# 14. Overload ## 14.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ### 14.5.4. Inattention Manipulation This technique takes advantage of a victim's rational inattention, i.e. the inherent difficulty that all human beings have in processing information. When a victim's attention is limited by their processing of a lot of data, their decisions depend on what is currently being focused upon rather than on other data that is arriving at that moment. This gives interested parties an opportunity to manipulate not only the substance of communication but also the decision-maker's attention allocation. This actually creates a competition for data processing time which can reduce the decision-maker's knowledge by causing temporary information overload. Furthermore, a single manipulative information provider may deliberately induce information overload to conceal some manipulative "payload" information, such as "if you use my toothpaste you will have a lovely happy family and gorgeous children". This technique of inattention manipulation as a means of delivering information is constantly in use by marketing organisations with their customers. For instance, in a TV ad a toothpaste manufacturer extols the barely understandable technical qualities of their product. The images show invigorating scenes of facial beauty, happy families and cute loveliness in a scene of idyllic natural freshness tinged with pseudo sexual innuendos. Meanwhile the latest pop song massages the victim's aspirations to like what the rest of the group also likes. Finally the message is delivered to the victim to buy the product because it is good for them. The amount of information delivered or implied in the 30 second advert is much more than can be carefully evaluated by the subject and so the overload is complete and summarised in the easily digestible punch line. If anyone bothered to analyse the contents of the advert in terms of the product, the advert images, words and sounds, we would all rapidly come to the conclusion that the product is at best mediocre and that we are being tricked. But most of us never bother to analyse the data, we simply allow it and dozens of other ads to wash over us, subliminally conditioning our buying habits. ## 14.6. Avoidance and Counteraction ### 14.6.4. Inattention Manipulation There is only one way to avoid being manipulated whilst you are being overloaded - don't allow the overload in the first place. Insist on all data being properly evaluated in a calm way and allow no assumptions to pass without them being tested. Education and the pooling of resources by educated members in the victim group are the real enemies of this manipulative technique. If an individual or group has the necessary skills to quickly draw relevant conclusions from the data which are used to bring about an overload, then the effect is negated. Organised pressure groups exist to fight the manipulative use of overload in commercial and consumer contacts. But it is in the manipulator's best interests if his victims are a/ not appropriately educated or b/ are badly informed or c/ if they are just lazy about accepting information as fact. Sadly most of us fall into at least one of these classes.