Click here for Journal of Non Resident Indian (www.jnri.net )
Click here for more essays by Barry Shree Nirmal
(Feedback of readers is at the end of this essay.)
In this essay, I wish to explore the topic of brainwashing, with the aim of making people aware of its great dangers and teaching how to protect oneself and one's children from this evil.
You may be wondering why I selected this topic, and not some other topic. The reason is that one of my dearest friends was once heavily brainwashed and it was not easy for him to extricate himself from the clutches of people who had brainwashed him and had tried to control him. But with the blessings of God, he was able to wash his brain clean and rid it of the dirty brainwashing that it had undergone.
The consequences of falling prey to propaganda can be disastrous. The Encyclopedia Britannica, in its reference to Goebbels, states, ".... Goebbels, the leading propagandist of the Nazi party.. mastered, to the point of near perfection, every contemporary device for leading and misleading the public. It was largely due to his extraordinarily persuasive propaganda that the German people followed Hitler into the abyss...."
It was Goebbels who is reported to have said that if you repeat a lie a thousand times, it becomes truth. Though Goebbels, and his master, Adolph Hitler, were murderers and criminals, the tactics they used to control the minds of the German people should be studied by everyone, especially the youth, so as to prevents someone like Hitler from gaining power in the future.
Brainwashing is carried out by all sorts of organizations and groups as well as their leaders, especially charismatic leaders. Even though various types of organizations carry out brainwashing, the two kinds that are most notorious in this regard are political and religious organizations.
Most political parties engage in brainwashing of their followers and supporters, to varying degree. On a scale of one to ten, where one is lowest level of brainwashing and ten is the greatest, parties such as the National Socialist Party (NAZI) of Germany score a perfect ten.
The reason why most political parties engage in brainwashing, to some degree or other, is that every political party tries to advance itself by glorifying itself and trying to undermine or belittle its opponents.
This does not mean that one should not join any political party, or that one should hate politics in general. No serious or large scale social or political change is possible, except through a political party. A political party that is well organized and well disciplined, is able to bring about largescale and thoroughgoing changes in the social, political and economic system. A political system that is dynamic and well structured and has checks and balances, is able to take the country to great heights.
Many religious cults have led their followers to commit mass suicides. In 1997, for example, 39 members of the "Heavens Gate" organization committed suicide together in an event designed to coincide with the arrival of the Hale- Bopp comet, which they interpreted as their signal to leave the earthly existence.
Most religious organizations engage in brainwashing of their followers and supporters, to varying degree. On a scale of one to ten, where one is lowest level of brainwashing and ten is the greatest, organizations such as the "Heavens Gate" score a perfect ten.
The reason why most religious organizations engage in brainwashing, to some degree or other, is that every religious organization tries to advance itself by glorifying itself and by trying to undermine or belittle its opponents.
This does not mean that one should not join any religious movement, or that one should hate religion in general.
Religious organizations that respect other religons and render selfless service to humanity, can be of great benefit to people. Some examples of such organizations are Rama Krishna Mission, Vivekananda Centres and Hare Krishna temples. It was Swami Vivekananda who first announced that Hindus repect the validity of all religions.
Let us discuss the techniques of brainwashing. If you understand these techniques very well, you will be able to recognize the danger signs and be able to safeguard yourself from its grave dangers.
Dealing with tricks of suggestion, Thouless wrote, "...if statements are made again and again in a confident manner, without argument or proof, then their hearers will tend to believe them quite independently of their soundness and of the presence or absence of evidence for their truth. More particularly will his hearers tend to accept the suggestion of a speaker if he has what we may call "prestige",i.e. the acknowledged dignity of authority possessed by Cabinet Ministers, bishops,...."
Repeated affirmation, a confident delivery, and prestige are the essence of the technique
One of the most important technique of brainwashing for an organization is to constantly promote and praise its topmost leader. This leader who may be called President, Chairman, Master, or Guru, or a Prophet, is supposed to be infallibe and above reproach. Having elevated one individual to a God like stature, this organization then uses this individual for brainwashing the members or supporters of the organization.
