I don't always get time to read a book.
A good muse, interesting prose. I studied psychology at The Open University. I'm the male equivalent to Willy Russell's Educating Rita. I do love that film. Identity. The transforming of one's identity. To become your ideal self. Self-image. And often, finding that you didn't want or need it at all. Because you don't know until you get there.
They say travel broadens the mind but education can open the doors to endless avenues without leaving the room.
Anyway, I enjoy reading psychology. It is a powerful tool which, one day, will probably be the most incredible subject you have ever considered. It may well be a new religion. A secret power used to manipulate. It's no surprise, hey. It is happening now. But why would the most successful uses of psychology be detailed? They wouldn't because it's black magic (or white magic) which makes people money. Don't forget these people ploughed fortunes into this research to make it pay. If I said: ''If you do these 10 things that person is likely to buy your product'' you'd be willing to pay good money.
Psychology is and will continue to be the new wisdom of our time.
Gambling is no different. In fact, it is more likely than not to be at the front of the queue. Why don't casino's have windows or clocks? Someone, somewhere, paid good money to know without some kind of time reference people are likely to bet longer and lose more. Sure, they have a watch on their wrist or a phone in their pocket. But they are too busy looking at the roulette wheel spinning round or praying for an ace on the Blackjack table.
I have found a few psychology angles betting on horse racing. It is surprising how something so simple can guarantee a value bet. I'm not going to say what it is because I've worked hard to know all the info I have gained over the years. If you want to pay me then come and ask.
The human condition works in a certain way. To the most part, it thinks in a certain way. It's like these optical illusions which make it look like an object is moving when it isn't. A colour looks ten-shade lighter than the one next to it to find out it is the same. It's like me playing Blackjack but knowing something you don't and you will never see it even though it's right in front of your nose. You only know when I tell you (the secret). You still don't believe. I show you how it works. We play a few more hands and you lose. Then you understand why you lost. I manipulated your behaviour. It was as predictable as the ticking of the clock you couldn't see or hear.
Now, I'm not saying there is such a psychological angle playing Blackjack. But there may be someone out there - who knows. I pick up my drink, waving and shouting ''hello'' to the girl with the big tits, who walks into the casino with some old bloke wearing mirror glasses. You bet more on the next two hands. It sounds comical, hey. But imagine if it was true.
I've been reading a fascinating book written by Malcolm Gladwell called blink (the word isn't capitalised). The power of thinking without thinking. It investigates something called thin-slicing.
The definition of Thin-slicing:
Thin-slicing is a term used in psychology and philosophy to describe the ability to find patterns in events based only on "thin slices", or narrow windows, of experience.
If you want to learn more visit this page on Wikipedia (Thin-slicing).
Thin-slicing is interesting because it relies on the unconscious mind to make decisions. This isn't unusual because it is how the mind works. The difference between the conscious mind and subconscious mind is immense. The conscious mind can only process 40 bits of info per second. The subconscious 20,000,000 (twenty million). So it is 500,000 better than the conscious mind.
There has been a lot of research within this area and it makes fascinating reading. It often refers to very experienced people within their field. The thing which is interesting is that even though they know something is likely to happen they often cannot explain it. If they do try to explain it, they are often proved to be mistaken.
Like the tennis coach who could tell when any player was going to make a double fault. Just imagine what that could be worth from a betting point of view when centre courting.
I have been thinking about thin-slicing regarding my betting on two-year-old horse racing. I have an inkling this is happening to me. Because the amount of times I look at a racecard and my eye is drawn to a horse. You may be thinking well that's nothing unusual. I hardly ever bet on nursery races but so often I have been drawn to a horse's name and they go on to win or run very well.
The only things that make me question how this will work or not is making the subconscious conscious. As soon as you start to think of the process it may be difficult to tap into the subconscious without wondering if the conscious is playing its part of tampering with those thoughts.
Is your gut feeling correct? Perhaps your gut feeling is thin-slicing at work.