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Political propaganda is cult brainwashing
A successful induction by a destructive cult
displaces a person's former identity and replaces it with a new one. That new identity may not be one that the person would
have freely chosen under her own volition.
- Steven Hassan
Nothing is unusual about office holders, political parties and agency bureaucracies taking liberties with facts, when they
frame their case and sell their policies and programs. But how many people look upon this process as one designed, not to
persuade you; but to indoctrinate you into accepting causes that are not in your own self interest. The techniques of agenda
shaping and peer pressure guiding is sophisticated and Sub-Rosa in intent. According to Margaret Thaler Singer, “Thought Reform is not a mysterious process. It is the systematic application of psychological and social influence techniques in
an organized programmatic way within a constructed and managed environments. The goal is to produce specific attitudinal and
behavioral changes. The changes occur incrementally without its being patently visible to those undergoing the process that
their attitudes and behavior are being changed a step at a time according to the plan of those directing the program.”
The Six Conditions for Thought Reform are:
1) Keep the person unaware of what is going on and how she or he is being changed a step at a time.
2) Control the person’s social and/or physical environment; especially control the person’s time.
3) Systematically create a sense of powerlessness in the person.
4) Manipulate a system of rewards, punishments and experiences in such a way as to inhibit behavior that reflects the person’s
former social identity.
5) Manipulate a system of rewards, punishments, and experiences in order to promote learning the group’s ideology
or belief system and group-approved behaviors.
6) Put forth a closed system of logic and an authoritarian structure that permits no feedback and refuses to be modified
except by leadership approval or executive order.
Since Singer claims that techniques to achieve power through mind control are readily comprehended, the key inquiry is to understand the
reason why the general public is so unaware of the assault upon their thought process? The factual historic record leads one
to conclude that the limited and select group of participants that seek and attain positions of influence, share one crucial
trait. Namely, a desire to preach their adherence to the “Will of the People”; while they exhort democratic rule,
their actions conform to governance by the privileged few. Citing the significance of 1984 we find the answer: “Orwell
reasoned that if a government could control all media and communication, meanwhile forcing citizens to speak in a politically-
controlled jargon, this would blunt independent thinking. If thought could be controlled, then rebellious actions against
a regime could be prevented.” Because of the nature of lust for power, moral means to achieve political objectives
becomes irrelevant; thus, the motive to conceal real intentions from the citizens. The Sub-Rosa character of the elites is
not who they are, but the actual hidden goals they achieve with their policies and control of the State.
Singer concludes: “Orwell’s genius centered on seeing how language, not physical force would be used to
manipulate minds. In fact the growing evidence in the behavioral sciences is that a smiling Big Brother has greater power
to influence thought and decision-making that a visibly threatening person.”
Now review the following Chart that identifies the progression from individual education to mass control:
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Thought
Reform
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Focus of body
of knowledge |
Many bodies
of
knowledge,
based on
scientific
findings in
various fields. |
Body of
knowledge
concerns
product,
competitors; how
to sell and
influence via legal
persuasion. |
Body of
knowledge
centers on
political
persuasion of
masses of
people. |
Body of
knowledge is
explicitly
designed to
inculcate
organizational
values. |
Body of
knowledge
centers on
changing
people without
their
knowledge.
|
Direction &
degree of
exchange |
Two way
pupil-teacher
exchange
encouraged. |
Exchange can
occur but
communication
generally
one-sided. |
Some
exchange
occurs but
communication
generally
one-sided. |
Limited
exchange
occurs,
communication
is one-sided. |
No exchange
occurs,
communication
is one-sided.
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Change
occurs as
science
advances; as
students and
other
scholars offer
criticisms; as
students
&
citizens
evaluate
programs.
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Change made by
those who pay
for it, based upon
the success of
ad programs by
consumers law,
&
in response to
consumer
complaints.
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Change based
on changing
tides in world
politics and on
political need to
promote the
group, nation,
or
international
organization.
|
Change made
through formal
channels, via
written
suggestions to
higher-ups. |
Change occurs
rarely;
organization
remains fairly
rigid; change
occurs primarily
to improve
thought-reform
effectiveness.