For example, in Nazi Germany, chief propagandist Goebbels constantly praised Adolph Hitler, the murderer, as if he was God like or sent by God himself to lead the German people.
Similarly in Communist China, from the time of the election of Mao Tse-Tung as the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party until his death, the Party constantly elevated him to a God like stature. Whatever words he spoke or wrote were supposed to contain one hundred percent truth, and nothing but the truth. Chairman Mao became like God not only for the Chinese people, but also for revolutionaries all over the world. Anyone in China who dared to criticize him faced death penalty, or at the minimum, was declared insane or a 'counter-revolutionary' by those in authority, and sent to labor camps for 'reeducation'.
But how much his people really loved him became crystal clear when after his death his beloved wife was imprisoned and left to rot there for years along with other members of the 'Gang of Four'.
Another technique is to constantly remind members and supporters of the organization of the greatness of past leader or leaders. These past leaders could be political or religious leaders or founders of political or religious movements. The books written by these leaders and the words spoke by them are supposed to contain truth and nothing but the truth.
Intelligent people who consider themselves to be educated should have more faith in themselves than in any leader, living or dead. We must weigh each idea on its own merit. No idea should be accepted as truth just because it is written in some holy or great book, or because it was pronounced by a great leader.
One of the elements is to convince oneself that glaring contradictions in information are irrelevant compared to the overall intent or picture. Glaring contradictions in information are ignored entirely or glibly rationalized. So a large part of the information is controlled by minimizing the significance of contradictions via the articles of faith, or dogma itself such as "oh, Master knows best"; or "you will see the 'truth' yourself when you 'go within' then all those seeming contradictions will vanish."
If so many intelligent persons believe in it then it must be true. Everybody tells me that our leader is the avatar (i.e. reincarnation of God) and they are not stupid at all so they must be right.
This makes leaving very difficult of course. Many members of organization basically end up creating depth friendships with other members ...and gradually their non-organization friendships fade. Because connections with the rest of the world (friendships) atrophied a member who leaves the organization can be left feeling very stranded socially.
One author writes in his essay on brainwashing the following:
" The meeting or training takes place in an area where participants are cut off from the outside world. This may be any place: a private home, a remote or rural setting, or even a hotel ballroom where the participants are allowed only limited bathroom usage. In human-potential trainings, the controllers will give a lengthy talk about the importance of "keeping agreements" in life. The participants are told that if they don't keep agreements, their life will never work. It's a good idea to keep agreements, but the controllers are subverting a positive human value for selfish purposes. The participants vow to themselves and their trainer that they will keep their agreements. Anyone who does not will be intimidated into agreement or forced to leave. The next step is to agree to complete training, thus assuring a high percentage of conversions for the organizations.
They will usually have to agree not to take drugs, smoke, and sometimes not to eat...or they are given such short meal breaks that it creates tension. The real reason for the agreements is to alter internal chemistry, which generates anxiety and hopefully causes at least a slight malfunction of the nervous system, which in turn increases the conversion potential.
A definite clue that conversion tactics are being used is the introduction of jargon-- new terms that have meaning only to the "insiders" who participate. Vicious language is also frequently used, purposely, to make participants uncomfortable.
One author says, "The final tip-off is that there is no humor in the communications...at least until the participants are converted. Then, merry-making and humor are highly desirable as symbols of the new joy the participants have supposedly 'found.' "
One author says, "The third thought-stopping technique is chanting, and often chanting in meditation. 'Speaking in tongues' could also be included in this category.
