Trained Hypnotist

Short Definition

Adams' self-described background as a trained hypnotist, learned in his 20s at hypnosis school, which he says shaped his understanding of persuasion and human irrationality.

Expanded Description

Scott Adams frequently says his hypnosis training was a foundational influence on how he interprets politics, media, business, and everyday decision-making. He argues that people are often driven more by emotion, identity, and narrative than by strict rational analysis.

He links this background to his writing and commentary style, including themes in Win Bigly and Loserthink, where persuasion mechanics and cognitive bias are central topics.

Representative Quotes

• "The most important thing when you study hypnosis is that you learn that humans are irrational... it's probably the greatest influence on me in terms of my writing."
• "I'm also a trained hypnotist and learning about how the mind works does help me decode people and show the silliness and irrationality of it all."
• "I have a background as a hypnotist, I'm a trained hypnotist."
• "I am a trained hypnotist I learned hypnosis when I was in my 20s went actually went to school."
• "Now, I'm a trained hypnotist... I've been studying persuasion and all of its various forms... because if you're going to write, you need to be persuasive."
• "If you wonder why people are asking a cartoonist about persuasion, it is because I am a trained hypnotist..."

Career Context

Adams has also said on X that his hypnosis experience informed practical self-programming and performance habits, including this claim: "Much of my career success depended on using my hypnosis experience to hack my brain and develop workarounds."

Key Sources

• Adams on X: x.com/ScottAdamsSays
• Persuasion reading list: goodreads.com/list/show/97774.Scott_Adams_Persuasion_Reading_List
• Hoover Institution interview: hoover.org/research/how-fail-almost-everything-scott-adams
• Jordan Harbinger episode: jordanharbinger.com/scott-adams-how-untrained-brains-are-ruining-america
• 2016 "master hypnotist" clip: youtube.com/watch?v=aFwJNRbAJ0I
• Loserthink interview transcript: manifold1.com/.../transcript

Related Concepts

• Filter (Psychological)
• Persuasion Tells
• Visual Persuasion
• Thinking Past the Sale
• Wanting vs. Deciding

Source Note

This entry is based on recurring self-descriptions in Adams' interviews, stream commentary, and social posts about hypnosis training and persuasion study.