Brainwashing

[[File:Wash dees.jpg|thumb|right|165px|[[Alex_Jones|Some argue]] that the mainstream [[media]] brainwashes its watchers.]]
{{psychology}}
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'''Brainwashing''' is a colloquial term used to describe any process that either undermines a person's perceived "[[free will]]", or forces them to undergo a substantial personality shift. The term seems to originate from the [[Korean War]] (1950-1953), when many [[American]] GIs claimed that the [[Chinese]] attempted to force them to renounce [[United States|America]] and [[capitalism]]. This led to scare movies like ''The Manchurian Candidate'' (1962 and 2004). 

Of course, one person's brainwashing is another person's therapy. Is [[Behaviorism|behavioral psychiatry]] brainwashing?  Does it matter if the person signs up for it voluntarily?  And, if these are the criteria, how is it different from what a [[cult]] does? It is unknown to what degree a person can actually be "brainwashed". For [[ethical]] reasons, it is impossible to set up an [[experiment]] and test the process. Although it is apparently ethical for stage [[hypnotism|hypnotists]] to make people do wild things in the name of entertainment, professionals who are open about the subject (such as [[Derren Brown]]) admit that it is mostly people just acting up on stage for the attention. Whether this could also apply to non-staged brainwashing isn't known.

The concept of brainwashing may serve as a justification for "deprogramming", or attempts to force a person to give up allegiance to some [[religious]] group, usually a [[cult]]; deprogramming is often involuntary and may involve illegal practices such as {{wpl|kidnapping}} and {{wpl|false imprisonment||.}} Deprogrammings took place during the American cult wars in the 1970s and 1980s, but have become rare. 

Clearly, if conversion and adherence to a cult can be explained with more common, down-to-earth concepts, like [[groupthink|socialization]], social influence, and [[propaganda]], then brainwashing theory should be rejected.

==Effectiveness==
Due to the ethical issues of mind control, brainwashing techniques and their effectiveness is not well documented in the scientific literature. However, the controversial [[CIA]] project [[MKULTRA]] did test various forms of mind control, and it turned out that they weren't that effective. Brainwashing theory in general has been criticized for being dehumanising and [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]].<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brainwashing-myth-truth-jonestown-massacre-rebecca-moore-us-a8454136.html | The idea of brainwashing is 'pseudoscientific' and 'dehumanises people']</ref>

==Appropriation by different groups==
Unsuprisingly, many adherents to [[conspiracy theories]] usually believe that the goverment is brainwashing the unsuspecting masses and turning them all into [[sheeple]]. 

Politically speaking, some people on the fringe right tend to claim that the mainstream media is brainwashing people to be more left-leaning.{{efn|If only that was actually the case and we could cure their stupidity…}}

==== "Evidence" of Brainwashing ====
*Voting [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]
*Believing in [[Climate change|Global Warming]]
*Tolerance to the [[Antisemitism|Semitic Elite]]
*Tuning in to the big scary evil [[Mainstream media]]
*'''[[Alex Jones|THEY'RE TURNING THE FREAKING FROGS GAY]]'''
*Joining [[RationalWiki]] (looking at you, <span class="myName">yourself</span>!)
It has also been used by anti-cult movements to explain why members join, as well as leading to treatment such as deprogramming which has been criticized for violating people's freedom.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19830528&id=0KQfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LNYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4176,5893764| Deprogramming a disgrace for free society]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Cult]]
*[[Selective reporting]]
*[[Totalitarianism]]
*[[MKULTRA]]
*[[Nationalism in history textbooks]]
*[[Reparative therapy]]

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlbUw5hjeKI Grooming Minds]

==References==
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==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

{{stub|Psychology}}

[[Category:Mental health]]
[[Category:Authoritarianism]]
[[Category:Totalitarianism]]
[[Category:Cults]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Pseudopsychology]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]

Categories: Mental health, Authoritarianism, Totalitarianism, Cults, Pseudoscience, Pseudopsychology, Conspiracy theories