All thought-stopping techniques produce an altered state of consciousness. This may be very good if you are controlling the process, for you also control the input. I personally use at least one self-hypnosis programming session every day and I know how beneficial it is for me. But you need to know if you use these techniques to the degree of remaining continually in alpha that, although you'll be very mellow, you'll also be more suggestible. "
One author says, "Another technique that I'm just learning about is unbelievably slippery; it is called an interspersal technique and the idea is to say one thing with words but plant a subconscious impression of something else in the minds of the listeners and/or watchers.
Let me give you an example: Assume you are watching a television commentator make the following statement: Senator Johnson is assisting local authorities to clear up the stupid mistakes of companies contributing to the nuclear waste problems." It sounds like a statement of fact, but, if the speaker emphasizes the right word, and especially if he makes the proper hand gestures on the key words, you could be left with the subconscious impression that Senator Johnson is stupid. That was the subliminal goal of the statement and the speaker cannot be called to account for anything.
Persuasion techniques are also frequently used on a much smaller scale with just as much effectiveness. The insurance salesman knows his pitch is likely to be much more effective if he can get you to visualize something in your mind. This is right-brain communication. For instance, he might pause in his conversation, look slowly around your livingroom and say, "Can you just imagine this beautiful home burning to the ground?" Of course you can! It is one of your unconscious fears and, when he forces you to visualize it, you are more likely to be manipulated into signing his insurance policy."
The BBC online on June 17, 2004 reported how the testimonies by two young women had helped to convict the Belgian child killer Dutroux, who had led a gang that kidnapped and raped six girls in the mid-1990s, leading to the deaths of four of them.
Jean-Marc Connerotte, who led the initial investigation, testified in court that the girls had kissed Dutroux as police freed them.
'They thanked Dutroux,' he said. 'It was absolutely terrible. They kissed him. That shows how much he had conditioned them." (BBC Online- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3806513.stm)
The above report clearly shows how these two teenagers were brainwashed by the same man who had kidnapped and raped them into believing that he was their protector. It is clear that children can get more easily brainwashed compared to adults.
Dear Sir !
Your article on brainwashing is really a great work. You have done a thorough analysis of the methods of doing this, and the possible results. I would say that this article of yours is one of your best articles. I have myself met some guys who keep repeating some absurd theories and debate vigorously when someone challenges their ideas. They want everyone to accept their ideas. They always repeat their theory, in many ways and at many times. Now I came to know , that is also one way of Brainwashing, and will take care in the future.
You might have written something on how to prevent being brainwashed, and that would be great. Or that may be the subject of your next article. In this regard, I accept your saying :
"No idea should be accepted as truth just because it is written in some holy or great book, or because it was pronounced by a great leader."
Thanks for your informative article.
Yours sincerely, KUMAR RAHUL (GET)
Chhattisgarh.
Nice article,
Except I dont agree with the view that Meditation is also a
brainwashing technique.
Arora
Dear Nirmal ji,
I read your articles and essays often and I thoroughly enjoy them. They are often hilarious and many are educational too.
Just wanted to provide you some feeback about this article. It is very interesting and thought provoking...you certainly have Brainwashed me about the Dangers of Brainwashing!
Regarding meditation...through my own personal experience I can say with conviction that you are absolutely right! repeated meditation sessions will cause a cessation in thoughts. You are also correct in saying that this is a predictable physiological result.
However, again through my own personal experience I can say that the thoughts that slowly subside are junk and unnecessary thoughts that cause a continuos sort of a background noise. These are thoughts that one generally has no control over and they just spring up in the mind. Who knows where they come from but probably has a lot to do with environment, upbringing and may be gentle reminders based on past conditioning.
Although, there is a cessation of thoughts...meditation by no means takes away your ability to think. As a matter of fact, based on my own personal experience and not hear say, meditation enables ones intellect to think clearly...it helps me be creative. I had never know myself to have any creative ability until I started to meditate. It makes me more productive at work.
So I would not shoot meditation down as a brainwashing technique. I just wish more people would meditate...I find it to be nourishment for creativity.
Thanks again for your essays, it is a great service!
Best Wishes,
Krishna Allam