Mind Control Essay Research Paper The first

Mind Control Essay, Research Paper

The first question i’m going to ask is. Is there really such a thing a “brainwashing,” or “mind control”. What kind of person is susceptible. What exactly is a “cult” and how are followers controlled. How can one recognize an organization that engages in such practices, and should such organization be held responsible for the damage intentional manipulation can cause. I personally think if the brainwashing and mind control are for an improper use they should be held responsible, which most of these thing are. Also I totally believe that there is such a thing as brainwashing and mind control. The most insidious threat to our basic freedoms, such as freedom of mind and freedom of speech, is a little-know phenomenon known as mind control. Mind control refers to all coercive psychological such as brainwashing, thought reform, and coercive persuasion. Mind control is the shaping of person’s attitudes, beliefs, and personality without the persons’s knowledge or consent. Mind control employs deceptive and surreptitious manipulation, usually in a group setting, for the financial or political profit of the manipulator. Mind control works by gradually exerting increasing control over individuals through a variety of techniques, such as excessive repetition of routine activities, intense humiliation, or sleep deprivation. As used by the Factnet, “cult” refers to a destructive group which uses mind control to deceivingly influence its members. It has become fairly standard to use this term for any organization or group which uses mind control on its members. Cults are not necessarily religious. A cult may form around any theme, such as a political, racial, psychotherapeutic, or even athletic agenda. (Factnet 1999 The FACTnet www.factnet.com) I’m now going to talk a little about coercive mind control tactics. According to the American Heritage dictionary Coercion mean: To force to act or think in a certain manner.. Or to dominate, restrain, or control by force. In the next couple of pages I will be talking about coercive mind control and the different tactics, that bring about this forceful mind control. Coercive psychological systems are behavioral change programs which use psychological force in a coercive way to cause the learning and adoption of an ideology or designated set of beliefs, ideas, attitudes, or behaviors. The essential strategy used by the operators of the programs is to systematically select, sequence and coordinate many different types of coercive influence, anxiety and stress-producing tactics over continuous periods of time. In such a program the subject is force to adapt in a series of tiny “invisible” steps. Each tiny step is designed to be sufficiently small so the subjects will not notice the changes in themselves or identify the coercive nature of the processes being used. The subjects of these tactics do not become aware of the hidden organizational purpose of the coercive psychological program until much later, if ever. These tactics are usually applied in a group setting by well intentioned but deceived “friends and allies” of the victim. This keeps the victim from putting up the ego defenses we normally maintain in know adversarial situations. The coercive psychological influence of these programs aim to overcome the individuals critical thinking abilities and free will – apart from any appeal to informed judgement. Victims gradually lose their ability to make independent decisions and exercise informed consent. Their critical thinking, defense, cognitive processes, values, ideas, attitudes, conduct and ability to reason are undermined by a technological process rather than by meaningful free choice, rationality, or the inherent merit or value of the ideas or propositions being presented.(Factnet 1999 FACTnet www.factnet.com) I will now explain some of the tactics of coercive mind control. Tactic 1 Increase suggestibility an “soften up” the individual through specific hypnotic or other suggestibility-increasing techniques such as extended audio, visual, verbal, or tactile fixation drills, excessive exact repetition of routine activities, sleep restriction and/or nutritional restriction. Tactic 2 Establish control over the person’s social environment, time and sources of social support by a system of often-excessive rewards and punishments. Social isolation is promoted. Contact with family and friends is abridged, as is contact with persons who do not share group approved attitudes. Economic and other dependence on the group is fostered. Tactic 3 Prohibit disconfirming information and non supporting opinions in group communication. Rules exist about permissible topics to discuss with outsiders. Communication is highly controlled. An “in-group” language is usually constructed. Tactic 4 Make the person re-evaluate the most central aspects of his or her experience of self and prior conduct in negative ways. Efforts are designed to destabilize and undermine the subject’s basic consciousness, reality awareness, world view, emotional control and defense mechanisms. The subject is guided to reinterpret his ro her life’s history and adopt a new version of causality. Tactic 5 Create a sense of powerlessness by subjecting the person to intense and frequent actions and situations which undermine the person’s confidence in himself and his judgement. Tactic 6 Create strong aversive emotional arousal in the subject by use of nonphysical punishments