Media Brainwashing
Is it true that people are most likely to believe anything that comes from mainstream media even if it is a lie? Are you guilty of that? If you say "No", how do you know you have not been infected already?
I would say that brainwashing takes a concerted effort of one party to control the thoughts and actions of another party. So in my mind brainwashing is a bit strong of a condemnation of the mainstream media. I can easily say that our mainstream media has gone much more towards commentation from reporting. I can also say that certain media outlets tend to sway their commentation primarily to one side or the other. So if you were to only use one source of media as your information source, you likely have a slanted view as a result. Now the reason I say that this is not brainwashing, is that in brainwashing...you usually have very little options of getting the other side of the story or the group doing the brainwashing tries to hide conflicting information or information sources from the objects to be brainwashed. In our culture today, you have an abundance of different media outlets from which to sample. There is little reason you should not have access to the other side of the story unless you don't want to read or download it. I prefer to look at this as ignorance. Unfortunately, we do have a lot of ignorant people out there, but ignorance is fortunately curable.
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 863 86.3%
I might be wrong, but people can convince themselves that anything said on television is solid. They don't verify, research or look for other sources. They just take it that CNN, Fox, ABC or whatever name will never lead them astray.
International Level: New Activist / Political Participation: 21 2.1%
There is an agenda at every News company. So whatever is shared and the way it is done it is fulfill that agenda. People believe anything that the Media says.
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 1089 100%
For me the source of your information is the important thing. I wouldn't buy the National Enquirer to get news on the stockmarket or anything serious for that matter. Also if I want news out of a country I usually go to that country's local paper rather than trying to use a general one like CNN or one of those.
International Level: New Activist / Political Participation: 11 1.1%
This pretty much depends on what definition of the word we are looking at... If we are looking at the most commonly used form, then what happens on TV falls short because there is no force in the message. Brainwashing of this type is/was found in Guyana with Jim Jones, The Heaven's Gate Cult, all of N.Korea, etc... If we use a looser form of the definition as persuasion, then yes...the TV networks are guilty of trying to persuade us.
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 863 86.3%