Crystalizing Public Opinion by Edward Bernays

Books Are Great

Edward Bernays, the nephew of famed Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, was the first pioneer of the profession of Public Relations. He changed the minds of millions of people, without them even knowing.

Bernays convinced the American public to eat a breakfast of bacon and eggs. He helped change the minds of thousands of women towards the habit of cigarette smoking while working for a tobacco company. He was in the business of changing minds, and he was an expert.

To understand the crowd, one must understand the individual. Once you know your people, you're better able to influence their thinking and actions.

This episode is a high-level discussion about changing many minds at once.