American. If You Were Brainwashed Would You Know It?
By Diane V. McLoughlin Jan. 30, 2009
Some believe we must be fair. They believe we should blame both sides equally regardless of who is
doing what to whom between Israel and the Palestinians. Very post-post modern stuff.
I can't talk to those guys.
Americans are starting to realize something isn't right. There is a question every American should be
asking themselves, and not just on the topic of Israel.
The Arts reflect the society in which artists live and work - the best art. Of American films, one of the
best in recent years is The Matrix. A central theme in the story is this:
"It's the question, Neo. It's the question that drives us."
The question is, if you were brainwashed and rigidly controlled would you know it?
Should some incontrovertible fact come to light, some clue that doesn't jive with everything you've been
indoctrinated to believe (eg. Iraq: 'There'll be a mushroom cloud!'/'There were no weapons of mass
destruction'/'Al-Quaeda is not in Iraq'/The 'war' in Iraq keeps on going and going anyway like a bad
dream that won't stop...) - something so out of whack it's like a wormhole suddenly opening giving you a
glimpse into an alternative universe - from that point on, it would be advisable to take everything you
are told with a high degree of skepticism.
For one very important thing, Americans are asked to stake their lives on what they are told. For
another very important thing, Americans are asked to take the lives of others. And for a final very
important thing, taking the lives of others who don't deserve it can mean big trouble by making enemies.
(For one other very important thing you have to live with it.)
There are a couple of problems with being skeptical. It takes work to think for yourself, rather than
accept as truth everything you are told.
Worse, it can threaten your relationships. If we don't rock the boat then we all get to get along.
That can go alright for a while. It isn't easy telling the truth if everybody you know believes the lie.
Hitler was a Grand Master of Lies. He knew he could get maximum control of the people by keeping his
lies big; make them big and the people believe the lies because it is hard for ordinary people to believe
that anyone would tell lies so big. Hitler was the very personification of the words 'evil genius'.
Questioning has its risks. Some had the guts to stand and publicly denounce Hitler's proposed reforms
and programs. Some, sometimes families included, were rounded up and shot.
The enemies Germany made, in the end, worked together to bring Germany down.
And that is what I fear that America's amoral leadership fears today.
home
By Diane V. McLoughlin Jan. 30, 2009
Some believe we must be fair. They believe we should blame both sides equally regardless of who is
doing what to whom between Israel and the Palestinians. Very post-post modern stuff.
I can't talk to those guys.
Americans are starting to realize something isn't right. There is a question every American should be
asking themselves, and not just on the topic of Israel.
The Arts reflect the society in which artists live and work - the best art. Of American films, one of the
best in recent years is The Matrix. A central theme in the story is this:
"It's the question, Neo. It's the question that drives us."
The question is, if you were brainwashed and rigidly controlled would you know it?
Should some incontrovertible fact come to light, some clue that doesn't jive with everything you've been
indoctrinated to believe (eg. Iraq: 'There'll be a mushroom cloud!'/'There were no weapons of mass
destruction'/'Al-Quaeda is not in Iraq'/The 'war' in Iraq keeps on going and going anyway like a bad
dream that won't stop...) - something so out of whack it's like a wormhole suddenly opening giving you a
glimpse into an alternative universe - from that point on, it would be advisable to take everything you
are told with a high degree of skepticism.
For one very important thing, Americans are asked to stake their lives on what they are told. For
another very important thing, Americans are asked to take the lives of others. And for a final very
important thing, taking the lives of others who don't deserve it can mean big trouble by making enemies.
(For one other very important thing you have to live with it.)
There are a couple of problems with being skeptical. It takes work to think for yourself, rather than
accept as truth everything you are told.
Worse, it can threaten your relationships. If we don't rock the boat then we all get to get along.
That can go alright for a while. It isn't easy telling the truth if everybody you know believes the lie.
Hitler was a Grand Master of Lies. He knew he could get maximum control of the people by keeping his
lies big; make them big and the people believe the lies because it is hard for ordinary people to believe
that anyone would tell lies so big. Hitler was the very personification of the words 'evil genius'.
Questioning has its risks. Some had the guts to stand and publicly denounce Hitler's proposed reforms
and programs. Some, sometimes families included, were rounded up and shot.
The enemies Germany made, in the end, worked together to bring Germany down.
And that is what I fear that America's amoral leadership fears today.
home
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