Patrick Fagan | How not to be nudged

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country."

These were the words of Edward Bernays, pioneering marketing psychologist, author of Propaganda, and great uncle to Netflix co-founder and CEO Marc Bernays Randolph. Today his words are truer than ever. We are constantly bombarded with information - and emotion - from all corners. Everywhere we look, there is someone trying to persuade us to buy a product, elect a candidate, or go to war. How, in this environment, can we maintain and strengthen our psychological integrity? How can we 'free our minds' and resist the endless nudges, pokes, and shoves on our psyche?

The pandemic has revealed that it was about more than just public health and the political, economic and societal aspects of the response are of far greater significance than the virus itself. There remains a continued drive toward the transformation of our societies in ways that threaten democracy and our existing ways of life. Open Society Sessions aim to examine the political, societal and economic dimensions of our recent experience and analyse developments in the future.

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