Richard Kelly’s review of Jon Atack’s new book opening minds: the secret world of manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing How would I describe Jon Atack’s most recent book, Opening Minds:…? I could start with “totally engaging,...
A REVIEW BY RICHARD E. KELLY In his breakthrough 1956 book, When Prophecy Fails, Leon Festinger hooks the reader in his very first paragraph, “A man with conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you disagree and he turns away. Show him facts or figures and he...
Watchtower and Scientology have much in common, especially when it comes to unduly influencing new recruits and their current members. But very little attention has been given to how both groups use hypnotic techniques to create and manage personality changes. To...
By Richard E. Kelly While reading Exiting the JW Cult: A Healing Handbook, I had this exhilarating feeling of being gifted with a talented and compassionate therapist – just for me – packaged in an amazingly well-written book. The fact is that the book is...
This is the third and final article in a series about the clear and present danger of undue influence in the manipulative hands of charlatans, con artists, abusive partners, and cults. In this post, we will explore positive practices that directly address undue...