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Uses
teacher-pupil
structure;
logical
thinking
encouraged. |
Uses an
instructional
mode to
persuade
consumer/buyer. |
Takes
authoritarian
stance to
persuade
masses. |
Takes
authoritarian &
hierarchical
stance. |
Takes
authoritarian &
hierarchical
stance; No full
awareness on
part of learner.
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Instruction is
time-limited:
consensual. |
Consumer/buyer
can accept or
ignore
communication. |
Learner support
& engrossment
expected. |
Instruction is
contractual:
consensual |
Group attempts
to retain people
forever.
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|
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|
Can be
deceptive,
selecting only
positive views. |
Can be
deceptive, often
exaggerated. |
|
Is deceptive.
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Focuses on
learning to
learn &
learning
about reality;
broad goal is
rounded
knowledge
for
development
of
the
individual.
|
Has a narrow
goal of swaying
opinion to
promote and sell
an idea, object,
or program;
another goal
is to
enhance seller &
possibly buyer.
|
Targets large
political
masses to
make them
believe a
specific view or
circumstance is
good. |
Stresses
narrow learning
for a specific
goal; to
become
something or to
train for
performance of
duties. |
Individualized
target; hidden
agenda (you
will be changed
one step at a
time to become
deployable to
serve
leaders).
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Wants to
lessen
opposition. |
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No respect for
differences.
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Overt
persuasion
sometimes
unethical. |
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Improper and
unethical
techniques.
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Propaganda leading to Indoctrination has the ultimate objective of Thought Reform.
While many citizens would contest overt indoctrination, most accept that propaganda is a fact of life. But how many are
even aware of the final stage - Thought Reform? And even more important, how many are willing to admit to themselves that this conclusive level effectively eliminates all
individuality - subjugating each person to endless servitude to the cult regime run by approved elites. Yes, the State is
a Cult. The World Book Encyclopedia explains that "traditionally, the term cult referred to any form of worship or
ritual observance." We have been conditioned to propaganda - under ability to change - to promote the group nation.
Then we have been subjected to indoctrination - under focus of body of knowledge - explicitly designed to inculcate
organizational values. And finally we have been manipulated into Thought Reform - type of relationship - to accept
group attempts to retain control over people forever.
These techniques are all designed to create and maintain worship to a strong authority figure. We are told to accept that
the State is the absolute embodiment of authority. The “Supreme Being” has been replaced with the coercive totalitarian
temporal cult, that requires homage, tribute and obedience. The ritual of prearranged elections orchestrates an opera of musical
chairs that has the fat lady singing before the first candidate enters the race. The franchise has become a fallacy, the group
mission protects the government sect and the existence of independent conduct turns into an illusion. That is the purpose
of Thought Reform.
“There are three forces, the only three forces capable of conquering and enslaving forever the conscience of
these weak rebels in the interests of their own happiness. They are: the miracle, the mystery and authority.” -
F. Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
Cults want wealth and power for the leadership, to be supplied by members. Government conforms to this model. Both
employ the following:
- Miracle - ideology imputing miraculous power to leaders and/or activities.
- Mystery - secrecy obscuring actual beliefs and practices.
- Authority - claims on members' time, talents, bodies, or property to meet group needs.
Robert Lifton and Mikhael Heller conducted studies on Thought Reform. Today we see those applications in our society. The miracle becomes the utopia that
politicians promise from their policies administered by an all persuasive government. The mystery incorporates an obsession
with secrecy, limited access of forged accounts, with significant news going unreported. And authority being centralized with
state power supreme, with the destruction of competing political ideologies.
Those who will resist the characterization of the State as a Cult, demonstrate the success of their own, Reform
Thought, re-education. Singer may not be a favorite of those who remain loyal to the principles of Freedom and liberty.
However, the outline, progression and methods used by elites to rule, shed much needed light on the nature of the sinister
plan that has been used to control our political institutions and conquer our society. The real miracle was our 1776 Revolution.
The true mystery is our reliance upon divine providence. And the only legitimate authority comes from God, and resides in
the People, who are faithful to His law.
SARTRE - January 14, 2003
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