Foreshadowing
There’s an interesting idea that was essentially invented by Shakespeare.
The very first scene would, if you were paying attention, explain everything.
Two dudes up on stage talking about something.
Since it was the very first scene, the tendency would be to just soak it in and see what happens.
But if you paid very close attention, the dialogue was very carefully calibrated to demonstrate not only the theme of the play, but how it would end.
This, on one level, would seem to ruin the ending.
Nobody likes spoilers, right?
That’s only if you assume the purpose of movies and stories is to watch over an unfolding of scenes to experience them like real life.
Meaning if you know what’s going to happen, it takes the fun out of it.
So these first, foreshadowing “spoiler” scenes would seem to contradict that.
Make Way
But they don’t, and for two very important reasons.
One is we are watching with very little rational thinking.
It’s not like we’re watching an algebra lecture where we NEED to remember as much as possible.
When our human brains are in “passive” following along mode, we don’t remember.
But on a much deeper level, foreshadowing kind of helps us to “prime” our emotions so we can get a much BETTER enjoyment.
This is precisely why classics are classics.
You can read Moby Dick, for example, 5-6 times over your life and get something completely DIFFERENT out of it each time.
So even if you’ve never seen a movie or TV show or have read a book before, these initial “foreshadowing spoilers” are very helpful.
To kind of get your subconscious ready for what’s coming.
Bad Guy Search
My favorite modern version of the foreshadowing spoiler is the lineup scene from “The Usual Suspects.”
I don’t want to ruin it for you.
But if you watch the entire movie, and then go back and CAREFULLY watch the lineup scene, the lineup scene explains EVERYTHING.
Even who the bad guy is.
Which is the whole point of the movie, to find who the “bad guy is.”
Which is also the point of the lineup, on a much smaller level.
To find who the bad guy is.
This is how Milton Erickson cured people in a few hours.
He told plenty of stories on the same theme.
Problems Into Solutions
One metaphorical way to think about it is each problem state has a unique emotional configuration.
Each solution state has a certain emotional configuration.
All the confusing stories he told moved from the problem state to the solution state.
And included all kinds of amnesia.
So in the end, their solution felt like it was theirs.
Just like when we watch or read well written stories, our interpretation is our own.
Doing this conversationally is much easier than you may think.
Learn How:
Nested Loops
Learn Hypnosis
Mind Persuasion has plenty of books and courses to teach you how to speak hypnotically and persuasively.
$9 Training
Mind Persuasion Books
Mind Persuasion Courses
$5 Subliminal Programs
Full Courses