WTF is on my Mind?!
Author, Speaker, Whistleblower and award-winning Director Mark Vicente was behind the sleeper hit “What The Bleep Do We Know?!” Several books have been written about the film’s remarkable grassroots marketing campaign, which led to its unprecedented success.
Mark was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1965. Taking his first photograph at age four, he quickly discovered his passion for being behind the camera. After attending film and drama school in South Africa, he began working his way up the ranks of the camera department, from Assistant to Operator to Cinematographer. His first big break came as Director of Photography on the musical “SARAFINA,” starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992, he set his sights on Hollywood and relocated to Los Angeles to shoot his first studio picture for Disney; “FATHERHOOD,” starring Patrick Swayze and Halle Berry. At the age of 26, he became one of the youngest cinematographers to shoot a big-budget studio picture.
Over the next few decades, he went on to shoot an additional 14 feature films and numerous documentaries, music videos and commercials. Mark soon found there were in him, untold stories he desperately wanted to express as a Director. He was driven by the conviction that tales of greatness, nobility and introspection could be exciting and financially successful.
Perhaps because of the very obvious race and class iniquities in South Africa, he found himself propelled to question certain fundamental assumptions at a very young age. Beliefs about human behavior, cosmology, religion, existentialism and mysticism. Along the way, he stumbled into a few situations where leaders with malignant pathologies (masquerading as saintly philosophers) spoke the talk of self-improvement but did untold damage to their followers... and him.
Looking back, he can now say he has been in at least two cults. His last foray into personal growth and his defection from NXIVM was chronicled in the HBO series “The Vow”. Mark and a few plucky whistleblowers exposed the criminal activities of the organization, resulting in multiple arrests and indictments. He doesn’t consider himself a cult expert, but by his own admission, “I’m an expert in being screwed over, waking up, and knowing how to spot them.” He’s got a pretty salty approach to most things and is fascinated by the myriad patterns in the human psychodynamic that create the best and the worst in civilization.
Join Mark as he unpacks a whole range of topics to do with: Psychology, Consciousness, Morality, Narcissistic Abuse, Spirituality, Cults, Propaganda, Science, Filmmaking, and Philosophy.You never quite know what you’re going to get, as it really does depend on… WTF is on his mind?!
WTF is on my Mind?!
BRAINWASHED! - with Behavioural Scientist and Author Patrick Fagan
In this Episode: Author, Lecturer & Behavioural Scientist Patrick Fagan and I delve into the topics of brainwashing, propaganda, manipulation, and the impact of psychological tactics on behaviour. We explore the influence of communication, media, and societal forces on individuals, as well as the role of trauma and vulnerability in susceptibility to manipulation. The discussion also touches on the concept of the 'blip' and its role in creating vulnerability, as well as the use of psychological tactics in intelligence and political agendas. We also cover the manipulation techniques used in propaganda, brainwashing, and influence and explore the impact of cognitive biases, the power of visual imagery, and the illusion of control. Finally, we talk about immunity from manipulation and the internal journey of self-awareness and humility.
FREE YOUR MIND: The new world of manipulation and how to resist it.
Written by Laura Dodsworth & Patrick Fagan
Laura is an Author, Journalist and Photographer.
Patrick is a Behavioural Scientist, Author & Lecturer
Weaponizing Filmmaking
GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE 1
GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE 2
Chapters
00:00 The Influence of Brainwashing and Propaganda
19:28 The Vulnerability of the 'Blip'
21:18 Psychological Tactics and Manipulation
28:01 Intelligence, Politics, and Psychological Influence
33:19 Unraveling Manipulation Techniques
42:15 The Power of Visual Imagery
47:30 The Illusion of Control and Cognitive Biases
59:39 Developing Immunity from Manipulation
01:03:22 The Journey of Self-Awareness and Humility
brainwashing, propaganda, manipulation, psychological tactics, communication, media, societal influence, trauma, vulnerability, blip, psychological resistance, intelligence, political agendas, propaganda, brainwashing, cognitive biases, visual imagery, illusion of control, immunity, self-awareness, humility
The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
Website: www.markvicente.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/markvicente
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicente
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/