Is it Brainwashing?

-----Note to Readers-----
This one is going to be a bit different. I've done some evaluating from a purely person perspective. It may only apply to me, but I'm curious, so I'm putting it out here. Discussion would be appreciated.
I am discussing a correlation, which I fully understand does not prove causation. Keep this in mind -- I'm just looking at a correlation.
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First, the base observation:
One of the methods of brainwashing is as follows:
1. Barrage the mind with lots of non-conclusive material. Questions, contradictory thoughts/ideas, and difficult propositions work well for this. Just be sure no conclusions can be reached. The goal is to confuse and overwhelm the mind so it shuts down.
2. At some point, the mind will either react or shut down. If it reacts, keep it up, it'll snap eventually.
3. Once the mind is passive, present the information you want to teach in a factual, concrete, assuring manner. This is the one thing that is.
4. Keep it up. Repetition is the key to learning!


I was watching television recently, and came upon the Bible according to the History channel. I got to see this method at work. Basically, with everything the Bible said, HC asked questions of it, said, "this other is just as plausible," and ignored (didn't mention) anything they didn't want to deal with. Then, having so successfully debunked the Bible, they made concrete statements about what happened in a factual manner. Very easy to believe. At first it was comical, then quite irritating. Since when does one man with a Phd know more than well-attested ancient literature? (not to mention God)

I'm revealing my strong rural leanings. I really don't like the city. There is so much noise, and so much confusion. You must learn to block a lot of things out (and not to say hi to everyone you see). Even in the conference hall, there was a constant hum of noise -- lots of people; lots of talking. And it worked on me. It's not hard in that environment to shut down. It's easy to see why what people believe is right for them. It's easy to become cosmopolitan, neopostmodern, and neapolitan.
We observe a correlation between city life and what is so often termed "liberalism." Does this mind-barraging setting contribute to that?

On the way home, I turned on the radio. The car had been a welcome relief from the constant hubbub of voices the last 60 hours (even with the whir of the road). As the radio came on, I was again greeted by a barrage of noise. Music yes, but music filled with extra noise, pushing the mind back into a defensive shell. And I remembered the reports that certain types of rock music are designed to overload and shut down the mind, so the lyrics will simply be accepted without being processed.

How easy it must be then, for we who live in the city, watch TV in our spare time, and listen to rock as we go along, to be subject to brainwashing. It's no wonder we are afraid to believe in absolutes. It's no wonder everybody's ok, and all ways lead to heaven.


Related post:
http://dlorimer.livejournal.com/44420.html