Just something one should atleast question!!!
The Concept of Mind Control
Most people believe that mind control, otherwise known as brainwashing, thought reform, or
thought control, has been around since history began. While this may be somewhat true, it’s only
recently that it has become a popular area of study and investigation.
People have been engaged in manipulation as a means of social and sexual control, political
gamesmanship and revenge, for eons. Think about King David. He looked out across the city one
morning and saw Bathsheba taking a bath on a neighboring rooftop. It wasn’t long before he got
her husband good and drunk and sent him off to the front of a raging war from which he never
returned. David wanted Bathsheba. Her husband was in the way and so, in high manipulative
fashion, he eliminated the roadblock!
And how about those Borgias and their manipulator in chief, Machiavelli? They were masters of
the game. They not only neutralized their enemies, the Orsinis, but made them travel to the scene
of the crime on their own steam, believing that peace had miraculously been made.
Machiavelli famously said, “No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the
enemy until it is ripe for execution.” And that enemy must be kept close! A master politician,
Machiavelli was the exemplar of the manipulative mind, always one step ahead of those who
would bring about the fall of the princely Borgias.
But manipulative mind control and brainwashing are two different animals. Brainwashing is a
relatively new discipline and much focused on the violent and coercive compliance of the
subjects it’s practiced on.
It was during the Korean War that the term brainwashing was coined and added to the dictionary.
Unfortunately, when it was added, it was given a negative connotation, because while the Korean
War application was undoubtedly malevolent, brainwashing can actually be used for good (more
on that in a minute).
The word was used to explain why 21 among the 20,000 American prisoners of war (POW)
defected to their communist enemies. There was also an incident where some POW's were told to
confess to having waged biological warfare (which they had, in fact, not done).
There is, however, a fine distinction between mind control and brainwashing that is rarely made.
Most people often use these two terms for two very different concepts interchangeably, but how
they work is vastly different, one from the other, as you will see demonstrated below. After
reading the explanations provided, you will see they are completely different and that one of them
does not represent the same type of manipulation (or deception) that is helpful in your everyday
life.
No matter how you phrase it, having someone compel you to make a dramatic change in your life,
based on their personal will, is not a positive. The most important part of this book is focused on
teaching you how to know if you are being manipulated, controlled or brainwashed by others. You
will learn to recognize the signs and how to fight back when someone attempts to control your
mind in order to affect your life in a negative manner.
Brainwashing
Basically, what makes brainwashing different from manipulation is the process undergone by the
subject in question. In brainwashing, the person is aware that the manipulators (or agents) are
enemies, and that he is being pushed toward a certain behavior or mindset under the control of
these people. In order to prevent the possibility of physical force or violence being inflicted on
him, submission to the imposed belief system is the alternative frequently (if not always) chosen.
Should the brainwashing method be discontinued, the victim will sometimes either fully or
partially recover and regain his original individuality and powers of independent thought.
Some people however, never regain the faculty of thinking for themselves. They remain
brainwashed. If you think back to events that transpired in Waco, Texas under cult leader, David
Koresh, you will understand. These people were brainwashed into believing the only way they
could achieve the eternal bliss promised by Koresh was to follow the teachings of a man who
was completely insane. As with cult predecessor, Jim Jones, the leader of a cult in Guyana that
committed mass suicide by consuming poisoned Kool-Aid (the origin of the saying “don’t drink
the Kool-Aid”), Koresh brainwashed his followers into unquestioning belief in every word he
said. We’ll discuss the influence of cults and how they indoctrinate people into unwavering
belief in more detail, later in this book.
People subjected to prolonged brainwashing, reinforced for years (like those in the cult examples
above) often don’t recover. While some recover after acknowledging they feigned acceptance of
the brainwashing as a coping mechanism, others never regain their powers of independent
thought. This is why you will not be learning how to brainwash others in the pages of this book. I
will not teach you how to brainwash people. I will, however, teach you how to manipulate and
steer people’s minds for your own benefit. I will not teach you how to do this in a malicious
manner and that’s exactly what brainwashing is - a malicious form of mind control.
Throughout history, people have used manipulation as a way to get large groups of people, or
even a single person, to follow their personal thought process and agenda. Typically, this ends
negatively. Brainwashing is often used by cults and similar groups of people to control the minds
of large numbers of people, as we’ve noted above, with the examples of David Koresh and Jim
Jones.
