ion, analogy, reiteration, and continuity,
can play tricks on others by stimulating these processes and then giving
them selected data to work upon. A directive idea may be suggested by a
series of ideas which lead the recipient of them to expect that the
series will be continued. Then he will not perceive if the series is
broken. In the Renaissance period no degree of illumination sufficed to
resist the delusion of astrology, because it was supported by a
passionate fantasy and a vehement desire to know the future, and because
it was confirmed by antiquity, the authority of whose opinions was
overwhelmingly suggested by all the faiths and prejudices of the
time.[38]

+25. Suggestion in education. Manias.+ Parents and teachers use
suggestion in rearing children. Persons who enjoy social
preeminence operate suggestion all the time, whether
intentionally or unintentionally. Whatever they do is imitated.
Folkways operate on individuals by suggestion; when they are
elevated to mores they do so still more, for then they carry the
suggestion of societal welfare. Ways and notions may be rejected
by an individual at first upon his judgment of their merits, but
repeated suggestion produces familiarity and dulls the effect
upon him of the features which at first repelled him. Familiar
cases of this are furnished by fashions of dress and by slang. A
new fashion of dress seems at first to be absurd, ungraceful, or
indecent. After a time this first impression of it is so dulled
that all conform to the fashion. New slang seems vulgar. It makes
its way into use. In India the lingam symbol is so common that no
one pays any heed to its sense.[39] This power of familiarity to
reduce the suggestion to zero furnishes a negative proof of the
power of the suggestion. Conventionalization also reduces
suggestion, perhaps to zero. It is a mischievous thing to read
descriptions of crime, vice, horrors, excessive adventures, etc.,
because familiarity lessens the abhorrent suggestions which those
things ought to produce. Swindlers and all others who have an
interest to lead the minds of their fellow-men in a certain
direction employ suggestion. They often develop great practical
skill in the operation, although they do not understand the
science of it. It is one of the arts of the demagogue and stump
orator. A man who wanted to be nominated for an office went
bef