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13 reviews for:
The Rape of the Mind: The Psychology of Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing
Joost A.M. Meerloo
4.22 AVERAGE
13 reviews for:
The Rape of the Mind: The Psychology of Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing
Joost A.M. Meerloo
4.22 AVERAGE
medium-paced
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Algunas cosas no se sostienen en la actualidad, como es de esperar. Sobre todo porque pocos podrían haber predicho las consecuencias últimas de la globalización, así como el control que actualmente tiene internet sobre... casi todo, o los efectos que tuvo la pandemia en el mundo.
Creo que muchas perspectivas del autor están empañadas por algunos sesgos, al menos por mi parte.
Sería interesante leer un trabajo que abarque los mismos temas, pero analizando en detalle las tecnologías y mecanismos de control mental en el siglo XXI. Estaría interesante estudiarlo en el contexto la situación política actual.
Creo que muchas perspectivas del autor están empañadas por algunos sesgos, al menos por mi parte.
Sería interesante leer un trabajo que abarque los mismos temas, pero analizando en detalle las tecnologías y mecanismos de control mental en el siglo XXI. Estaría interesante estudiarlo en el contexto la situación política actual.
It all makes sense now. Definitely give this one a read if you’re curious how people can be susceptible to mind control.
I seem to be doing this to myself a lot lately...
This was a good book, but not a fun book. The subject matter itself, thought control, menticide, and brainwashing perpetrated (mostly) by totalitarian governments, is not fodder for light reading. Of course, I knew that going in.
The style is clinical, drawing on case studies and observations drawn over years, but it was the clearly personal touches that drew me in. Meerloo had direct contact with Nazis during World War II as a practicing psychologist, a resistance fighter, and a prisoner under interrogation, so his insights come from experience.
I need to read something lighter next time, I think!
This was a good book, but not a fun book. The subject matter itself, thought control, menticide, and brainwashing perpetrated (mostly) by totalitarian governments, is not fodder for light reading. Of course, I knew that going in.
The style is clinical, drawing on case studies and observations drawn over years, but it was the clearly personal touches that drew me in. Meerloo had direct contact with Nazis during World War II as a practicing psychologist, a resistance fighter, and a prisoner under interrogation, so his insights come from experience.
I need to read something lighter next time, I think!
dark
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book is five stars because everyone should read it. I have problems with it, but I'd recommend it to any actual thinking persons.
You know those thought conforming signs that Progressives put in their windows and wear on their shirts?
SCIENCE IS REAL. (Google this one to have Scientific American tell you to shut the fuck up, and keenly in Surely You Must Be Joking, Nucler Bomb Building Feynman says we should never use Science as a stick of authority).
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.
Those signs have always bothered me. Not because I don't agree with the sentiment of them, but because it's a list of thought terminating cliches that don't empower or lift ANYONE up, and render discussion about the subjects pointless. I came across a quote in this book that verified it for me.
"Totalitaria is any country in which political ideas degenerate into senseless formulations made only for propaganda purposes. It is any country in which a single group--left or right--acquires absolute power and becomes omniscient and omnipotent, any country in which disagreement and differences of opinion are crimes, in which utter conformity is the price of life."
I think back to getting coached by a boss for using the phrase, "Thanks GUYS!" I think back to all of the companies implying you would lose your job for not taking the covid vaccine. I think back to last week when POTUS challenged a ruling by a Federal Judge inhibiting him from telling social media companies what information is or isn't real.
We're in the middle of a totalitarian moment in the US, and it's rapidly encroaching from both sides. (Queue the anti-BOTH SIDES people). It's true though. Still skeptical?
"The ordinary, law-abiding citizen of Totalitaria, far from being a hero, is potentially guilty of hundreds of crimes. He is a criminal if he is stubborn in defense of his own point of view. He is a criminal if he refuses to become confused. He is a criminal if he does not loudly and vigorously participate in all official acts"..."He can be tried and found guilty by every conceivable ism-- cosmopolitanism, provincialism; deviationalism..." etc.
I would posit that today's leftist totalitarians believe in inherent sexism and racism (ironically mirroring two of the points on their totalitarian signs) for most people, even those who are women or non-white.
I digress, no one cares what I think.
Joost spends much of the book talking about the psychology of the person who is swayed to Totalitarianism, and the virtues of Democracy. This is the crux of where I disagree with him, and psychology in general. It puts too much on the community feeling of the individual. It says the individuals are immature for having poor community feeling or resenting society's structure. He then goes on to list Democratic losers who found success in Totalitarian regimes, as if their BEING LOSERS BY DEMOCRATIC STANDARDS ISN'T A PROBLEM WE HAVE TO FACE.
At only two brief points in the entire book does he suggest that society itself may be sick, and in need of growth. He suggests the totalitarian impulse might be something we can use to measure the health of our own society, but only once, and without the exploration he gleefully takes on when discussing neurotics or psychopaths who hate society.