Malicious mind control can also occur in situations like romantic relationships in which one
person wishes to control the thoughts and actions of the other person. No matter how you put it, or
what situation you put it in, brainwashing is never good!
Mind Control
The process of mind control, on the other hand, is infinitely subtler and the effect, more long term
and even (at times) damaging. In this method, the manipulator enters the person's life as a friend
or teacher - an individual worth trusting and believing in. From the very beginning, the victim of
the manipulator may have already let all defenses down and may even willingly participate in the
mind control process. There may be no physical force involved whatsoever, and the victim may
even be under the false impression that he is making all decisions by himself.
Mind control aims to change a person to the very core by altering their decisions, perception,
beliefs, values, behaviors and relationships. The process is subtle and slow. Often, the victim is
unaware of how extensive the manipulation is, if not completely oblivious to it. The manipulation
will, however, involve social and psychological pressure and force, whether the target is aware
of these effects or not.
Because victims of mind control are under the impression that the decision to adopt new values
and beliefs has been made by them, and the fact that the agent is viewed as a trusted friend, even
when the manipulation is discontinued, the new identity that has been formed by via influence will
continue to persist. In essence, when people think the changes they have embraced are
independent resolutions, they are more likely to passively accept and even struggle to maintain
them. This is what makes mind control extremely dangerous, if used for the wrong motives and
with malicious intent. Its effects are more powerful than brainwashing and it it’s a long term
project which can permanently disable and scar the victim.
It is also important to note that though mind control is somewhat unethical, it can be used for good
purpose. People suffering from addiction issues can be subjected to this process to cure them of
their habit. However, you should also be aware that people can use this system on you and that
those who are vulnerable to it may believe that they are following their own instincts, when they
are, in fact, following the subtle direction of the controller.
Now that you know mind control is possible, can you think of anyone who has tried mind control
on you? You may not know it, but as you were growing up, your parents used a form of mind
control to shape you into the person you are today. They massaged you into a shape society deems
normal and acceptable by subtly steering you toward certain behaviors, beliefs and values. You
may also notice that some of the decisions in your everyday life are due to mind control. Don’t
believe me? Look at your daily routine.
Your parents used mind control to teach you to get up, shower, brush your teeth, get dressed,
possibly do your makeup, brush your hair, and look presentable before you left the house. This is
a form of positive mind control. They also taught you that you should have an annual check-up at
the doctor, see your dentist regularly and maintain a healthy diet. See, mind control does not
always have to be a negative force in your life. It can easily lead to positive results.
Who Uses Mind Control?
Cults are universally known to utilize mind control to facilitate the total obedience of their
followers. This is not limited to groups wearing white coats and masks, or those who shave their
heads to distinguish themselves. Even the smoothest-talking man in a sleek suit can have the
intention of manipulation. Even the simplest looking woman with a regular day job can be a
member of a cult. These groups have become so sophisticated that, although we’re all familiar
with them and how they operate, many still fall prey to their promises and manipulation. Below is
a list of groups, sectors, institutions and professions known to apply the process of mind control:
➢ Religions
➢ Politics
➢ Philosophy
➢ Science
➢ Sports
➢ Meditation
➢ Healing therapies
➢ Personal Development
➢ Money Making (E.g. network marketing, and stock exchange)
➢ Psychology
➢ Plastic Surgery
➢ Western medicine
➢ Mass media
➢ Education
And the list goes on up to, surprisingly, such areas as hairdressing. Because manipulation isn’t
about which group or institution or profession people are found in. It’s about people and the
human nature we all share.
Basically, anyone can fall victim to a cult, and the mind control they employ without realizing it.
The best thing anyone can hope for is that there is no motive for the manipulator to take advantage
of the victim. Also, that they’re able to discern they’re being manipulated before selling all their
belongings and giving the proceeds to the cult, or worse, drinking the Kool-Aid!
It is important to note that groups, organizations, and professions are not the only areas in which
mind control is employed. Random individuals can use mind control on anyone, and, often, with
malicious intent. Some serial killers and psychopaths use mind control to ensnare victims.
