Integrity is doing the right thing. Even when no one is watching. ~ C.S. Lewis
I know you’re wondering about neuroscience, integrity and the ability to manipulate people using certain practices and techniques. That’s understandable. Neuroscience is powerful, which makes it scary to some. A dear friend went so far as to ask me, “How can you only share these techniques so that they are only used in integrity?” My answer? “That’s not my responsbility. Every one of us owns our integrity and intent.”
From my perspective, the real question is, “Does the person I’m teaching have integrity?” If not, I won’t share information or teach them. But that’s the best I can do. I refuse to not share powerful insights and knowledge simply because of the few who might decide to use that knowledge for manipulation and negative intent. I am not my brothers’ keeper. Besides, why should other integrity people miss out because of a few rotten apples?
Integrity is a Personal Decision
The tools, skill sets and knowledge we gather in our lives are not the cause of our integrity, or lack of. We are the cause. We make the decisions about how to use those tools and skills. We are the cause in our lives, not the effect.
We see lapses in integrity all around our world. These lapses are due to the person who chooses to act in a way that is out of integrity. For example:
- We all know of lawyers or doctors who have used their knowledge and skills to manipulate others. From the ambulance chaser to the drug-over-prescribing medical professional – shady people exist. That doesn’t make the study of law or medicine inherently manipulative or out of integrity. For example, big pharma is creating new diseases in their ads to scare people into buying their products. That doesn’t make medicine itself bad. It’s the people behind the ads. People are the cause of the lack of integrity.
- We all have heard of a hacker or spammer who has used a laptop to wreak havoc on businesses or the world at large. That experience doesn’t make the computer a bad thing that causes manipulation of businesses that are out of integrity – it makes the person who uses the computer in that way an issue.
- Then there’s the raging argument about guns and their impact on our country. Yes, guns kill. And I personally believe that big ammo clips and automatic weapons are unnecessary for personal protection and sport. But – just because some people use guns to kill others, does that make all people who own a gun out of integrity? Not really.
Neuroscience and Integrity
Can neuroscience practices be used to manipulate people? In some cases, yes. Can computers, legalese, medical statistics, guns and more be used to manipulate people. Yes. Can the media use its information to manipulate the thoughts and opinions of audiences? Yes.
The examples go on and on. From martial arts and financial expertise to telemarketing and fear-mongering tv ads – we can choose to use darned near everything in our world for positive intent or for negative manipulation.
Look at the great sales techniques we’ve all learned; the order blank close, the double bind (or alternative choice) close, the competitive threat close. Those closing techniques all have a basis in neuroscience. Does that make these techniques manipulative or out of integrity? That depends on the person using the technique and their intent, now doesn’t it?
The Bottom Line
Whenever we teach a person any skill, offer them a powerful tool or share knowledge that can be used to influence others, we run the risk of those we are teaching acting with mal intent. That doesn’t mean we stop teaching, sharing and expanding the capabilities of humans everywhere.
I think it’s time we put the responsibility for integrity, or lack of, where it belongs. In the hands of the individual themselves.
Neuroscience offers us amazing new knowledge about ourselves, our interactions and our ability to communicate. We can choose to learn this knowledge to improve our lives, our business results and our world. I’d say that a pretty powerful positive intent. Wouldn’t you?
