Welcome to 1984: Part 1
“Guilty on all counts.
I’m glad I was caught. I was mentally deranged.
Now I am cured.
I ask only for you to accept my love of our leader.
I ask only to be shot while my mind is still clean.” – Movie adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984
In 1961 psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton wrote Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, a study of brainwashing. Chapter 22 of this book appears to have caught the most attention, and was probably responsible for helping a handful of cults get their start in the 60’s and 70’s. It was in this chapter that Dr. Lifton expounds on eight specific techniques of brainwashing, which evidently were being used in China. Aspiring charismatic leaders now had eight techniques of ‘ideological totalism’ to control just about anyone. People ask me quite a bit how does one start a cult. Well, here it is. In my opinion these eight techniques are the best place to start.
Just keep in mind how many so-called reputable business and religious organizations use these very same techniques to convert and keep their members. Perhaps even our own government? Hmmmmm.
Now join me as I show you how to start your own cult starting with the first four techniques today and the last four techniques tomorrow.
Milieu Control
A milieu is a physical or social setting in which something happens. If you control the environment, you can control most of the communication going in and out of it. If you’ve been reading this blog up until now, you will undoubtably understand how powerful it is to have control of your own or someone else’s internal state. Our internal states can change through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic communication. Take control of the environment and you will take control of a person’s internal state and communication, leading then to change in beliefs. Your version of the “truth” should permeate their whole reality, making it difficult for any other contradicting ideas to get in.
Mystical Manipulation
At this stage you will define your purpose as divine, something higher than yourself. You are one of the chosen few or perhaps you are the “chosen one”. This will give you the justification to do whatever you want to, and if it is questioned, then the subject can be told that their questioning indicates ignorance on their part. To question your ultimate path of truth shows that they understand very little of this world. You can have sex with all your members, take drugs, and abuse your followers. Who are they to question? You have a direct connection to God and they’re not advanced enough to understand why only you, the master of the universe, are permitted to do such things.
“God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East. If you help me I will act, and if not, the elections will come and I will have to focus on them.” – President Bush
They may at some point begin to submit, out of trust or mistrust, but any chance of independent thought or action will have become minimized due to the anticipated pressures of the environment.
“Remember, you must have faith brothers and sisters. You cannot question these higher truths because they are beyond your understanding at this time. You must just accept them and have faith until your day comes.”
The Demand for Purity
It is here we must deal in absolutes. There is either good or evil. Everything is in black and white. Anything which deviates from your truth and beliefs is impure, and should be treated appropriately. Use the weapons of shame and guilt as punishment. Since you are chosen you have the power to judge, but you have the power to forgive as well.
This was a common tactic during the Cold War. The captors would strip the prisoner naked or give them a room without a toilet or running water. Good behavior was rewarded with a toothbrush or shower, etc.
Governments do this as well. They get people to identify with totalist polarizations of black and white, knowing individuals will eventually apply these same judgements to themselves.
For example, you know what it is to be a good American don’t you? Anything outside of that and you may be siding with terrorists. After all, freedom ain’t free and soldiers are dying in the Middle East so you can live the life you do. Shame on you or your neighbors.
The Cult of Confession
Now where have I heard of confession before?
The use of confession helps a subject to purge themselves of all impurities you have shown them. In reality it doesn’t matter if they are guilty of them or not. In the history of brainwashing many prisoners confessed to crimes they did not commit.
Although it appears that confession is meant to give relief to the subject, the true reason is to exploit the subject and their vulnerabilities even further. In this way they will never maintain any kind of balance. If I, the chosen one, can judge myself, I have the right to judge you even more.
“I once was lost in sin…”
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admin :: Aug.19.2007 :: persuasion, psychology :: 1 Comment »
This is fascinating. Part 2 soon …?
Have you read about ‘Spiral Dynamics’? I think you might like.