How do you know if you’re being controlled? The process being undertaken by manipulators will
be discussed in the next chapter. However, here is a little food for thought. Go to a public place
(any place where people gather) and look around you. How many people do you see wearing
jeans? How many people do you see with the same hairstyles? Society itself is capable of using
mind control and often does without people realizing it. Marketing techniques, advertising and
messages in mass media control our preferences daily. We are creatures of conformity, it seems,
and ripe for the picking by those who want us to buy their jeans and use their hair products – even
color our hair a certain shade.
Why else would the hairstyles of the 80s have gained popularity? Certainly not personal taste.
Why else would any woman wear a bubble skirt? Why would any self-respecting man wear mom
jeans – or a mullet? Persistent messages delivered through mass communication, combined with
the social imperative to fit in, make us vulnerable to the kind of manipulation Wilson Bryan Key
was talking about in his book about mass marketing and consumer culture, Subliminal Seduction.
And so without knowing any of us personally, the mechanisms of commerce pluck us from the
crowd based on demographic markers like age, gender, income, and the interests gleaned from
mining our Facebook accounts (thanks Zuckerberg!) to target us as consumers of their products
and services.
Consumerism is a cult, too. It’s a cult we’re all acolytes of in a disposable society in which
planned obsolescence is built into every convenient, easy purchase. We believe in the church of
the stuff we don’t need, because the television and the internet drive our society toward the mall
with the unrelenting precision of a costly GPS system. We collaborate willingly, talking about
gadgets and cars and shoes and the latest fad in food you’re supposed to eat (or not supposed to
eat). We talk about it all as though it were Holy Writ. We are the adherents, essentially, of a
massive, yet unofficial cult.
The membership card is in your wallet. It says Visa, or MasterCard, or American Express.
Techniques like viral marketing, in which products are sold to us while we’re engaged in what
we think is an online interaction, or a conversation in a bar. The topic is gently steered toward
the product or service on offer and before we know it, we’ve been enlisted in a commercial
interest’s branding and consumer awareness effort. We know the name of a product we didn’t
know we needed and suddenly, the name of that product is everywhere we look. Just maybe, the
next time we see that name is the time we will buy it (even if we don’t really need it).
Viral marketing has already made it part of our consciousness. Without even being aware that it’s
happening, we have become consumers of a product we had no idea existed, until that magic,
viral marketing moment, which didn’t even feel like a sales pitch.
And that’s how mind control works. You don’t see it coming. You’re unaware it’s happening and
suddenly, you’re opening your wallet and paying for the thing you’ve been told you must have.
But of all the institutions that works most actively to control people’s minds, some corners of
religion are perhaps the most egregious examples. Behavior is modified to conform to the “rules”
of any given religion, down to the foods and beverages practitioners may consume.
The Latin word “cultus” is the root word of the English “cult”, which is generally used to
describe a fringe breakaway group, or a newly-established religious faction. Its original
meaning, however, is surprising in our modern context and the word’s usage: the belief in a
power that controls the universe, or veneration of that power. What this means is that the term is
applicable to any and all religious denominations or Faith institutions. Our modern usage of the
word fails to reflect this, so it’s instructive to think in terms of the word’s original usage when
exploring the world of religious “cults”. All religion, in essence, fits the original meaning of the
word.
How to Avoid Indoctrination
For many people, religious worship is a great release from their everyday lives. It has a
leavening and soothing effect. The liturgy of houses of worship and the communal nature of
services can instill in practitioners a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves.
Religious worship also provides a rich source of fellowship, personal renewal and reflection that
enhance the lives of millions. However, you must be aware of what it is you truly believe and
maintain your right to believe it, in whatever religious context you are in. Being true to yourself
is a central tenet of all religious belief, for in knowing the self, you may better know God. If one
believes in God, then surely the proposition that knowing yourself is tantamount to knowing God,
as God (in your belief system) created you. That means your core beliefs are not for sale to any
worship leader who attempts to make you believe that they’re incorrect, or somehow unsound in
confrontation of his own.
At times, people become extremely involved in their religious institutions. This can either enrich
or interfere with their lives. Greater involvement can be very rewarding, involving work with the
poor and sick. It can take you out of yourself and induce you to pursue activities that are
constructive and useful to your community. However, this same involvement can become a
problem in the presence of a manipulative community leader, bent on group conformity to the
point that he demands total ideological agreement with his own agenda.
