What is Digg?119 Comments
- dotlizard, on 11/14/2007, -4/+30do you know what this reminds me of? 12 step programs -- if you've ever analyzed the twelve steps, they involve the breakdown of the ego, and the rebuilding thereof in the image of their ideal. the underlying premise involves "powerlessness" and the giving over of one's will to a higher power -- it's a cult, pure and simple. and like all cults it fulfills a desperate need in the psyche of the member, the need to be a part of something larger than themselves, that benevolently influences and controls them.
the thing about being an addict, and i was in NA for a few years, heavily into community service, committees, and panels, is that all that is not necessarily the answer. you need not give up your identity and lifeforce, your will as it were -- you just need to quit doing ***** and live better.
hanging around other ***** that all subscribe to the same ***** is an answer, just not a very good one. the true answer lies in the strength of the self, and in your own inner power (not powerlessness). - parabolee, on 11/12/2007, -10/+36Good article, but the above guy is right. Unfortunately religion is not outside the mainstream, although it will be a great day when it is.
- Homet, on 11/13/2007, -3/+21I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness (JW), an actual cult. Last summer my mom had a stroke and six days later she died. The JW cult makes people believe that receiving blood in any form including a blood transfusion is a sin. They life flighted my mom and were rolling her into the operating room when they found out that my mom was a JW. They rolled her back to the ICU and left her there because there was nothing they could do without a blood transfusion. I had to sit there and watch my mom go into convulsion after convulsion and basically die like a rat while everyone around me acted like all of this was normal. My entire family on my mom's side was there...all of them a part of that cult. My dad's side of the family was no where to be seen....they are not a part of that cult. JWs do not "associate" with "worldly people." So I was the only sane one there, other than the hospital staff, and I had to keep my mouth shut because there was nothing I could do that would not end up making a scene. There is no way I could even try to have any sort of a rational discussion with my family because they have no opinion outside of what "The Society" tells them. They have all been brainwashed. It is terrible the toll that it places on them.
I was lucky to get out. I once carried a "No Blood" card. I escaped seven years ago and the brainwashing still places a burden on me. But it is all in the past and all I can do now is try to make the world a better place. Hopefully, one day my actions will keep someone from suffering through some of the things I survived. - geneikillua, on 11/14/2007, -3/+18I appreciate the irony of the chorus of "duggs" to an article about brain washing.
- cococooky, on 11/14/2007, -3/+16Wiki might consider a cult ROUGHLY outside the mainstream - and some of them are - but a lot of people not involved with religion would consider them a cult, as they follow the same modus operandi
Also, dictionary.com's first entry could be used to describe any religion.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult
"cult 1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies." - inactive, on 11/13/2007, -1/+14How to keep your wife also works as a title.
- cranium, on 11/13/2007, -7/+19Alcoholics anonymous, cults, military boot camp, hell, any "mainstream" church that claims god's exclusive authority. They all work this way, essentially.
- DRINKxREDxBULL, on 11/12/2007, -1/+12I am glad that everyone who diggs a story doesn't waste a post telling us about it. Seriously, why don't you just post "first" while you are at it?
- inactive, on 11/13/2007, -15/+26I dugg this article for freedom of speech, and because I don't alienate my friends for freedom of speech, opinion, or beliefs, but on the articles premise Christ must have been brainwashed as well. Our Forefathers must have been brain washed, for our nation was founded on freedom of religion of any kind and that includes even those whose right is not to believe. Yes history has shown some to be false profits and that is to be expected and we are to follow the word of God to help avoid these pitfalls, but no one forces Christians to be religious. It is a change of heart for better fulfillment of life. It is up to no one to condemn anyone for their beliefs, but to let each person seek what they believe is the truth one their own. An individual(s) can walk away from Christianity anytime they wish to choose another path. Its happen many times, and will continue to happen. It's each individuals prerogative. Just like it was your prerogative to go to the lengths that you did to offer an opinion. Christ warned his followers that there would be doubters, and he said that Christians would be sent as sheep among wolves. I guess all will know the truth when we die. So in peace I leave you with the opinion of the article. Each person must walk the path of his choosing.
- fawkinay, on 11/13/2007, -2/+12Personal choice flies out the window when people send their children to brainwashing academies. A choice implies that there's more than one option.
Oh, and by the way, I'll accept and respect your beliefs when you agree to keep them out of our politics. - paulakapdub, on 11/14/2007, -1/+11JUST LIKE THE MILITARY!
- solid12345, on 11/14/2007, -0/+8If you want proof of religion being a cult just look at Islam where people pray 5 times a day like zombies and everything that ever happens from stubbing your toe to getting a job promotion is "God's Will".
