Here is another simpler, and probably more accurate characterization of the methods of our master persuader. Our master persuader’s business model is simple: he sells an assortment of good ideas. Life advice as a service.
If people follow good life advice, it’s not easy to have repeat customers. At some point in his life our master persuader decided he would rather make more money from his customers and damage their lives rather than maximize the probability they follow his own advice. So he works hard to persuade them to follow the opposite of his advice, even as he gives it.
Today, I think this is more likely to be true than what I said in this analysis. I will leave it up “Know the Endgame” for its analysis.
Very very interesting read. I have been subscribed to the master persuader for 3 years now. I stumbled on you in the X replies and this article has changed my entire perspective. I feel like a cult member now. What is interesting though, is that the master persuader's advice has made my life better financially. I have learned a lot of useful skills to make more money from the cartoon. But it has turned me into a money hungry person, like you stated. However, money has improved my life significantly. Such a paradox. Starting to realize that I am thinking from a "Me" perspective, while you are thinking about what the master persuader's objectives are. A lesson learned is to ask yourself, "What motivates him or her for their words and actions?" Thanks for this piece. My entire world has been flipped upside down.
Yes, there is a real benefit to his message, because most western societies have a perverse and inhuman moralism that discourages wanting wealth and owning nice things. Unlocking that cage is good.
He seems just as aware of the exact problems people encounter when they go too far in the opposite direction, and carefully encourages that. It feels like a fully orchestrated plan to create many very intelligent, very wealthy, and very miserable young people, funneled into making direct transfers of that wealth (which they cannot find the best satisfaction in) directly to him. Which sounds ridiculous at face value but appears to be how it’s playing out, in any case.
Reading BTB's old content from 10+ years ago, you can tell he still had the similar line of advice, but perhaps much less intent on causing the reader to fall into that hole.
It's perhaps along the way that he figured out this is a viable business model.
At the start, BTB was constantly saying that blogging is an awful business model, that they make $0 from the blog, that they do it for fun, and that they write it in the very little spare time they have - e.g in between red-eye flights from their super hectic finance dayjob. They were also multiple writers there, allegedly.
This may have been true at a certain time (you can tell by the quality of articles) - but later (2016+?) it is evident they started to put in much more effort, frequently having very long posts. As an experienced writer myself, I know this is not something that happens without a ton of effort (and time). And it's not easy to outsource either.
And even if they did have many side businesses that made them WiFi money without much effort... it still feels unrealistic to maintain that very productive streak of writing. Not to mention being 24/7 on X so as to build the audience that strong.
long story short: what I'm saying is that this was very unlikely their goal at the start to begin with - it seems like they just genuinely wanted to get ahead.
More money, more girls, more network/power.
And the advice given definitely works, but also leads to an isolated life without any true connections - just super-shallow acquantainces everywhere (that you subconciously hate because you're "above them")... and a good amount of money
I started reading this persona in 2021. I'm game to explore the rabbit hole a bit more.
It might be fun to go back into the internet archive for the old blog and pick out articles for me to analyze. My usual line I tell people is, "it was always worse than you realize." Therefore, probably better if my readers the specific article to analyze because that way there won't be selection bias where I pick ones that I can easily show are detrimental. Seems like there could be good learning experiences from this project.
I acknowledge that there's a great chance that it was much better at some point. Trying to get people to -90% their net worth in the crypto casino is rather singular. He also sends a lot of subliminal messages encouraging violence and "self-harm." I somewhat doubt those were there at the beginning.
Thanks. Yeah, there's one key aspect where master persuader usually benefits people and that's breaking one programming module from mass society. People are pretty strongly programmed to believe they shouldn't want money and to own nice things.
Here is another simpler, and probably more accurate characterization of the methods of our master persuader. Our master persuader’s business model is simple: he sells an assortment of good ideas. Life advice as a service.
If people follow good life advice, it’s not easy to have repeat customers. At some point in his life our master persuader decided he would rather make more money from his customers and damage their lives rather than maximize the probability they follow his own advice. So he works hard to persuade them to follow the opposite of his advice, even as he gives it.
Today, I think this is more likely to be true than what I said in this analysis. I will leave it up “Know the Endgame” for its analysis.
100%! Likely at the time they transitioned to full-time blogging, which seems like it happened pretty early on
Very very interesting read. I have been subscribed to the master persuader for 3 years now. I stumbled on you in the X replies and this article has changed my entire perspective. I feel like a cult member now. What is interesting though, is that the master persuader's advice has made my life better financially. I have learned a lot of useful skills to make more money from the cartoon. But it has turned me into a money hungry person, like you stated. However, money has improved my life significantly. Such a paradox. Starting to realize that I am thinking from a "Me" perspective, while you are thinking about what the master persuader's objectives are. A lesson learned is to ask yourself, "What motivates him or her for their words and actions?" Thanks for this piece. My entire world has been flipped upside down.
Yes, there is a real benefit to his message, because most western societies have a perverse and inhuman moralism that discourages wanting wealth and owning nice things. Unlocking that cage is good.
He seems just as aware of the exact problems people encounter when they go too far in the opposite direction, and carefully encourages that. It feels like a fully orchestrated plan to create many very intelligent, very wealthy, and very miserable young people, funneled into making direct transfers of that wealth (which they cannot find the best satisfaction in) directly to him. Which sounds ridiculous at face value but appears to be how it’s playing out, in any case.
Reading BTB's old content from 10+ years ago, you can tell he still had the similar line of advice, but perhaps much less intent on causing the reader to fall into that hole.
It's perhaps along the way that he figured out this is a viable business model.
At the start, BTB was constantly saying that blogging is an awful business model, that they make $0 from the blog, that they do it for fun, and that they write it in the very little spare time they have - e.g in between red-eye flights from their super hectic finance dayjob. They were also multiple writers there, allegedly.
This may have been true at a certain time (you can tell by the quality of articles) - but later (2016+?) it is evident they started to put in much more effort, frequently having very long posts. As an experienced writer myself, I know this is not something that happens without a ton of effort (and time). And it's not easy to outsource either.
And even if they did have many side businesses that made them WiFi money without much effort... it still feels unrealistic to maintain that very productive streak of writing. Not to mention being 24/7 on X so as to build the audience that strong.
Something is definitely fishy
long story short: what I'm saying is that this was very unlikely their goal at the start to begin with - it seems like they just genuinely wanted to get ahead.
More money, more girls, more network/power.
And the advice given definitely works, but also leads to an isolated life without any true connections - just super-shallow acquantainces everywhere (that you subconciously hate because you're "above them")... and a good amount of money
I started reading this persona in 2021. I'm game to explore the rabbit hole a bit more.
It might be fun to go back into the internet archive for the old blog and pick out articles for me to analyze. My usual line I tell people is, "it was always worse than you realize." Therefore, probably better if my readers the specific article to analyze because that way there won't be selection bias where I pick ones that I can easily show are detrimental. Seems like there could be good learning experiences from this project.
I acknowledge that there's a great chance that it was much better at some point. Trying to get people to -90% their net worth in the crypto casino is rather singular. He also sends a lot of subliminal messages encouraging violence and "self-harm." I somewhat doubt those were there at the beginning.
Good read man. Subscribed to the master persuader for a year now. Life improved overall thanks to them and now from your writings
But yeah the cult vibe kicks in from time to time. "Bullieve because master says so"
Skill issue on my end
Thanks. Yeah, there's one key aspect where master persuader usually benefits people and that's breaking one programming module from mass society. People are pretty strongly programmed to believe they shouldn't want money and to own nice things.
Unfortunate he then takes it too far.