, you'd make something that is both delicious AND healthy.

You would be "persuading" them to eat healthy, while they feel in control the whole time.

Telling stories to people is the same way.

It's kind of like carefully hiding the advice or suggested action within a story.

If you put the story together in the right way, they'll eagerly take the advice.

Just as eagerly as the kids ate the delicious and healthy food.

And everybody's happy.

Learn How:

Hypnotic Storytelling