They say that human beings only use ten per cent of their brains. They say the corner office is a position of power. They say you can earn #10,000 a week in your spare time. But who, exactly, are they? And why do we listen to them? We each have our own theys - bosses, experts and authorities who seem to dictate our lives and create our futures. Like parents, in the best of circumstances they can make us feel safe. But where power and profit are at stake, they can try to make us do what they want: buy their product, vote for their party, support their cause. This is a manual for survival in a demanding age. Covering everything from the coercive power of casino and shopping-centre design to how door-to-door salesmen employ CIA interrogation techniques, the book shows what they do and how they do it.