Mind control is known by so many other terms that it’s downright confusing. It can be known as manipulation, though reform, brainwashing and many others. All of these terms, however, basically come down to the same definition: changing the beliefs and behaviors of other people. They are all forms of persuasion and influence that are used to remove the identity and independence of people by inhibiting or taking away their ability to logically and critically think. While some forms of persuasion, such as hypnosis, work to help enhance and guide the individual, mind control seeks to completely disrupt and corrupt a person at their most base level – mind control is literally working to change not a personality, or a behavior, but the identity of the person being affected. This is most often a subtle process and it is one that can be seen in nearly any abusive relationship as the abuser works to break down every part of the person being abused, right down to their very identity. The people who think that they could never be mind controlled are actually most at risk because they don’t expect it to work and therefore are not prepared for someone to try it against them.
Is Mind Control Manipulation?
While mind control has often been viewed as something out of a spy novel, it does exist and it can be as simply as changing someone’s personality by using their emotions against them. In fact, emotions are the most powerful things we can use for and against others. Emotions are our primary motivators. When we feel afraid we have a biological, evolutionary response to that fear called ‘Fight or Flight’. Our body fills with adrenaline either in anticipation of having to run away and escape a predator, or in preparation to fight off an invader. This response is automatic. We have no control over it. Through conditioning, this fear response can be triggered by something as simply as your doorbell ringing. Mind control, after all, is not all that different from conditioning. Think of the experiment where a dog is kept in a room and every time a bell rings he’s fed a steak. For weeks every time the bell rings, he gets a steak and this triggers all the natural responses in his body for preparing to eat a steak – including a lot of drooling. Finally, the day comes where they bell rings but no steak appears. It doesn’t matter though. His brain has been re-wired to believe that the ringing bell will bring a steak. So even though no steak appears, his body still prepares to eat the steak and he still drools.
Abuse of Power
This is why mind control can be so easily abused and is abused by groups like cults who seek to control the people who are a part of their group. Mind control is even used in our military! By breaking down the individual at the core, at their identity, in ways they cannot prevent you make it impossible for them to counter the ways you are brainwashing them. Mind control is a form of conditioning and to protect yourself against it you must be aware that it can happen and able to recognize when it is being done to you.