"Such men and women do not make good Democratic citizens''. He's referring here to people who want a parental state (his opinions on collaborative ideals are present throughout). I'm all for individualism, but if our society isn't building healthy individuals, it doesn't have the defense of being 'the best society'.
Totalitarianism is Societies FLU. It's the screaming of the huddled masses saying, THIS ISN'T FUCKING WORKING FOR ME. A happy Germany would not have surrendered to Hitler's influence. A happy Russian population would not have turned to Lenin. Happy healthy youth wouldn't be turning to 'demagogues' like Bernie Sanders if they felt they had a fair shake. So I struggle with the idea that Individualism is a cure-all (although I can see why it would always be the goal of the Psychologist working with an Individual). Although I have the benefit of seeing the idea of Individualism taken to the far extreme in America in the 21st century that he only briefly glimpsed in education or through the television in his age.
I'd say that any society that opens itself up to Totalitarian unrest deserves it. The leaders of that society have an obligation that they're failing to meet. I personally don't think capital based societies that celebrate exploitation are healthy for us as a species, but Joost would say that's me not having a great relationship with my parents.
Anyway. Fuck off
You know those thought conforming signs that Progressives put in their windows and wear on their shirts?
SCIENCE IS REAL. (Google this one to have Scientific American tell you to shut the fuck up, and keenly in Surely You Must Be Joking, Nucler Bomb Building Feynman says we should never use Science as a stick of authority).
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.
Those signs have always bothered me. Not because I don't agree with the sentiment of them, but because it's a list of thought terminating cliches that don't empower or lift ANYONE up, and render discussion about the subjects pointless. I came across a quote in this book that verified it for me.
"Totalitaria is any country in which political ideas degenerate into senseless formulations made only for propaganda purposes. It is any country in which a single group--left or right--acquires absolute power and becomes omniscient and omnipotent, any country in which disagreement and differences of opinion are crimes, in which utter conformity is the price of life."
I think back to getting coached by a boss for using the phrase, "Thanks GUYS!" I think back to all of the companies implying you would lose your job for not taking the covid vaccine. I think back to last week when POTUS challenged a ruling by a Federal Judge inhibiting him from telling social media companies what information is or isn't real.
We're in the middle of a totalitarian moment in the US, and it's rapidly encroaching from both sides. (Queue the anti-BOTH SIDES people). It's true though. Still skeptical?
"The ordinary, law-abiding citizen of Totalitaria, far from being a hero, is potentially guilty of hundreds of crimes. He is a criminal if he is stubborn in defense of his own point of view. He is a criminal if he refuses to become confused. He is a criminal if he does not loudly and vigorously participate in all official acts"..."He can be tried and found guilty by every conceivable ism-- cosmopolitanism, provincialism; deviationalism..." etc.
I would posit that today's leftist totalitarians believe in inherent sexism and racism (ironically mirroring two of the points on their totalitarian signs) for most people, even those who are women or non-white.
I digress, no one cares what I think.
Joost spends much of the book talking about the psychology of the person who is swayed to Totalitarianism, and the virtues of Democracy. This is the crux of where I disagree with him, and psychology in general. It puts too much on the community feeling of the individual. It says the individuals are immature for having poor community feeling or resenting society's structure. He then goes on to list Democratic losers who found success in Totalitarian regimes, as if their BEING LOSERS BY DEMOCRATIC STANDARDS ISN'T A PROBLEM WE HAVE TO FACE.
At only two brief points in the entire book does he suggest that society itself may be sick, and in need of growth. He suggests the totalitarian impulse might be something we can use to measure the health of our own society, but only once, and without the exploration he gleefully takes on when discussing neurotics or psychopaths who hate society.
"Such men and women do not make good Democratic citizens''. He's referring here to people who want a parental state (his opinions on collaborative ideals are present throughout). I'm all for individualism, but if our society isn't building healthy individuals, it doesn't have the defense of being 'the best society'.
Totalitarianism is Societies FLU. It's the screaming of the huddled masses saying, THIS ISN'T FUCKING WORKING FOR ME. A happy Germany would not have surrendered to Hitler's influence. A happy Russian population would not have turned to Lenin. Happy healthy youth wouldn't be turning to 'demagogues' like Bernie Sanders if they felt they had a fair shake. So I struggle with the idea that Individualism is a cure-all (although I can see why it would always be the goal of the Psychologist working with an Individual). Although I have the benefit of seeing the idea of Individualism taken to the far extreme in America in the 21st century that he only briefly glimpsed in education or through the television in his age.
I'd say that any society that opens itself up to Totalitarian unrest deserves it. The leaders of that society have an obligation that they're failing to meet. I personally don't think capital based societies that celebrate exploitation are healthy for us as a species, but Joost would say that's me not having a great relationship with my parents.
Anyway. Fuck off
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective