This sentence “If people know they are being brainwashed, then they are not being brainwashed.†that I read recently in the NYTimes struck a resonant cord in my brain.
Brainwash—persuasion by propaganda.
The only thing we have to fear is ignorance and tigers. All of the forces of propaganda can penetrate only as far as we allow them to penetrate into our lives. We cannot be knowledgeable about everything and thus will probably be brainwashed sometimes but we can, if we are able to arouse our curiosity, guard our most precious concerns from blatant manipulation by others.
I think that there exists a reality out there that cannot be comprehended without study. Each of us needs to change our attitude regarding learning. Learning is a means for us to understand reality. Without study we know only the surface of reality.
Each of us needs to start today on changing our attitude toward learning. Our schooling has left us with a dangerous attitude toward learning. If we were to start with something that we are curious about, go to the library get a card and start the process of learning how to learn without a teacher holding your hand.
Pick something that interests you and start by developing a question then start with the library or the Internet and start your learning how to understand process. Like every thing it will start slowly but you will not regret it if you do get into this process. Consider that you are beginning a lifetime of learning to understand whatever you are interested in.
so you are warning against conformism? if 90% of the world was doing wrong things,acting like animals and generally being corrupted,would that 10% be wrong because they are the minority?
…so is there 1 specific belief you are warning against here?
like the moral of the story?
The moral of the story is that each adult needs to become a self-actuated learner so that they begin to understand reality and are not so easily manipulated. I am warning everyone against the bliss of ignorance. Ignorance is easy but what one does not understand can prove harmful. In a liberal democracy we citizens have a responsiility to understand so that we can exercise our soverignty in a responsible manner.
I make a point of delving into the depths of the conspiracy sites out there, it gives a good juxtoposition for when I see the evening news, CNN, etc.
They are both extremes in a way… and usually I find I can realize what i feel to be the truth somewhere in the middle.
But if you only have 1 side to look at constantly, when you finally do see the other side it appears so ridiculous that the mind cannot accept any aspect of it. By literally being scared to death from what I’ve read, it allows me to process information at a near objective level… see the charade that is corporate news so to speak.
it’s not just ignorance at fault. For if these suicide bombers were so wrong, we’d merely have to dump pamphlets over their land proving them wrong.
Any believable lie is a half truth. All extreamest (cult) groups saw something needed added in life, and said it was the only way. Once they earned the trust of people, and created a foundation of haqlf-truths, extreamest groups merely need to connect everything they do back to this foundation or cause. Thus the trust issue takes over.
Integrety is the only cure for brain washing,… then learning.
Innocence - When you are very young, you are impressionable and if at this point some authoritative figure(s) start(s) to build a foundation of bad beliefs/thoughts in your head, more often than not it will stick
Ignorance - If you believe that there is only one possibility for truth and you know what that “truth” is then you will almost undoubtably go by whatever that “truth” is.
Fear - As far as I can see, fear is one of the most powerful tools for brainwashing. If your scare tactics are effective enough, you could have people running around in fits, believing anything. But this can also induce paranoia, in which case, they might believe absolutely nothing is true…
I suppose that you are correct. However, let me point out that there are two kinds of “ignorance” that are at play here:
Those who are both ignorant and “Accountable” (adults, for example)
AND
Those who are Ignorant but not “Accountable” (for example: children who have not lived long enough to have gained a reasonable amount of experience)
Ignorance in young children should be looked at as being different from ignorance in fully-grown adults. At a young age, children can be expected to know a great deal about life. Thus, they readily believe almost anything that they are told. They can easily be brainwashed by their parents, but they can not be viewed as “being at fault for this”.
Adults, on the otherhand, can only be brainwashed in a different way/reason.
In order for an adult to be truly brainwashed, he or she must first be placed into a situation in which brainwashing is likely. By this, I mean that they only become brainwashed because they had made certain decsions beforehand that ended-up leading to their brainwashing. Of course, the adults may not have realized that all of this beforehand, but you see my point.
In my humble opinion, brainwashing an adult is bad, but not so bad as brainwashing a child. During the early years, children are in the process of becoming all that they will end-up being as an adult. Un-brainwashing an an adult (who was originally brainwashed during childhood) is often more difficult that un-brainwashing someone who had only being brainwashed for a few years of their adult-life.
Sorry if none of this seems to make a bit of sense.
I think that there are two types of propaganda: commercial and ideological.
Commercial propaganda is directed at child and adult and is overwhelmingly effective. Ideological propaganda is directed primarily at adults and it is pervasive and effective. We swim in ideological and commercial propaganda. It is such a part of our world we are seldom conscious of its presence.
Yea, I would have to say advertising is a form of brainwashing as is the News media and the entertainment industry, Along with religion. brainwashing is convincing someone to do something you want them to do with out harsh threats or punishment. If you go to work come home, sit in front of your TV every day and veg out. Well you are letting yourself be manipulated by the medias. Although you can’t get away from advertising nowadays it everywhere even in public resttrooms. It must work or they would not spend ridiculous amounts of money doing it.
One that flabbergasts me is the christian childrens fund. My god they have to spend millions in advertising. Think of the kids they could help if that money went to the kids instead of advertising. So why advertise that way, whats in it? There are less expensive advertising means and with their popularity word of mouth would work great in churches and social settings. So why not give it to the kids instead. I just can’t figure out a real reason why they are wasting money in such a way unless there is a form of brainwashing involved.
I think it is disgusting that they do such a thing, I have to agree with you Imp. We used to have to check my Grandmother inlaw’s mail for churches and religous orginizations mailers asking for money, she was such a loving caring person she would donate to any who asked, trusting that if they said they were with a church helping poor that they would actually be trustworthy. The door pounders were bad too, I remember walking in with my husband one day and there were 3 people there. As soon as we learned they were convincing her that the catholic church would help children by donating her life insurance plus monthly donations,we firmly but, politely escorted them out. I stayed with Gram and my husband dealt with them. This was a poor woman on a fixed income. Her house was 2cnd mortgaged. Hell, we all were donating to make those payments. Man those bloodsuckers ticked me off.
This woman was so brainwashed or ignorant by her religous beliefs that there was no changing her gentle ways. How can this be good?
There is an aspect that most don’t think about ,the churches now take more then they give. Where is the soul saving in that?
Kris this is outrageous. hearing about…those guys again. know that ‘the love of money is the root of all sorts of injurious things’,the true religion would NOT be a commercial outfit. that’s the only clue i’ll give right now.
