So my little Amara, hear a story from dad . Child , our brain still follows the same code as our ancestors , and they are now our sub-conscious buttons . Some people would use those buttons to get something out of you like your time , money , peace , sleep . Those little buttons are :
1. SAFETY
Amara do you remember how you get scared of shadow , ghosts or sudden movements ?
Some people use words like `The economy is crashing .`
The new virus is spreading .
Your water has toxin inside it .
Then your little mind goes into panic because of cortisol and adrenal spike .
2. REWARD
Amara , let us say , you bought a little lottery ticket . Prize is something mysterious , ok.
You bought that ticket then instantly you got a dopamine surge . But in reality , you are hoping to get that prize . So you didn`t buy the ticket , you bought the thrill of unwrapping that thing and in hope of being lucky to get that prize .
The same way , your mom bought the clothes that much costly because it was going to give a bonus cloth or a free cute jewellery or it was a exclusive drop .
3. SOCIAL BELONGING
Amara , do you remember the school bag you cried to buy ? But you didn`t like that much ? You bought that because your friends have the same bag . You just wanted to get accepted , right . It`s because in past , social acceptance means survival .
Oxytocin and endogenous opioids make us want to get accepted .
So the words like community , family , insiders , cancel are the trigger words .
4. DOMINANCE
Status. Respect . Main character vibe . Winning . Being better . That is why Amara , dad wanted the gold card , the blue checkmark .
Amara all those things are identity , not things . The product is a trophy that says ` I am better than you . '
Serotonin and rise of testosterone plays a big role in this .
5. CONTROL
Amara , you get angry and also starts crying when me or mom tells you to stop playing when you were small. Everyone loves to be in control of their own .
Dad once bought an app which said that you can cancel anytime . When I cancelled the subscription , the whole year subscription was already paid . I lost that money . Most times they use words like choose , freedom , opt- out , no contracts , you are the boss .
Threatens autonomy = cortisol spike , restore choice = dopamine reward
6. SCARCITY
Losing something hurts more than gaining something feels good . Like 2.5
times.
I fell into this one and bought I -phone . So , the words like last chance , limited , never again , price goes up at midnght .
So now , let Amara leave and read from adult lens .
THE SYSTEM :
A. STALK YOUR DIGITAL GHOST
Using your data to find your vulnerable point is very easy so click on random things . I am currently watching how to be a drag queen . I would give you update some day . You just have to not fit in any category .
B. THE KILXER HOOK { MULTI - BUTTON }
They write words like , `Only 2 hours left to join the group of top baddies who will be able to smash the patriarchy - enroll free today , stay in control of your feminine energy.`
Scarcity = 2 hours
Status = top baddies
Safety = SmashX the patriarchy
Autonomy = control
C . HIT YOU WHEN YOU ARE WEAK
Message arrives at late night , post - breakup , after a fight , in your periods , when your blood sugar is low and willpower is non - existant .
So , put your phone on grayscale mode after you notice these things . Dopamine and colour are related . So turn off the colour .
D. THE FROG - BOILINGX LADDER
They would give you very small steps like you saw an influencer talking about their earnings from AI tools , comment below to get the whole details . Then its single part you can access through sign in . For full pdf , you have to pay . In others , they would give free pdf only when you fill your credit card number . By this step , you are in a sunk cost trap .
Put a 100 dollar limit . If anything exceed this , then wait 24 hour and text your wife , so you don`t fall in trap .
SHIELD
7. NAME IT OUT LOUD
If you feel the rush , call it out loud . It would wake your smart brain and shuts downs the panic by 30 percent .
8. ADD FRICTION
Delete saved credit cards from browser . Use a separate `shop email` . Open it only once a week .
9. THE ULYSSES CONTRACT
I will buy only after texting my wife about this . You can pick any person you trust and is in good relationship with .
10. IMAGINE AN OTHER PERSON
What should he do here ? It works because you create distance and you are also your own advisor .
11. OPPOSITE - EMOTION BLUNT
Feel panic rising ? Force-laugh. Watch a cat video . You can`t `feel panic and gratitude at the same time -they are on same radio frequency . 6.SHIELD CHECKLIST Before clicking` Buy` , check:
Is this a real threat ?
Who profits most ?
Am I tired , sad , hungry , lonely ?
If you answer in no , him , yes .
Then close the tab and go to bed .
GOOD NIGHT .