Boris Johnson Was Secretly ‘Nudged’ into Wearing a Mask by SAGE Scientists
Boris Johnson was secretly ‘nudged’ into wearing a facemask by SAGE scientists during the pandemic, according to the head of the Government’s Behavioural Insights Team. The Telegraph has the story.
In an interview for the Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute published today by the Telegraph, Professor David Halpern says he turned his subliminal powers of persuasion on the Prime Minister himself after it became apparent he was not leading by example.
Prof. Halpern is a member of SAGE and CEO of the controversial ‘nudge unit’, which advised on much of the Government’s messaging during the pandemic, including the “Hands, Face, Space” and “Stay home – Protect the NHS” slogans.
In the interview, which considers the politics and culture of mask wearing around the world, Prof Halpern describes how he helped nudge Mr. Johnson to wear a mask himself.
“We did share with him a slide pack at one point. It had a series of images of pretty much every single world leader wearing a mask, and then a picture with him not.” This subliminal prod was used to point out that “a normal thing for a world leader to do right now is wear a mask”, Prof. Halpern added.
Prof Halpern co-authored the 2010 Mindspace document for the Cabinet Office which listed all the nine subconscious prompts for which there is a solid evidence base. Chief among these nudges is the idea that we conform to ‘social norms’ – that we tend to do what those around us are already doing once it is drawn to our attention.
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Excellent. They can’t keep their stupid traps shut.
What’s the saying about pride comes before a fall?
I’m hoping it will be their undoing.
Another “reciept”, to be tucked away with the others.
Excellent 🙂
Does anything exhibit better what a useless moron Johnson and his cabinet of fools are than masking?
The stabs.
Correct actually all of their bs from lockdown, to stabbings.
Chief among these nudges is the idea that we conform to ‘social norms’ – that we tend to do what those around us are already doing once it is drawn to our attention.
Strangely enough, I delighted in going against the norm – never wore a mask once. If you know an action is ridiculous, it feels great to make an ostentatious point to everyone else that you’re not going along with it.
While Halpern’s ‘nudges’ may work with the great majority of people, I suspect they also create a hardcore of sceptics who see the scam for what it is and are all the more determined not to be manipulated into going along with it. In time, this hardcore gains ground and numbers.
True, but the successful subtle propagandist usually manages to find some trigger point by which to influence you. Witness those who have seen through masks and mRNA shots, but totally buy into climate alarmism because they were brought up with it from childhood (and because they are preening themselves on seeing through the other deception).
Yes, none of us can claim to be completely immune to all propaganda – at least in the short term.
But none of the covid propaganda was subtle – it was astonishingly crude and childish, a parody of what one might suppose was actually effective propaganda. I still can’t understand how so many people went along with it.
It is a mystery. But on the mass scale, surely it has to do with (a) the lack of any understanding of how propaganda works and (b) the inculcated inability to conceive that our government/press/scientists might be using propaganda at all.
I well remember a friend discounting my suggestions because “I’d rather believe the leading scientists in the country.” How do you convince him that the “leading scientists” are just good at climbing the greasy political pole, and that they’re actively suppressing the real experts?
I think the whole nudge thing is bullshit. It’s just part of the campaign to try to demoralise us by suggesting that there are people out there who are so smart that they can mess with our minds so subtly and cleverly that we won’t even realise what they are doing.
Give me a break. Hands Face Space, pictures of people in ICUs, every media outlet blaring out “wear a mask, wear a mask”. Security guards telling you to wear a mask.
These people are anything but subtle.
Same with jabs, same with lockdowns, same with climate change, same with the Ukraine war. There is nothing subtle about being bombarded with preachy or threatening messages 24/7.
The final messaging isn’t subtle, but the only way they could get away with such lumpen, brutish messaging was by laying the groundwork in advance. Look at how masks were being sold in fashion shops months in advance of the mandate, in order to make them a designer item. Look at how stories would leak to newspapers in the days and weeks before an announcement, building up to it. Essentially, Nudge Units use techniques banned in advertising to manipulate opinion. They’re pure evil and – even if you don’t believe they have the impact they do – the have no place in an allegedly democratic society, where people have the freedom to choose, even if they don’t choose the way politicians and the Civil Service want.
I don’t think so.
They got people to lockdown, wear masks, and get jabbed not through subtle nudging but by brute force and coercion.
The moment they stop forcing people to do any of those things they don’t do them.
Nudge and mass hypnosis and all that is just a way to come to terms with the fact that we’re bullied into doing things we don’t want to do.
Again you’re disagreeing with me in order to agree with me! Subtle nudging was used first in order that people then accept the more brutal behaviour further down the line. Laura Dodsworth, among others, talked about this. First come the low level comments, then stories in the paper and on TV, ramping things up, which is nudging, then comes the brutality. The brutal coercion was built up to by nudging the population first.