- woody56292, on 11/11/2007, -0/+7nobody wants to be reminded that they are all brainwashed by the world.
they are in the mainstream and therefore "normal". =P - twrife, on 11/12/2007, -5/+12Step 1: Write long response
Step 2: ??????????????
Step 3: FALSE PROFITS!! - JQP123, on 11/14/2007, -0/+7"Our Forefathers must have been brain washed, for our nation was founded on freedom of religion of any kind and that includes even those whose right is not to believe."
No, if they had been brainwashed, they would have attempted to impose their beliefs on everyone else. They would have declared the US to be a Christian country. They would have suggested that those who don't share their beliefs were neither good citizens nor patriots. They would have either condoned or ignored discrimination against any dissenters. These things have and continue to occur with the full support of established religion. - transcendz, on 11/11/2007, -3/+10Global warming has come from evidences and scientifics were the first to raise the flag about that problem. Only a few people started a "non-global warming" cult with biased evidences (sun getting hotter, cosmic rays, global freezing, etc...) and started to talk about a conspiracy, even if worldwide weather is clearly hotter and more extreme from what it used to be.
- AceLy, on 11/12/2007, -10/+17What a ***** article. Most of the people who would read it in its entirety are the ones who already assume most of the things in it. Its choice of words are over-generalizing and harsh and anyone who wants to find a flaw in it can easily find one.
- Chargers, on 11/12/2007, -2/+9sounds much like nationalism
- whiteyak41, on 11/11/2007, -1/+7Well if you've been affiliated with any religion you know this pattern. One needs only to observe to see the truth in this article. You can't quantitize things like this, so there can't really be any diffinitive research. Next time you go to church, since you're obviously a Christian, take notes in the Sermon. No doubt it will follow the pattern. First he, or she, will start off talking about things like temptation, or sin, then lead on to hope through going to Church and Jesus, and how supportive your fellow Christians are. And then, feeling so guilty, you put your 20 bucks in the gold plate so you don't go to hell.
- adrianmonk, on 11/14/2007, -0/+6Table manners have no *physical* purpose. However, neither do words, like the words that I'm using to write this message. They are both social conventions. Table manners, in particular, are a social ritual, much like shaking hands. They are a protocol that is used to communicate a certain idea. In the case of shaking hands, going through the social ritual is basically a way of saying, "I offer and seek friendship", or at least, "I offer and seek civility". In the case of table manners, the message you are sending by using accepted table manners is "I am willing to show you respect" or "Your approval and respect of me is important enough to me that I will take care to follow this ritual in order to earn it".
So, these things are only useless if you don't have any use for interacting with fellow human beings and establishing relationships according to a protocol that, yes, is arbitrary, but that everyone understands. - Wildhoney, on 11/11/2007, -0/+6Great article. Cults are just about everywhere in this modern world, and in fact, they've been around for hundreds and hundreds of years - they're not going away any time soon, however.
- NickMilne, on 11/12/2007, -1/+7Why, I do believe that the website being linked to exists solely as an advertisement for someone's book about "conversational hypnosis." Which, I'm gratified to discover from their promotional material, is guaranteed to work.
- orangeLemon, on 11/14/2007, -1/+7It's sad that after those 5 steps they're repeated again when the members of the cult or religion have children, either forcing them to go everyday until they think it is normal, or making them fell guilty for not going. It's sad that things like these are turning the majority of our society into a bunch of zombies, where all the questions of the universe can only be answered by the phrase "God did it."
- gmprunner, on 11/13/2007, -1/+7What if he, like me, doesn't see the Bible, or any other holy texts, as credible sources?
- StopTheLie, on 11/13/2007, -0/+5"hanging around other ***** that all subscribe to the same ***** is an answer, just not a very good one. the true answer lies in the strength of the self, and in your own inner power (not powerlessness)."
Amen. ...for an expanded version (of essentially the same premise) see: http://StopDrinking.com - chaos7, on 11/14/2007, -0/+5memes
- beders, on 11/14/2007, -1/+6Poor christians, they really think they aren't a cult or a sect. Brainwashed all the way.
Prove me wrong, please!
You believe in a supernatural being without any evidence and follow your "spiritual leaders" who don't have any evidence either.
BTW, who created your creator? - inactive, on 11/11/2007, -0/+5"True Christianity does NOT break you down.
It sets you free."
And it weights you with the shackles of doubt - carbonetc, on 11/11/2007, -2/+7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_bia ...
Simple innate human inclinations lead to complex societal problems. It's truly amazing how insidious they are. - treelovinhippie, on 11/11/2007, -10/+15Great post Michael!
