I have already said elsewhere that hypnosis is a tool or resource, like any other.

Iron can make a bridge or a cannon … and it can make them right or wrong.

It can end up in the hands of predators, fools, or heroes just as easily.

But the analogy is not entirely correct.

Hypnosis bends toward the good.

If you want to use it for evil, you are less likely to be successful.

If you mean well but are clumsy about it, it’s the same story.

I’m not saying this is a law of physics or anything. People contradict him every day.

But most of the tools are completely passive. How many distort themselves so that skilled, experienced, and well-meaning people can better use them?

Not many, if any.

Here’s how the hypnosis built-in goodness booster works:

Hypnosis works from the relationship between the hypnotist and the subject. Not what you think the relationship should be or what you hope it is, what it really is.

Your unconscious monitors your social reality all the time. If someone is more popular than you or is suddenly faking their friendship with you, it’s easy to spot, at least in general.

Some people are better actors than others, but they all show these unconscious signals all the time.

Everyone emits a ‘vibe’ or spells. You can fake confidence as much as you want, but your inner insecurities will keep seeping out.

Someone’s conscious mind may be impressed by your cool suit and good posture, but their unconscious reads you better than you expect.

Many people have stories where they did business with someone, even though something “felt wrong” about them. They ignored that feeling … only to regret it later.

We are social animals. We evolve to read the internal mental state of each one.

It is not always perfect, but it is much better than most people thought. The smallest cues from body language or word choice can tell your unconscious a lot.

All of that is vital to hypnosis.

If you intend to hurt someone, your body screams it.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, your body screams it too.

Consciously, someone might accept being hypnotized out of courtesy or whatever.

Unconsciously, they say, “This person? Really? Nuh uh, no way.”

You only go into a trance with people you trust.

And you only trust people who are caring and competent.

Again, it is not a perfect system. Someone malicious can learn enough hypnosis to overcome this. And someone incompetent can be so arrogant that you mistake him for confidence.

It is not flawless.

But it’s good enough to weed out dozens of people who really shouldn’t be hypnotizing anyone.

Hypnosis has built-in reasons for hope. A classic fantasy trope is a weapon that only the worthy can use, such as Excalibur or Mjolnir. Hypnosis isn’t exactly like that, but it is more so than most other powerful tools.