Ethical use: a pre-pre-suasive consideration
Chapter summary from Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini.
Influence tools are amplifiers. They don’t create value; they magnify what is already there.
So the ethical question comes first: am I directing attention toward something that serves the person I’m persuading, or am I steering them away from their own interests? If the offer can’t survive daylight, don’t set traps.
Ethical pre-suasion respects choice. It avoids hiding key facts, manufacturing false urgency, or turning someone’s vulnerabilities into a lever. It treats trust as scarce, and prefers clarity over cleverness.
A simple test helps: would I welcome this setup if I were rushed, tired, or unaware of the cues? If not, it may ‘work’ today while corroding tomorrow. Influence isn’t only outcome; it’s the relationship you leave behind.
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Pre-Suasion appears in 2 curated reading paths — each pairing it with 3 other books that sharpen the same idea:
From Read Stacks · Learn
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