And yet the lie that the vaccines were “never designed to prevent infection” slipped past most of even the most awakened critics, despite the vaccine trials having “positive PCR test” as their endpoint.
For the gullible you use “blatant,” for the educated you use “subtle” – and for the resistant, you use cancellation. It pays to be aware of all levels.
Yes, I took a perverse pleasure in not conforming. As someone who is very quiet, it was also very stressful, because I prefer to walk around unnoticed (you can observe more of people and everyday life when you blend in.) I was never going to wear a mask though. When Johnson announced the lockdown, I was yelling ‘Arrest him!’ at the TV!
When I was asked by a neighbour if I had vaccinated my girls I replied with “absolutely no chance”. She was taken aback at my brazen honesty and said most people were cagey about it. I told her I didn’t give a fark what people think about me; my number one priority is to do the best by my kids, not everyone else. People are very bloody strange indeed; I’m obviously not head girl material.
I noticed his maskless mug until the headlines that the nappies “might” become compulsory in shops, which was then accompanied with the obviously staged photo of him in a shop in Uxbridge.
Yet more evidence that he did not agree with all the nonsense himself, and that he’s just a pawn in someone else’s game. And more reason why I will never believe anything any politician says ever again. “We need to squeeeeeeeeeeeze the brakes on reopening”, he said oh so casually, while people watched their businesses crumble before their very eyes.
A Prime Minister with an 80 majority does not need to be a pawn in someone else’s game. He held those who voted for him in as much contempt as the nudgers looked to the populace as nothing more than hamsters.
The real message is that a mere psychologist considered himself to be a source of both superior medical knowledge and clandestine political power over the elected PM.
The fact that Boris may not have known any more science, or respected the constitutional channels of power doesn’t alter the fact that unelected elites whether in the BIT or the CIA have automatic access to truth and the right to impose it, whether by force or by psyops.
To be honest, I think I’m a source of superior medical knowledge than Boris Johnson.
And not just medical knowledge.
But I will bow to his superior knowledge of Latin and Ancient Greek.
And I’m a source of superior medical knowledge to any behavioural psychologist. But since I only studied social psychology along with medicine, I accept BIT’s greater grasp of mind control techniques.
Sure. But it doesn’t mean what they say is true any more than when a doctor with superior medical knowledge than me tells me that covid jabs are safe and effective is true.
People say things for lots of reasons.
Trust me, I’m a doctor (and I want my sausages).
A ‘nudge’ may be an influence akin to hypnotism.
At the beginning of this hoax, I got the impression that Johnson was not keen on pushing ahead with the heavy-handed approach. But a narcissist is easily manipulated – particularly one who may have skeletons in the closet.
However, the liveliness that was always in Johnson’s eyes turned into something glazed, cold and lifeless. It was as if he were hypnotised. A similar glazed appearance can be seen in the likes of Blair. He does have a bit more energetic articulation – but nothing heartfelt, it seems to me.
So my hunch is that some crucial people in power have been subject to some kind of hypnosis – something more than indoctrination. Nudges may be used as well, but are more likely to cause a person to modify their behaviour of their own volition rather than having an external agency doing it.
“Look at the eyes, the eyes, not beyond the eyes, the eyes, yes look at the eyes…..and 3…2…1, you’re back in the room”.
“You can put your pants back on now”.
The most comical part of this article is referring to Boris Johnson and his former peers as leaders.
I think we can all agree now these people aren’t leaders. They are regional spokesmen for a very opaquely run world order.
One of Johnson’s many minders came in and subtly told him to start wearing a mask.
It appears that they’re much better at using psychological manipulation techniques to get people to do what they want, rather than actually provide supporting evidence.
There was no psychological manipulation. We were all told openly and forcefully to wear masks or else.
Yes, there was. They would never have succeeded in forcing people to wear masks without using manipulation in advance to lay the groundwork, particularly since no one had worn masks during the main part of the outbreak in early 2020. Suddenly, exactly when everything should have been returning to normal, they announced mask mandates and people complied, many before they even had to wear the rags. I studied advertising techniques and how filmmakers manipulate audiences many moons ago and if you know what to look for, you’ll see the manipulation very clearly. Nudge Units use methods that are banned in commercial advertising.
Well you can believe that if you like.
Pretty much every country in the world enforced masks and most don’t have nudge units guiding government decisions.
Coercion and brute force did it.
They’ve stopped wearing them when they’ve been told they are allowed not to, not when some nudge unit switched the mind games off.