All individuals are born with the right to freedom of religious belief. This is expressed in the UN
Charter of Human Rights. That means you have the right to interpret the scriptures of your Faith
tradition according to your personal, core values. This is a matter between you and God and no
one else. It’s not your worship leader’s business to interfere with that relationship. A worship
leader is in place to lead, not demand and not control the minds of his flock. If you sense that
your worship leader is working to interfere with the core beliefs of your community, you should
not only resist, you should actively work in that community to counter the effect. Should the
problem be persistent and entrenched, it’s advisable to put an end to that leadership’s influence by
taking your concerns to someone at a higher level of the institution. This may not always work,
but it’s always worth the effort, if you sense that a leader is abusing his power.
The abuse of power can happen in any institution, but religious ones seem particularly prone to
it. Power can be wielded to shield religious leaders from scrutiny by the community he’s charged
with and even, the law of the land. A good example of this is the pedophile scandal in the Roman
Catholic Church.
Leaders of that institution actively sought to shield priests guilty of abuse by moving them from
diocese to diocese and parish to parish. Simply, revelation of these crimes might have had the
power to destroy the institution and so practitioners were lied to and controlled by distortions of
the church’s teachings. Further the traditional power structures of the Church’s hierarchy were
abused at the highest level. Priests, bishops, archbishops and cardinals all worked to keep this
scandal from the world’s attention until Catholics could no longer pretend it wasn’t happening.
This scandal most probably led to the resignation of Benedict XVI (a very rare Papal resignation;
something not seen for centuries) and has compelled the residing Pope to begin the process of
investigating the slew of complaints that has accumulated over the years.
The abuse of power in the RCC pedophile scandal is an excellent example of what can happen
when religious leaders abuse their authority. Beginning with their victims, priests abused their
authority to prey on children in their congregations. This abuse was compounded by an
institution-wide conspiracy to hide these crimes from public view by shuttling the guilty parties to
other locations. In part, these actions were spurred by the church’s own theology of the
priesthood – that one is born a priest and one dies a priest, even if the priest is elevated to the
papacy. This makes defrocking extremely difficult.
A further wrinkle in this tale of mass mind control and the abuse of power that stems from it, is
behavior at the highest levels of the church. This involved submitting to blackmail, according to
Fr. Robert Hoatson, who was responsible for unmasking at least part of the scandal. Fr. Hoatson
claimed that pedophile priests blackmailed gay Archbishops in order to maintain their standing.
Again, the church’s own theology was its worst enemy, as the RCC has (until very recently) taken
a very rigid stance on sexuality.
You can see how things might spiral out of all control – but not the control of Catholic minds,
which compelled the silence of victims and their families all over the world for many long years.
But stories like these play out across the world, in all its religions. At the root of it is the abuse
of power and the use of strict control of people’s thoughts and actions, due to their recognition of
that power’s primacy and their fear of challenging it.
Religious cults, with the strict demands made of their followers, are ripe for this type of abuse.
As mentioned above, men like Jim Jones and David Koresh knew this to be true and fully used
that knowledge to their advantage in order to achieve total control over their followers. As for
his knowledge of the Bible, Koresh really had very little and had absolutely no academic learning
under his belt. He learned what he knew at his church, using his incredible capacity for rote
memorization. He did, however, have a special interpretive gift, which endeared him to
followers.
In the founding of the Branch Davidian cult, David Koresh claimed to have had a direct revelation
from God, concerning the Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation, and that God had “anointed”
him to teach about what they meant.
His followers were told what to eat, when to eat and were punished for not doing as he
instructed. He would occasionally change the rules, claiming he’d been directed to by God. Both
feared and loved, his followers believed all he said and because of that belief were powerless to
act contrary to his commands.
This led to his abuse of young girls for his personal, sexual gratification. He took them as
“wives”, compelling them to wear a pendant with a “w” engraved on it to indicate that they were
married to him and were exclusively dedicated to him and no other man in the cult. The parents
of these girls, as adherents of the cult could do nothing but stand by and watch as their daughters
were abused. This is the power of mind control, when maliciously applied by people like
Koresh – followers lose their power, their morals and their ability to think independently.
When combined with religious belief, mind control is a powerful tool for those with an eye to
abusing power by controlling the thoughts and actions of others.