Underground Knowledge — A discussion group discussion

Excerpt from The Orphan Conspiracies: 29 Conspiracy Theories from The Orphan Trilogy:


Subliminal messages are any sensory stimuli that occur below an individual’s threshold of conscious awareness. What this means is messages can be sent to your mind without you being aware of the fact.

The concept of information being transmitted to individuals without their consent or awareness is interrelated with other subjects explored in The Orphan Conspiracies: 29 Conspiracy Theories from The Orphan Trilogy and also in this group - especially within the posts im the mind control section of this and media manipulation section.

Subliminal messaging – also known as subliminals – is nothing new. The technique has been around at least since the advent of radio and television.

Although there was great concern about subliminals when they first came to the mass public’s attention in the 1950’s, fears soon waned as experts assured all and sundry that the ever so subtle messages were relatively ineffective or else did not work at all.

By the late 20th Century, a whole host of scientific studies had concluded subliminals were not remotely effective.

Over the decades, however, there have been many groups in society who continued to maintain concerns over the wide usage of subliminals. Conspiracy theorists naturally expressed the greatest fears, but civil libertarians, media watchdogs and worried parents also raised issues.

Adding fuel to the whole debate is the fact that new science of the early 21st Century is also beginning to raise alarm bells regarding the influence and effectiveness of subliminals. It turns out the subtle method of advertising may be a little more persuasive on the mind than experts told us it was in the 20th Century.

Perhaps even a lot more persuasive...


“I saw a subliminal advertising executive, but only for a second.” –Steven Wright, American comedian


It’s no secret that advertisers and programmers have long inserted hidden messages that consumers receive unknowingly.

There are numerous well-known incidents of subliminals being used in media advertising. A CBS News article headed The 10 Best Subliminal Ads Ever Made (dated October 20, 2011) provides some interesting examples.

The known history of this advertising technique essentially began in 1957, when market researcher James Vicary inserted subliminal messages into screenings of a film at a movie theater in New Jersey. The subliminals instructed cinemagoers to eat popcorn and buy Coca-Cola. According to Vicary, sales for both Coke and popcorn went through the roof.

Vicary’s cinema experiment coincided with the publication of Vance Packard’s bestselling book The Hidden Persuaders, which highlights subliminal tactics used by advertisers.

These developments prompted many others with an interest in influencing minds to begin researching this new technique. And so the subliminal movement was born.


According to their music teacher, the mind became like a sponge when listening to the symphonies of Mozart and other Baroque composers. Nine, however, suspected there were subliminal messages embedded in the music. Sometimes he thought he caught whispers of Naylor’s voice underneath the music and worried he was being brainwashed. –The Orphan Factory

How Corporate Elite Logos, Subliminals And Symbols Control You -- https://www.goodreads.com/videos/1112...

The Hidden Persuaders

This topic has fascinated me for years. I used to use subliminal techniques in my classrooms to quell rowdy students. And it worked. Vance Packard is, of course, the original writer on this subject. (I might mention I have a book chapter in print on the topic of manipulating consumers. Message me for your Goodreads only free Word version (!))

John wrote: "This topic has fascinated me for years. I used to use subliminal techniques in my classrooms to quell rowdy students. And it worked. Vance Packard is, of course, the original writer on this subject..."

Yes please John! A pdf would be good.

John wrote: "This topic has fascinated me for years. I used to use subliminal techniques in my classrooms to quell rowdy students. And it worked. Vance Packard is, of course, the original writer on this subject..."

What would have happened, John, if the learning institution you were working for had discovered you were secretly inserting subliminal messages to mind control your students? :)

Most of them would not know enough about the topic to give a damn. Maybe I would get a remote smack on the wrist. The rewards were a quiet and attentive classroom. Subliminals in the service of dialectical thinking?