Nudge units are now running across most of the world. Most countries have police forces that are part of the military. In the UK, we don’t, so they had to lay a lot of groundwork before they were able to enforce the depravity used abroad. In France, it’s normal to have police walking around armed and in riot gear and to have states of emergency. In the UK, masked, armed police officers walking into gymnasiums would never be acceptable unless we’d been nudged first. It’s not a matter of ‘believe that if you like’ (you forgot to add ‘you twit!’ but the implication is there.) The whole point of nudging is to get a section of the population to adhere to the rules. Once they do, the rest follow like lambs to the slaughter. It’s the same principle as that used by Goebbels. Create an enemy – in his case, Jewish people – and manipulate the population into seeing them as a threat to their lives, hence the Star of David badge being used to mark up Jewish people, whom they claimed carried typhoid, and make gentiles stay away from them. In the UK, we had Johnson’s ‘invisible mugger’ virus,… Read more »
Did it already occur to you that this reflex-naziing at every ill-suited opportunity might also classify as behaviour someone (not so subtly) taught you?
Goebbels was the master at this type of manipulation. His methods have been studied for decades.’Reflex Nazi-ing’ is when people call someone a Nazi outright for any opinion. I was referring to behavioural manipulation involving social pressure and ‘othering’ of groups of people using the media during the scamdemic, which absolutely bears comparison with what was done in Nazi Germany.
The Soviet methods were a little different, but also bear comparison. The Soviets don’t have a notorious figure like Goebbels though, because they were more an authoritarian blob than distinguishable individuals beyond their leaders.
Yes! And don’t forget that initially the nudges were 180° different. Even the WHO was advising in Jan – March 2020 that masks were useless at best, in line with medical policy for many years.
Don’t forget that our Wonderful NHS didn’t have even the most rudimentary stocks of surgical aprons, swabs, ventilators, gloves, Oh! and MASKS!! The stocks were immediately purloined and handed out to friends, family, political comrades! Then the Army got involved in the logistics – and couldn’t believe the shoddy, incompetent NHS shambles!
Once they could get supplies for everything ( with very dodgy multi-million pound contracts, with their very dodgy family members and mates) and the planes from Turkey and China, full of dodgy masks, were landing in UK, then BANG! Squeal of Brakes! Handbrake turns! Off we went in the opposite direction!
Masks now the best thing since sliced bread! Not only safe and effective but chic! De rigeur! Mine is sleeker than yours! Well, I wear two masks! Three!
So please don’t pretend that logic or factual evidence were anywhere to be seen!
Follow the money. Exercise Control! Feel the POWER!
They used methods of torture to impose thie whole shabang on the population. Torture is an effective tool employed by bullies.
No evidence is required as they have terrorised & terrified the masses into compliance.
But propaganda an behavioural psychology are all about changing behaviour, not cognition. If you hold a whip, you don’t need supporting evidence.
BTW, on the subject of masks, when is the DS going to produce an article pointing out how masks are doing nothing to stop the supposed wave of sickness in China?
Everyone wears a mask there everywhere. There is almost literally no one to be found out and about without a mask.
Another no comments allowed article from the execrable Paul Nuki “GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY” editor. (That’s the Daily Telegraph section that is paid from by the Gates Foundation).
Nuki recently posted a holiday fluff piece on heli-skiing from an £11,000 per night chalet. I wonder if Uncle Bill’s cash was used to pay for this jaunt?
The Gates Foundation grant ended almost a year ago. I wonder if the Telegraph agreed to another one. Nuki is another Goebbels.
What a hideous excuse for a human, so full of arrogance and hubris and plain contempt for other humans. May he reap what he has sewn.
The SAGE scientist is a bit of a prat as well
What’s also alarming is that Johnston didn’t realise he was being manipulated.
Why do you believe what this Halpren man says?
Just because he says he “manipulated” the PM doesn’t mean he did.
Maybe Johnson just finally gave in to repeatedly being told he should wear a mask, just like the rest of the population. Wasn’t he challenged by a reporter about it at some point, for attending a function with other politicians wearing masks and he was the only one without one? On television. Yeah very subtle, very nudgy..
All we can really take from Johnson’s reluctance to wear a face mask, which admittedly was pretty apparent, is that he obviously didn’t run anything because under his government masks were pushed like crazy.
We really need to get out heads around the notion that these elected politicians don’t run things. They are frontmnen. And they’re not elected by us either. Every 4 years we get to chose from two preselected front men, both of which will end up doing more.or less the same thing.
And if by sone freakish circumstance one of them goes off piste a bit, the entire establishment is rallied to get things back on track.
Nudge. Give me strength.
Yes, nudge implies it was subtle. It was lies, propaganda and coercion.
You have a lot to learn, Stewart. Try reading up on advertising techniques and marketing methods. The Nudge Units used extreme versions of these. If they didn’t work, why have organisations and countries set them up all over the world since David Cameron established the British one?
They’ve set up departments to fight climate change too. Does that mean they work?
