Transformational Security Awareness

Introduction

I have a confession to make. This may sound strange, but pondering human thought and behavior is one of my favorite things to do. I think it's always been that way for me. I've wanted to know what makes people tick. Because of that, I've gone down a few interesting roads of study, from music, to religious studies, to magic and misdirection, to social engineering, to training as a street hypnotist and theatrical mind-reader, to taking classes in pickpocketing, to learning the ins and outs of public speaking and influence tactics, to graphic design, and more.

In all of this, I think I've actually been trying to understand why I do the things that I do and think the things that I think. You see, I've always felt a bit different. And that difference was confirmed to me late in life when I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome (a neurological difference also known as autism spectrum disorder, or ASD). In many aspects of life, this neurodiversity has served me well. I see the world in a different way. And that off-centered view of things has helped me find solutions or phrase answers in ways that can sometimes elude others. And, often, I'm sure that my way of approaching things has resonated not because it is better or more insightful; rather, it can resonate because it is quirky enough to cut through someone's pre-established filters.

In other areas of life, the social areas, I often felt (and sometime still feel) like an alien or a social anthropologist seeking to ...