Making someone adopt radically different beliefs, often by force or severe systematic pressure.
Charles Manson would be the classic example of someone that brainwashed vulnerable people into doing things they under normal circumstances would never even consider.
I cannot tell you why your fictional farmer would or would not be emotionally affected by various tragedies… in my experience, people are different and have their own views. Some are deeply affected by attacks on their nation, some are not.
I don’t think mass media is brainwashing people, because I don’t think they’re making them adopt new beliefs. I think they’re re-affirming and confirming people’s already held preconceived notions and prejudice.
If you think it’s brainwashing that’s fine. But I would disagree.
Yes, that’s kind of my point. We all are brainwashed, from Day One. You don’t have a choice which ideas you’re exposed to when you are a child.
As an adult, though, you can start to exert control over the narrative. You can explore ideas that your parents and school didn’t share with you. You can pick up a book, learn what you want to learn, share ideas that were previously off limits.
Mass media (esp. doom scrolling) attempts to regain control of that narrative. And, yes, of course, mass media’s job is to insert new beliefs. Why else would I have an opinion on Israel, a country I’ve never been to, that has no immediate relevance to my life? Why don’t I have a similarly strong opinion about countries like Kiribati or Abkhazia?
Making someone adopt radically different beliefs, often by force or severe systematic pressure.
Charles Manson would be the classic example of someone that brainwashed vulnerable people into doing things they under normal circumstances would never even consider.
I cannot tell you why your fictional farmer would or would not be emotionally affected by various tragedies… in my experience, people are different and have their own views. Some are deeply affected by attacks on their nation, some are not.
I don’t think mass media is brainwashing people, because I don’t think they’re making them adopt new beliefs. I think they’re re-affirming and confirming people’s already held preconceived notions and prejudice.
If you think it’s brainwashing that’s fine. But I would disagree.
And where did those beliefs originate?
Where does any belief originate?
If you’re trying to allude to those beliefs coming from brainwashing. Then we are all brainwashed by our parents.
But we generally call that “being raised”. And as you’re well aware, different people are raised differently.
Yes, that’s kind of my point. We all are brainwashed, from Day One. You don’t have a choice which ideas you’re exposed to when you are a child.
As an adult, though, you can start to exert control over the narrative. You can explore ideas that your parents and school didn’t share with you. You can pick up a book, learn what you want to learn, share ideas that were previously off limits.
Mass media (esp. doom scrolling) attempts to regain control of that narrative. And, yes, of course, mass media’s job is to insert new beliefs. Why else would I have an opinion on Israel, a country I’ve never been to, that has no immediate relevance to my life? Why don’t I have a similarly strong opinion about countries like Kiribati or Abkhazia?