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A brief, weird history of brainwashing

technologyreview.com

11–20 of 56 posts

Re: A brief, weird history of brainwashing

#11
post #9

About a fifth of the economic activity in the USA is brainwashing. And quite a bit of other activity, such as most consumer internet services, exist to facilitate this brainwashing.

Hey I’d love to hear more, if only you could provide something that backs up your claim.

Re: A brief, weird history of brainwashing

#12
post #11
post #9

About a fifth of the economic activity in the USA is brainwashing. And quite a bit of other activity, such as most consumer internet services, exist to facilitate this brainwashing.

Hey I’d love to hear more, if only you could provide something that backs up your claim.

Here's the industry's claim. Of course, given the nature of the industry, it's probably misleading at best and intended to alter your thinking to align better with their interests.

https://www.ana.net/content/show/id/37679

Re: A brief, weird history of brainwashing

#14
post #5

The author seems not merely uninformed but a mix of unaware and unconcerned that they don’t know what they’re talking about. No discussion of hypnosis, Stockholm syndrome, and a general vibe that psychology is like not really a thing unless it coincides with cherished narratives. And then little chestnuts like, “the idea of brainwashing continues to be a powerful metaphor for the effects of systemic racism.” Say what…

The article literally refers to the case for which Stockholm Syndrome is named and offers a simple explanation; that torture and privation work to align a person's goals and motivations to minimise pain. I'm not sure what you are finding so contentious about this article. We have accepted that people under torture will admit to anything for centuries.

The article doesn't refer to that incident, so far as I can see. It does mention Patty Hearst, who was kidnapped a year after the Stockholm bank robbery.

The term "Stockholm Syndrome" originates from a police consultant inventing a syndrome to diagnose a woman he had never met, in order to discredit her criticism of the largely incompetent police response to her and several other people being taken hostage by a bank robber.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/stockholm-...

Re: A brief, weird history of brainwashing

#15
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey I’d love to hear more, if only you could provide something that backs up your claim.

Here's the industry's claim. Of course, given the nature of the industry, it's probably misleading at best and intended to alter your thinking to align better with their interests. https://www.ana.net/content/show/id/37679

Just to be clear, what you claim is actually two things:

  - advertising is ~1/5th of US economy (backed with facts)     
  - all advertising is brainwashing (your personal opinion)

Re: A brief, weird history of brainwashing

#17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's the industry's claim. Of course, given the nature of the industry, it's probably misleading at best and intended to alter your thinking to align better with their interests. https://www.ana.net/content/show/id/37679

Just to be clear, what you claim is actually two things: - advertising is ~1/5th of US economy (backed with facts) - all advertising is brainwashing (your personal opinion)

That's the entire point, right? Pay money to an ad agency and they will affect the thoughts of your target demographic.

Maybe its benign brainwashing, or you'd choose a different word because brainwashing has a lot of connotations. But that is factually what it's trying to do

Re: A brief, weird history of brainwashing

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's the industry's claim. Of course, given the nature of the industry, it's probably misleading at best and intended to alter your thinking to align better with their interests. https://www.ana.net/content/show/id/37679

Just to be clear, what you claim is actually two things: - advertising is ~1/5th of US economy (backed with facts) - all advertising is brainwashing (your personal opinion)

I find this dictionary definition quite fitting: "2. any method of controlled systematic indoctrination, especially one based on repetition or confusion"

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/brainwashing

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