Index
1. Introduction
Modern society can be observed as an entity with diverse media and institutions that subtly guide and shape our thoughts and actions. These media and institutions include a wide range of elements such as news media, educational systems, political systems, economic systems, advertising, and social networking sites. Every day we gather a variety of information from these elements, make decisions based on this information, and form our selves.
Some people describe the workings of these elements as “brainwashing. Brainwashing refers to the process of chipping away at individual free will and viewpoints and adjusting them to the expectations and norms of society as a whole. Ideally, individual opinions and viewpoints are freely formed, but in reality they are unconsciously influenced by many social factors.
This article seeks to explore and elucidate these “brainwashing” mechanisms from four perspectives: education, interest, materialism, and advertising. These elements have a profound impact on how we understand the world, how we define ourselves, and what actions we choose to take. By understanding how these elements work and what brainwashing influences each has, we will be able to more freely and consciously control our own consciousness and behavior.
2. Education and Brainwashing
Education is an important means of transmitting society’s values and norms and passing on knowledge and skills to the next generation. However, the type of knowledge and values that this education conveys depends largely on the people and organizations that control it. In this way, education can be a tool not only for transmitting knowledge and skills, but also for emphasizing certain values and patterns of thinking. In particular, when the state controls the education system, it is often a powerful tool for transmitting the state’s ideals and values.
Vested interests or interests in education refer to the exclusive benefits enjoyed by some people in the educational system. This can create an unequal distribution of educational opportunities and resources, resulting in large disparities in the quality and accessibility of education. Interests and vested interests can also influence the content and direction of education, resulting in the emphasis of some viewpoints and values and the neglect of others.
In addition, the values and perspectives conveyed in the educational process can greatly influence a student’s self-perception and worldview. Often, certain professions and lifestyles are encouraged and other options are neglected or downplayed. For example, in some societies, college education and subsequent employment in white-collar occupations are strongly encouraged, while vocational schools and paths to blue-collar jobs tend to be looked down upon. The impact of such education has a profound effect not only on individual life choices, but also on the employment patterns and economic structure of society as a whole.
3. Interests and Brainwashing
Interests are privileged benefits enjoyed by those who hold a particular position or authority. This can manifest itself in many ways, including political status, occupation, and access to resources. This benefit, which some people enjoy exclusively, becomes part of the power they hold and is also a means of maintaining and strengthening that power.
Interests are involved in brainwashing because these privileged interests shape and influence individual attitudes and social norms. For example, people with interests tend to promote certain values and viewpoints and exclude or ignore others in order to maintain or expand their interests. They also have the power to enact and promote policies and laws that align with their own interests, and these policies and laws can have the effect of shaping the behavior patterns and values of society as a whole.
Specifically, subsidy policies or deregulation for a particular industry or region can shape interests in that industry or region and significantly influence the behavior and choices of those engaged in it. These policies may promote the development of a particular industry or region while inhibiting the growth of other industries or regions. These interests can also distort the distribution of resources and priorities throughout society, creating social inequality and injustice.
4. Materialism, My Home, Savings, Car and Brainwashing
Materialism refers to the value system in which material possessions and financial success are the primary source of happiness. Material possessions such as one’s own home, savings account, and car are often treated as symbols of materialism and ownership of these items is considered a sign of success and a stable life.
These values are strongly emphasized through advertising, media, and social expectations, and have a significant impact on our consumption behavior and lifestyle choices. For example, the message that buying a new car is a symbol of success is often conveyed through car advertising. Similarly, owning a home is seen as a symbol of a stable life, and saving money is seen as a means of guaranteeing future security.
However, these values and expectations can convey the false message that material possessions and financial success are the only source of happiness. This can overstimulate people’s consumption behavior, leading to problems such as overconsumption, debt, and environmental destruction. These values can also increase people’s tendency to compare themselves with others and evaluate their self-worth based on material possessions, which can lead to psychological problems such as stress, dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem.
5. Advertising and Brainwashing
Advertising is a powerful tool for selling products and services and has a significant impact on our consumption behavior and values. Advertisements stimulate desire for a particular product or service by emphasizing how it improves our lives or what status or image it provides.
These messages tap into our desires and anxieties and create the impression that these desires can be met or anxieties allayed through the purchase of the product or service. For example, an ad for cosmetics conveys the message that beauty and youth are important values, and that we can obtain these values through the use of the product. Advertisements for automobiles often convey the message that owning that car gives you status and freedom.
However, these advertising messages often distort reality and may promote unhealthy consumer behaviors and values. Advertisements tend to focus excessively on the image or emotion that a product or service provides, ignoring or obscuring its actual quality, value, or environmental impact. Advertising also tends to emphasize the message that material possessions and consumption are the primary source of happiness and ignore other sources of happiness (e.g., relationships, personal growth, creativity, etc.).
6. Comparing ourselves to others and a competitive society
We unconsciously compare ourselves to others in our daily lives. This is a natural process of self-evaluation and part of self-awareness. However, these comparisons are often unfair and can cause negative emotions such as low self-esteem, envy, frustration, and stress.
Comparisons with others are especially emphasized in a competitive society. Competitive societies promote the value that an individual’s success is due to his or her ability and effort, and that successful individuals are justified in achieving higher status and rewards than others. These values encourage comparison with others and stimulate competition.
However, this competitive value system and comparison to others can undermine an individual’s self-esteem and sense of well-being. Not everyone is evaluated and rewards are distributed according to the same standards, and factors outside of an individual’s control, such as luck, natural ability, and available resources, can have a significant impact. Comparisons with others also tend to ignore internal standards of self-worth and make self-evaluation dependent on the success or failure of others. This can lead to low self-esteem, excessive competition, and undue stress.
7. Competitive Society and Vested Interests
Competitive societies emphasize the principle that success is determined by individual ability and effort. In reality, however, vested interests and interests often play an important role. Vested interests refer to the benefits and power that a particular group enjoys through historical practices, legal provisions, or social structures. Concessions refer to systems in which certain individuals or groups benefit economically through the power of governments or corporations.
These elements often distort competition and can create inequality. For example, competition in a particular industry or market may be limited by a number of non-competitive factors, such as the ability of existing firms or groups to influence policy enactments, size and scale of resources, brand recognition, and customer loyalty. Similarly, educational and occupational opportunities are heavily influenced by factors other than individual ability and effort, such as family financial resources, local educational resources, and the availability of networks and mentors.
Such inequalities due to vested interests and concessions undermine the fairness of a competitive society and can lead to social dissatisfaction and conflict. They can also limit people’s opportunities and choices and cause waste of talent and creativity. Therefore, to maintain fairness and efficiency in a competitive society, vested interests and concessions need to be recognized and addressed.
8. Conclusion
In this paper, we have examined the influence of four elements-education, interest, materialism, and advertising-which can be described as brainwashing on our psychology and behavior. These elements shape our individual values and have a profound influence on our choices and actions. However, awareness of these influences and self-reflection enable us to become more aware of our own choices.
More specifically, through educational choices, insight into materialism, and an understanding of the influence of advertising, we can develop a freer and more independent perspective. While it may be difficult to hold one’s perspective in the face of social forces, by consciously choosing and acting upon one’s values and perspectives, we can resist these forces.
Ongoing self-development and self-reflection are essential to freeing ourselves from social brainwashing. Skills are required to properly identify and manage the influences of others and society. Holding on to individual opinions and thoughts strengthens our ability to make self-determined choices independent of social forces.