+69 Because ALL data stored in our brains is from other sources, and none of us had any control over those sources during our formative years, every single person is brainwashed to some degree or another. Amirite?

by Anonymous 9 years ago

What invention would change the world?

by Anonymous 10 years ago

I thought "brainwashed" is when the "data" is erased ie. "washed" out and replaced with new data. And i think being an independant thinker means taking everything you know into account. The requirement here is having knowledge from many sources and not just choosing one.

by Anonymous 9 years ago

Not sure where you came up with that concept of "washing." That would be more along the lines of when people are rescued from brainwashing techniques and organizations. That process is known as "deprogramming." Brainwashing itself has nothing to do with taking anything out - it is adding to and manipulating the information to make us act, behave, and believe things the way others want us to. It is a form of mind control. My point in the post was - there is no such thing as an independent thinker. You may think you are thinking independently, but all of your thought processes have been put in place by others. From the time you were born, data was fed to you by other sources other than yourself. Here is a link to check the whole thing out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_control

by Anonymous 9 years ago

My explanation of brain washing was very simplified. In the article you gave it's defined as involuntary reeducation of basic beliefs and values. Basically removing old "data" and replacing it with new. I think this fits my definition. But onto the main point. I'm not convinced that, even with the bombardment of information in the media, one can't be an independant thinker. We aren't forced to take everything we hear into account. There are many intelligent people who pick and choose what to believe based upon many sources which they have deemed reliable. (In turn i would think that those sources were put through the same test of being studied and judged based upon many other sources of information.) So in summary. When we are children we are programmed by our parents (i would hardly call this brainwashing because we have no prior knowledge). As we grow older, we begin to question the things we were taught even by our parents. And as we mature more and more we compile more knowledge based on the things we already know and trust. Sure the majority listens to the wrong sources without having judged them, you can say that these people allow themselves to be brainwashed. But i'd hardly say that we all are even to any degree

by Anonymous 9 years ago

You are still not acknowledging the bigger over riding premise - that even though you may NOW be able to decide for yourself, ALL thought processes are tainted by the information available to us. Your world view and approach to stimuli was formed and sealed in your first 3 years (according to experts). I had to study and learn all this stuff when I was an educator. Young children are already pre-dispositioned on such things as how they tie a shoe, how they hold a pencil, or what learning style suits them best (auditory, tactile, visual). You or I had absolutely NO control over that formation process. As an infant through age 3 you did not decide what you were exposed to or taught. That was all decided for you and by someone else. Also, even when you "think" you are deciding for yourself, your view or opinion is based on the information available to you, and how it is presented. We all know there is such a thing as a "liberal" and a "conservative" approach to all issues. And in many instances they are worlds apart - sometimes as different as night and day. All people have the option and even responsibility of seeking out the truth and fullest information available to them, but keep in mind, the people who put the information together have their own biases, views, and opinions that are incorporated in to their presentation of the "facts." Anyone who says otherwise, is not being forthright. When you buy in to anyone's slant or view of any issue or concept, you have been "brainwashed" to some degree. I did not stipulate to WHAT degree or extent - I was merely trying to bring attention and discussion to the situation.

by Anonymous 9 years ago

I see. These are excellent points. However, can't agree with the post because "brainwashing" is too overbearing. To convince someone of something isn't automatically brainwashing, and what we learn in our first 3 years isn't brainwashing it's initial programming. If i'm biased on some issue because of some information that wasn't made available to me then i had never learned all the facts in the first case, this is not reeducation or reprogramming. The word brainwashing leaves a bad taste in the mouth i'd refrain from using it in overbearing terms.

by Anonymous 9 years ago

I won't argue with you. Please re-read the post and notice that it stipulates "to some degree or another." You got stuck and lost on the word brainwashed rather than seeing the total concept presented.

by Anonymous 9 years ago

How can i not be stuck on the word brainwashed? It's the defining word in the post (besides the words to some degree). I explained at least twice why i believe we are not all brainwashed even to any degree. It's a matter of the definition of the word brainwashed. If you said we're biased or lied to i'd agree whole heartedly. But no, not brainwashed (to any degree) to any degree.

by Anonymous 9 years ago

Okie dokie................

by Anonymous 9 years ago

But you don't have to stay that way

by Anonymous 9 years ago