Brainwashing & Mind Control Techniques

The term "Brainwashing" came into common language through the work of American journalist Edward Hunter who was an expert of Oriental issues; the very word being the direct translation of Chinese "hsi-nao". By "hsi-nao" the Chinese meant certain techniques in dealing with adversaries and/or training of officials. To the Western usage the term "brainwashing" spread in the 1950s through several publications depicting the treatment of American soldiers at Chinese prison camp during the Korean War 1950-1953.

Definition (Wikipedia) : Brainwashing is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques.

Techniques of Brainwashing/Mind Control

There are some common brainwashing techniques manipulators use (Without you even knowing), which are given below:

1. The first tactic to be used in brainwashing is typically to isolate the victim away from their friends and family. The reason for doing this is so that the victim only has the manipulator to talk to, to get their information and ideas from, and they do not have to worry about any third party coming in and questioning what’s going on.
2. Now that the victim has been isolated, he or she has to be broken down so that the manipulation can start rebuilding them in the image they desire. A person can only be brainwashed if their manipulator is in a superior position to them. These attacks could be in the form of ridiculing or mocking the victim, or intimidation (also call it as Attacks on Self Esteem).
3. There are many physical techniques whereby a victim can be brainwashed. These include depriving someone of their sleep, keeping them cold and hungry, actual bodily harm through violent behavior.
4. Studies have shown that if you play a repetitive beat, most ideally one that ranges from 45 to 72 beats per minute, you can induce an extremely hypnotic state. This is because that repetition is very close to the rhythm of the beat of a human heart.
5. By only allowing contact with those who are already brainwashed, the manipulator is creating a situation whereby peer pressure comes into play.
6. Again, this is all about being accepted into a group, and the best group as well. By saying that there is an Us and a Them, the manipulator is immediately offering the victim the chance to choose which group they want to belong to. Their goal is now to achieve absolute obedience and loyalty.
7. This is a tactic whereby the victim is drawn into the group by physical touching, sharing intimate thoughts and emotional bonding, all through excessive affection and constant validation.

Sources :

www.google.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing, & https://www.learning-mind.com/brainwashing-techniques/

Thanks,

Ankit Gupta