It was Harry Frankfurt's groundbreaking discussion of bullshit, in the aptly named On Bullshit, that prompted me to undertake a similar enquiry into a related (but distinct) concept: the concept of mindfucking. These are both concepts in wide circulation, but their meanings have not been systematically articulated, for a number of reasons. And they are concepts of some intellectual and cultural significance, not to be confused with other allied concepts. Just as Frankfurt argues, convincingly, that bullshitting is not the same thing as lying, so, I shall contend, mindfucking is not the same thing as bullshitting, although all three concepts belong together, in that each implies some sort of abuse of the truth (of what kind is one of the main questions to be answered). The concept of the mindfuck is of more recent vintage than that of bullshit – certainly the word itself is newer – and is still, perhaps, in the process of establishing itself, so that my enquiry might well be seen as consolidating a concept as yet in its infancy. But, like bullshit, mindfucking is a prevalent aspect of contemporary culture, and we do well to attempt an articulate understanding of it. Just as we have all been bull shitted to (bullshat?) at one time or another, so we have probably also suffered our share of mindfucking – and it cannot hurt to understand what has thereby been perpetrated on us. It is always excellent advice to know one's enemy.