From: mcgrath@cs.uiuc.edu (Robert McGrath)
Subject: Re: Brainwashing
Reply-To: mcgrath@cs.uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept of Computer Science
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 21:57:11 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.164741.14148@gdr.bath.ac.uk>, mascdb@gdr.bath.ac.uk (C D Burdorf) writes:
|> In article <1992Aug13.143906.28816@m.cs.uiuc.edu> mcgrath@cs.uiuc.edu writes:
|> >
|> >(Joshua Geller) posted a long (and thoroughly flawed) article by:
|> >|> ___
|> >|>    THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND
|> >|>    by Dick Sutphen 
|> >|> 
|> >|>    Persuasion and Brainwashing Techniques Being Used on the Public Today
|> >
|> >
|> >(BTW, therer are lots and lots of other factual errors, misinterpretations,
|> >and wildly misleading claims in the article.)
|> >
|> 
|> Like what?  Please be specific.  You blast the article for making statements
|> that are unsubstantiated and then you follow it with a general statement
|> that you don't substantiate yourself.  By doing so you create  a great
|> amount of suspicion for your own credibilty.  It's like saying that
|> A without B is false, but oh by the way A (without giving B).  Be REAL!

Well I debunked one claim in excruciating detail.   How many gross errors
do I have to show you before you get my point--this is not a reliable
source.

It is not clear to me that this news group is not one where detailed
debunking of pop-psychology is appropriate.  But since you asked, here 
are some problems:

 -wild claims about the pervasive ability of music, lighting, repetative
  beat to "hypnotize"
 
 -an apparent equation of relaxation and "alpha-state" with hypnotic 
  suggestibility
 
 -exaggerated estimate of the ability of persuasive communication to influence
  behavior despite the desires of the individual
 
 -totally bogus claims about right brain/left brain roles, especially as
  applied to persuasion
 
 -wild (and definitely false) claims about the effectiveness of "subliminal 
  programming", including the acceptance of W. B. Key's completely and
  totally bogus claims

 -inaccurate statements about the effectiveness of subliminal tapes, and
  a false claim that research at the U. of I. provides support for such
  nonsense
 
 -wild claims about the alleged effects of extra-low frequency sounds,
  including the acceptance of A. Pucharich's completely bogus claims.
 
 -wild claims about the supposed hypnotic and persuasive effects of TV 
  viewing

Basically, his comments about brainwashing are well intended, but he
grossly exaggerates the extent of the scientific evidence, and overestimates
the ability of bad guys to make you do stuff against your will.

I am trying to be gentle on this guy because I am sympathetic to the GOAL of
the paper, which is to help people avoid exploitation and some of his
descriptions of persuasive techniques are, in fact, accurate and useful.  
I also share what I take to be his antipathy toward evangelical christianity, 
and forced conversions.

The really ironic thing is that this stuff echoes precisely the hysterical,
paranoid ravings I hear from fundamentalists trying to build up a wave of 
fear about pagans, witches, satanists, and atheists.

-- 
  Robert E. McGrath
  Urbana Illinois
  mcgrath@cs.uiuc.edu