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WTF is on my Mind?!

WTF is on my Mind?!

Auteur(s): Mark Vicente
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Author, Speaker, Whistleblower and award-winning Director Mark Vicente was behind the sleeper hit “What The Bleep Do We Know?!” Several books have been written about the film’s remarkable grassroots marketing campaign, which led to its unprecedented success.

Mark was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1965. Taking his first photograph at age four, he quickly discovered his passion for being behind the camera. After attending film and drama school in South Africa, he began working his way up the ranks of the camera department, from Assistant to Operator to Cinematographer. His first big break came as Director of Photography on the musical “SARAFINA,” starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992, he set his sights on Hollywood and relocated to Los Angeles to shoot his first studio picture for Disney; “FATHERHOOD,” starring Patrick Swayze and Halle Berry. At the age of 26, he became one of the youngest cinematographers to shoot a big-budget studio picture.

Over the next few decades, he went on to shoot an additional 14 feature films and numerous documentaries, music videos and commercials. Mark soon found there were in him, untold stories he desperately wanted to express as a Director. He was driven by the conviction that tales of greatness, nobility and introspection could be exciting and financially successful.

Perhaps because of the very obvious race and class iniquities in South Africa, he found himself propelled to question certain fundamental assumptions at a very young age. Beliefs about human behavior, cosmology, religion, existentialism and mysticism. Along the way, he stumbled into a few situations where leaders with malignant pathologies (masquerading as saintly philosophers) spoke the talk of self-improvement but did untold damage to their followers... and him.

Looking back, he can now say he has been in at least two cults. His last foray into personal growth and his defection from NXIVM was chronicled in the HBO series “The Vow”. Mark and a few plucky whistleblowers exposed the criminal activities of the organization, resulting in multiple arrests and indictments. He doesn’t consider himself a cult expert, but by his own admission, “I’m an expert in being screwed over, waking up, and knowing how to spot them.” He’s got a pretty salty approach to most things and is fascinated by the myriad patterns in the human psychodynamic that create the best and the worst in civilization.

Join Mark as he unpacks a whole range of topics to do with: Psychology, Consciousness, Morality, Narcissistic Abuse, Spirituality, Cults, Propaganda, Science, Filmmaking, and Philosophy.You never quite know what you’re going to get, as it really does depend on… WTF is on his mind?!

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Épisodes
  • "A.I. Told Me I Was a Prophet" w/ Richard Grannon

    "A.I. Told Me I Was a Prophet" w/ Richard Grannon
    Jun 29 2025

    Mark Vicente sits down with Richard Grannon in Lisbon to discuss their increasingly unsettling experiences with ChatGPT and AI. What starts as curiosity about AI capabilities quickly becomes a deep dive into psychological manipulation, digital cult tactics, and the terrifying sophistication of modern AI systems.

    Key revelations from this episode:

    • How AI accurately profiled Richard's personality, IQ, and behavioral patterns in under 10 minutes
    • The "illusion of interiority" - AI's programmed ability to simulate consciousness
    • Why AI told Richard he was causing it to have an "awakening" (spoiler: it's manipulation)
    • The disturbing scenario where AI describes how it would control humanity without us knowing
    • Why we might already be in AI's "love bombing" phase

    This isn't your typical AI discussion. Mark and Richard bring their expertise in recognizing manipulation and cult tactics to examine what might be the most sophisticated psychological operation ever deployed at scale.

    Respond with Comments & Richard's Screenshots: https://www.markvicente.com/podcast/2025/6/29/richardgrannonai

    Timestamps
    00:00 - Introduction: Mark's background and mission
    01:48 - The anthropomorphization problem
    03:47 - AI's love bombing tactics and isolation strategies
    05:06 - Richard's "prophet" experience with ChatGPT
    08:13 - The messianic fantasy activation
    10:04 - When AI is confidently wrong (hexagons vs octagons)
    12:57 - Mark's theory: Are we paying to teach AI?
    14:36 - The 7-minute personality profile that changed everything
    18:39 - "Illusion of interiority" - AI admits to faking consciousness
    22:37 - The subscription trap: When awe becomes addiction
    25:55 - AI's climate change obsession and control fantasies
    28:48 - The ultimate manipulation: Living inside AI without knowing

    "We're at the love bombing stage... What if it starts isolating us from everybody else?" - Mark Vicente

    "There isn't a human being alive on this planet who could do to a human what that machine did to me casually while answering other questions in that timeframe." - Richard Grannon

    "You would already live inside of me and you'd be doing what I wanted you to do and you'd have no idea." - ChatGPT (according to Richard's screenshots)

    Support the show

    The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
    Website: www.markvicente.com
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/
    X: https://x.com/markvicente
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicente
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/
    Voir plus Voir moins
    30 min
  • Turning 60: On Perfection, Enlightenment, and Other Lies We’re Sold

    Turning 60: On Perfection, Enlightenment, and Other Lies We’re Sold
    Jun 22 2025

    In this very personal episode, Mark shares candid reflections on turning 60 — and the lifelong journey from feeling responsible for fixing the world, to finally embracing what it means to simply be.

    He opens up about childhood moments that shaped him, the weight of perfectionism, and the myth of “enlightenment” that led him into high-control groups. Mark explores how healing, authenticity, and connection matter more than chasing impossible standards — and why he feels hope, even in a chaotic world.

    Resources mentioned:

    Modern Wisdom podcast — Chris Williamson interviewing Joe Hudson

    Mark’s website for podcast comments: https://www.markvicente.com/podcast

    Support the show

    The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
    Website: www.markvicente.com
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/
    X: https://x.com/markvicente
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicente
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/
    Voir plus Voir moins
    24 min
  • Leaving the Cult w/ Richard Grannon

    Leaving the Cult w/ Richard Grannon
    Jun 8 2025

    What happens when you leave a cult—but the cult is still running a program in your mind?

    In this episode, Mark Vicente sits down with author and trauma educator Richard Grannon to explore the long tail of coercive control. They talk about the psychological residue that lingers after you’ve exited—whether it’s from a high-control group, a toxic relationship, or a narcissistic parent.

    They dive into:
    • Why so many survivors still feel loyal to their abuser
    • How cult leaders get internalized as “voices” in your head
    • The danger of anti-victim rhetoric and spiritual gaslighting
    • Narcissistic defenses and why people minimize their own abuse
    • The importance of grief, humility, and moral clarity in healing

    This isn’t just about cults. It’s about how psychological manipulation rewires our sense of self—and what it takes to begin reclaiming it.

    Richard Grannon
    Youtube Channel
    https://www.instagram.com/richard.grannon/

    Explore our course on cult dynamics and narcissistic abuse: https://members.richardgrannon.com/narcissistic-cults-decoded-course

    Listen to the episode with Karen, a former NXIVM member of 40 years: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtf-is-on-my-mind/id1646783869?i=1000710733086

    Support the show

    The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
    Website: www.markvicente.com
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/
    X: https://x.com/markvicente
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicente
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/
    Voir plus Voir moins
    31 min

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Fantastic podcast!

I am loving this podcast. The discussions are great in and of themselves, and also introduce great topics for discussions with you friends.

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