NLP

Does anyone here use NLP or hypnosis as tools for understanding yourself and the world? Just learning about it now and very curious.

I've read a little bit on NLP, but am not familiar with hypnosis. NLP (neuro-linguistic programming, I assume you are referring to) is more knowing how to talk to people to get them to answer the way you want or do what you want. Like I say, I haven't read much about it, but what I have seen suggests to me that it would be quite useful.

For example, one of the NLP 'tricks' I read about was if you are trying to pick up a girl, you could ask her "Can I have your phone number?" This might work, but the way you are wording the question, you are leaving her a way 'out', i.e. to say No, you can't have it. If, instead, you ask something like "Do you have email?", as you hand her a piece of paper and a pen to write her address down with, firstly, she will likely respond 'yes' (since most people have email nowadays) and since you haven't presented her with the option of rejecting you, she is less likely to do so.

Some big names in this area are Ross Jeffries, Richard Bandler, and Kenrick Cleveland, if you want to read up on some of their works.