Something I've been very much interested in lately is the psychology behind ignorance. e.g.....
1) Why do people blatantly reject contradicting evidence/information, rather than acknowledging and researching into it themselves?
2) Why are these beliefs so set to the point where it becomes impossible to shake, no matter how much you try with evidence/information/rationality?
3) Why are so many people apathetic to so many crucial and influential issues (esp politics)?
I'm really after the psychology/studies/research behind these issues, why humans think this way etc. And of course, ways to utilize such information to manipulate others (for good or bad). Future blog post maybe? ;)
cheers - MacEnvy, on 11/11/2007, -0/+5Unless that belief system lacks a cohesive element. So it's probably fair to say that the KKK is a cult, but racists in general are not.
- adrianmonk, on 11/11/2007, -0/+5Lines are drawn upon the world
Before we get our flags unfurled
Whichever one we pick
Is just a self-deluding trick - nfkiller, on 11/11/2007, -5/+9But stupid people need smart people to tell them how and what to think. Just ask Cheney.
- DesertDude, on 11/14/2007, -6/+10Maybe some religions are like that, but not all. I'm religious (not Christian) and I could hardly find something agreeable in the article.
- chubbybubba, on 11/13/2007, -10/+14Religion was created by man and not by God.
- inactive, on 11/14/2007, -0/+4Nope. I didn't feel the urge to join the cult of the article. Did you? It didn't even ask for any money.
- inactive, on 11/14/2007, -1/+5"It is up to no one to condemn anyone for their beliefs, but to let each person seek what they believe is the truth one their own."
That's a nice thought, but what happens when what people believe spurs them to violent acts, or interferes with the function of a democracy?
Consider the massive evangelical voting bloc in the US south. Time and time again the evangelicals have been suckered into voting for "conservatives" who have made a big fuss over abortion and gay marriage. Once in office, they proceeded to enact their real agenda and made only token moves to appease the base. Why do they keep falling for this? Because their religion (which I remind is a matter of faith) impels them to.
And doubt is not a demon. - firefox3000, on 11/12/2007, -3/+7You don't have to be in a cult to become brainwashed.... you just have to believe in mainstream society.
Let me elaborate...... social standards, taboos, table manners and advertising.
These 4 things are examples of brainwashing:- table manners serve no purpose but people still have them but if they serve no purpose why do we have them? Therefore YOU have just been brainwashed.
It's nobody's fault, a child is vurnerable and gullible and will believe anything you tell them since they rely on you to understand the world and therefore you can fill their mind with ***** such as "its important to have table manners" and thus their minds become corrupted - NickMilne, on 11/12/2007, -1/+5They wanted you to digg it; they've won.
- inactive, on 11/11/2007, -1/+5Quit with the victim mindset.
- inactive, on 11/14/2007, -6/+9Highly readable and informative
- NickMilne, on 11/12/2007, -2/+5Buddhism is empirical? I don't think empirical means what you think it does.
- ZenMojo, on 11/11/2007, -0/+3"cult 2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult."
Ethnocentrism, racism, sexism, all of these are technically cults. Any belief system lends itself to being a cult. - skews13, on 11/14/2007, -0/+3an old martial arts instructor of mine used to have an accurate description of people like that.
the easily awed,and uninitiated - podrag, on 11/12/2007, -2/+5This article is very poor. What else does it suggest... that we join the cult of academia? The cult of politics? The cult of MTV? This article does nothing to address any kind of philosophical debate. Cartesian anxiety anybody? Lame. Buried.
- DNAString, on 11/12/2007, -0/+3I for one welcome our bad pun cliché overlords!
- rob3, on 11/12/2007, -2/+5Isn't that article just a prime example of what it's describing i.e. It's brainwashing in itself :P
- orangery, on 11/11/2007, -0/+3I think the author is wrong about the Buddhism. In all buddhist books i’ve read the cults are condemned and it’s repeated numerous times that one should not go into them even if the guru or the teacher claims he is true to buddhism.
Still there are lots of people who rehash and retardedly interpreted buddhism and then recruit people claiming they are true to buddhist beliefs etc. - sophiaperennis, on 11/12/2007, -2/+5The rejection of self in Buddhism the article speaks of, is not a denial of personal freedom, nor a rejection of individuality as opposed to the greater good of a group or majority. The juxtaposition provided in the article is completely without merit, even more so, laughable at best.
If you're going to make a case, at least study the religion, and provide citations to the teachings you are claiming to involve brainwashing. - inactive, on 11/12/2007, -1/+4The first step is the sad part of religion or any of "Ism's" that are inherently irrational, as long as the secular world remains imperfect. It will be vulnerable to this threat.
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