Have you noticed how police are more coercive now that before? Have you noticed how we have more laws, more regulations and more restrictions now than before?
How does that square with nudge units being effective? If nudge units worked the coercive element of state control would diminish not increase.
I’ll tell you why the government sets up nudge units. Because the drive to control the population is relentless. And they will throw everything they can at the project. Laws, guidance, regulations, advertising, nudge units whatever.
It has been known for the government to waste money on things that don’t work, you know.
Take away the police and any power to enforce these things they are trying to mind control us into and let’s see how far they get.
They’ve set up departments to fight climate change too. Does that mean they work? The aim of the climate change departments is to alter human behaviour, not change the weather. You can’t change the weather, but you can convince people to alter their behaviour and accept scarcity and greater state intrusion if you convince them that being alive is destroying the planet. Have you noticed how police are more coercive now that before? Have you noticed how we have more laws, more regulations and more restrictions now than before? Yes, because after being nudged, people accept more aggressive policing. People have been convinced there’s an ‘invisible mugger’ and that ‘covidiots’, ‘selfish’ people, ‘anti-vaxxers’ and ‘deniers’ are a threat to their lives. How does that square with nudge units being effective? It fits perfectly. If nudge units worked the coercive element of state control would diminish not increase. Quite the opposite. Having used nudging, the state know people will accept greater coercion from both the state and members of the community who will rat on them if they don’t obey. I’ll tell you why the government sets up nudge units. Because the drive to control the population is relentless. And they… Read more »
‘It became apparent that he was not leading by example’
As good an epitaph for Bunter as you will find….
I studied the Kuleshov experiments when I did A-Levels. Unbelievable that people are that easily manipulated by something so simple! The imbecilic Johnson has a lot to answer for – cometh the hour, cometh the man. Trouble is, Johnson cometh by hand! Halpern and the other members of the profoundly anti-democratic Nudge Unit should be swinging from gibbets. Nudge Units have to be outlawed: they are a direct violation of democracy.
Another Paul Nuki article (Global Health Security funded by BMGF) that is disbaled for comments. The likes of Nuki, have a sole focus on terifying the British public whilst celebrating the worst of the Convid era. A cursery read of the article shows a celebratory tone of how the Behavioural Insights Team successfully, nudged (manipulated) Johnson into wearing a nappy. Disgraceful behaviour devoid of morality or ethics.
After 40 years of taking the DT I found it’s acceptance of Gates Covid propaganda money to render it as no better than the News Of the World. I will never buy it or any other national paper ever again.
Later in the article the author goes on to compare the mask-wearing politics and culture of south east Asia compared with the west, and makes the controversial point that the former is characterized by a more collectivist culture, whose citizens conform more readily to social norms, and that the “scaffolding can be put in place” in Britain and the west to nudge people into adopting the habit, and once they have, “the scaffolding can be removed”.
This is classic Pavlovian conditioning that would suggest our leaders are intent on training us up like the stupid salivating dogs that we all are. They even counted Boris Johnson, our previously libertarian-minded and relatively non-conformist PM, as one of their rogue subjects to be brought into lockstep!
A disregard for one’s personal circumstances, preferences and autonomy in an appeal to the “greater good” is not a noble sacrifice… it is superstition!
Disgraceful Telegraph article with comments disallowed.
Captured media; article commissioned by a ‘health’ quango.
It looks like the article is geared up to masquerading as an expose (as I thought it was) about the insidious manipulation of our behaviour, using terms such as “behavioural scaffolding” and “collectivist culture”. But it’s the final phrase – “it’s like a little booster shot for your vaccination” that is the real giveaway: This is obviously an infantilizing propaganda piece attempting to normalize not only facemasks, but also nudging!
Of course. The message is clear: don’t bother fighting us, we’re going to get our way by hook or by crook.
Or.it could just be a hit job on Boris Johnson. You never know what palace intrigues are taking place.
Precisely!
One to note down!
Like Ferguson admitting that he realised he could “get away with it”. (Lockdowns and all the rest, including masks and nudges!).
And why was Boris hospitalised with “c…d”? Why were no other politicians or celebs. his age also put in hospital? (or if they were with much less publicity/no publicity). Was that also a piece of theatre? I’d love to know more…
SAGE Nudged Boris into Mask Wearing – Borish Posh accent, Eton, Oxford. Still thick as two short Sunaks
Stand in the Park
Sundays 10.30am to 11.30am
Make friends & keep sane
Elms Field
Wokingham RG40 2FE
(near Everyman Cinema and play area)
“As thick as two short Sunak’s.”
Now that has merit. Terrific.
What a shame he was such a people-pleaser.
He never ever pleased me,a complete an utter lightweight a disgrace of a PM…
Being nudged by the Sage Commies just shows weakness from the admittedly feckless Johnson…a disaster his tenure will be remembered for.