Mind Control
Brainwashing is the systematic effort to get someone to adopt a particular deceptive, loyalty, instruction, or doctrine without their will or awareness. “Brainwashing” is also a colloquial term that refers in general to psychological techniques that manipulate action or thought against a person’s will, desire, or knowledge. It attempts to damage individual or group attitudes, frames of reference, beliefs, values or loyalties by demonstrating that current thinking patterns and attitudes are wrong and need change. Brainwashing is said to reduce its subject’s ability to think critically or independently, to allow the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into their minds.
The term “brainwashing” was first used in English by Edward Hunter in 1950 to describe how the Chinese government appeared to make people cooperate with them during the Korean War. Research into the concept also looked at Nazi Germany and present-day North Korea, at some criminal cases in the United States, and at the actions of human traffickers. Scientific and legal debate followed, as well as media attention, about the possibility of brainwashing being a factor when lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was used, or in the induction of people into groups which are considered to be cults.
Brainwashing has become a common theme in popular culture especially in war stories, thrillers, and science fiction stories. In casual speech, “brainwashing” and its verb form, “brainwash”, are used figuratively to describe the use of propaganda to sway public opinion.
Mind control is the concept of influencing or directing a person’s thoughts and behavior, and it manifests in different ways, from historical government experiments like the CIA’s MK-ULTRA program to modern-day psychological manipulation and even potential future technologies. True mind control against one’s will is not possible, but powerful psychological tactics like isolation, gaslighting, and emotional manipulation can severely compromise a person’s autonomy.
Historical and government research
- MK-ULTRA: The CIA’s MK-ULTRA program, which ran from 1953 to 1973, investigated mind control through drugs like LSD, hypnosis, and psychological manipulation, often without consent.
- Hypnosis: Documents from the program show that hypnosis was studied to induce anxieties, improve learning and recall, and examine its relationship to personality.
- Brainwashing: During the Cold War, “brainwashing” gained public attention, particularly in relation to American prisoners of war, and was a key area of study for the government’s mind control research.
Modern psychological manipulation
- Abusive relationships: Individuals in abusive relationships may use tactics like verbal assaults, financial control, and gaslighting to make the victim feel “crazy” and dependent, making it difficult for them to leave.
- Cults: Cults often control members through isolation, limiting access to outside information, and using emotional manipulation (fear, guilt, shame) and thought-stopping techniques.
- Technology: Apps and social media are designed to capture attention through features like infinite scrolling and auto-playing videos, which can lead to users spending more time on the platforms than they intend.
This video explains how narcissists use mind control to manipulate their victims: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pHfb2VdlP74 (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pHfb2VdlP74)
Potential future technologies
- Deep brain stimulation (DBS): Technologies like DBS involve implanting electrodes in the brain to send electrical signals, and while currently used to treat disorders like Parkinson’s and depression, they raise ethical questions about “mind control”.
- Gene editing: Research is exploring how genetic technologies like CRISPR could potentially be used for more permanent changes to the brain, forming a basis for future mind control concepts.
This video discusses the potential future of mind control with technologies like CRISPR: youtube/v=2dL4ebhPfX4 (youtube/v=2dL4ebhPfX4)
Overcoming manipulation
- Recognize the influence: Being aware of manipulation tactics, like those used in apps or abusive relationships, is the first step in reclaiming control.
- Self-awareness: Identifying your own reactions and taking control of your thoughts allows you to determine your own actions rather than being controlled by external stimuli.
- Ethical influence: Healthy influence involves informed consent and choice, while unhealthy influence involves deception and manipulation for personal gain.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/health-and-medicine/mind-control