Posted on 06/16/2019 5:18:55 AM PDT by aspasia
media outlets ranging from Vice to the Daily Beast to, just today, the New York Times have employed the term “brainwashing,” almost entirely uncritically.
The problem with that, which apparently has occurred to none of these outlets whose writers from time to time advertise their reverence for “science,” is that there is no such thing as brainwashing. It is a concept with no scientific basis, generally regarded as pseudoscience. It is mainly a literary device, one popularized by The Manchurian Candidate.
“Brainwashing” is right up there with “recovered memories,” “multiple-personality disorder,” homeopathy, chiropractic, reiki, the anti-vaccine movement, and the terror of GMO vegetables in the catalogue of voguish nonsense that has made its way at least partly into the mainstream of American life.
Everybody loves science — until they don’t.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
Of course, what he’s not admitting in that quote is that people who role-played or cross-dressed in the 19th century were closeted people. In fact, they created small, secret worlds filled with weird and wild customs and taboos. They enjoyed playing in private unlike the activists today who want to do it in the streets. I once saw a play at the National Theater of Great Britain about homosexual bordellos of the early 19th century. Mind-blowing, to say the least.
I notice many are quick to fault religion for brainwashing.
I co presented at a conference with the personal nurse who lived 14 years with L Ron Hubbord while Hubbord was developing scientology. He lived with him on the island in France, in his Queens appartment, and on his yacht.
He explained the true nature of scientology and the hypocrisy of Hubbord.
To often people don’t have the ability to sort fake religion from real and they end up throwing the proverbial baby out with the bathwater, discounting all religion.
“Stopped reading when they criticized “chiropractic”
I stopped at “NRO”.
L
I think the Manchuria Candidate is an exaggerated version where they turn people into “drones.” Everything i’ve Read on the subject (admittedly not a lot) is that type of hypnotic suggestion cannot be ingrained to have a subject do anything they normally would not.
Programming troops to hate the enemy is different, and has even done sine the beginning of time.
I would love to read examples that suggest different. (Not written with any sarcastic intent. I find this stuff interesting.)
As to the effectiveness of brainwashing, gaslighting or mind control (eg MK Ultra), why not refer to Goebbel's favorite author? Ironically a jew who helped spearhead the USA WWI propaganda effort?
If we understand the mechanisms and motives of the group mind, it is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.
The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
https://www.azquotes.com/author/1306-Edward_Bernays
“You should do some reading on Propaganda.”
Do you mean FAKE NEWS?
Not all “Propaganda” is a lie. But it does need to be simple and remembered. Why do you think politicans speak in short phrases: No obstruction, No collusion (from our side) to “No one is above the law” on their side. Each phrase speaks to the pre-conceived ideas of their audience. Neither changes a mind, but it reinforces your position.
The reals of these bad polls are not being done to report the feelings of the country, but rather to rally the democrats to vote in their primaries.
After next summer, the “Propaganda” will be used to try to get the Reps to stay home.
That is funny.
“hypnotic suggestion cannot be ingrained to have a subject do anything they normally would not.”
As a trained, certified hypnotherapist for over 25 years, that is not a true statement.
It is a statement made merely to lower a person’s resistance to being hypnotized.
There are techniques called “ultra depth hypnosis “ that take a subject to an amnesia state where they are highly susceptible to programming at the subconscious level. I’ve used them in the past but no longer do so as it is too dangerous.
There are also simple techniques used to hypnotize skeptics who say they can’t be hypnotized.
I read your previous post. I found it interesting. While the term propaganda certainly has been used t describe “fake” news, I am not referring to that here. Rather, how words and images are put together to convey the message that the user wants the subject to believe.
Your studies of cults probably includes a bunch of examples of how the leader identifies the “needs and desires” of the members and then he finds a way to meet those needs—like a key being inserted into a lock. Then he “owns” them.
I like to watch and listen to the messages to identify the real intent—kind of like watching a magician for misdirection and watching where he doesn’t want you to look.
I am not being a wise ass in this stuff. There is a ton of gray between black and white.
He sounds brainwashed.
I hope you read my caveat about doing a ton of research on “brainwashing.” I appreciate your knowledge on the subject. I would enjoy hearing more.
Kevin williamson is one of the more vile and loathsome dirtbags that inhabit Natl Review. Few writers are as obnoxious and as consistently wrong about most things he writes about. Yet low life lowry keeps hiring him to fill NRnwith more irrelevant nonsense.
Cunning as a Serpent, Innocent as a Dove: The Art of Worldly Wisdom. ... The Art of Worldly Wisdom or The Pocket Oracle and the Art of Prudence, is a book of 300 maxims and commentary written by a 17th century Jesuit priest named Baltasar Gracián.
#26 “Find each man’s thumbscrew. It is the way to move his will, more skill than force being required to know how to get to the heart of anyone: there is no will without leanings which differ as desired differ. All men are idolators......”
Remove the plank from your eye first
I broke my femur when I was 7. A month in the hospital, another month in a half body cast. They didn't want the leg to shrink, but when I started buying business clothes I had to have the legs altered separately. When I turned 40, I developed a bad pain in my shoulder. My doctor wanted to shoot me full of cortisone. A guy that worked for me told me to see his chiropractor. My leg didn't shrink. The muscle in my leg atrophied, the pelvis shifted and I developed an S in my spine. After 3 sessions he straightened me. Pain free for 20 years.
The 'doctor' would still be shooting me up.
Where do you think the opioid comes from?
Open your eyes.
So true. Only a chiropractor can cure something caused by bone misalignment.
You have to understand the root cause.
It seems to have worked on him.
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