Brainwashing

     When your thinking, emotions, and behavior seem to be controlled by other people or outside influences, your independent thought is inhibited.  Brainwashing usually is pictured as happening in war prisons, totalitarian governments, or religious cults where isolation, propaganda, repeated messages, and emotional pressures are used to control minds.  Many forms of brainwashing, however, happen all around us.
      Often, we are indoctrinated supposedly for our own good.  Parents and other well-meaning adults teach us values and opinions to help us develop into responsible adults.  They may not encourage us to think independently or form other opinions.  Religions also indoctrinate people to what they believe is true and necessary to lead good lives. Cults aren't the only ones who insist that their philosophy is the only way.
     Brainwashing is also used for the benefit of someone else.  Political parties use every tactic to control your thoughts and get your support.  Promoters of products and services use advertising to influence your spending habits.  Repetition of emotional appeals seem to block our independent thought.  We do need good leaders, products, and services, but we need to realize when we are being manipulated.
     Perhaps we need to give our own brains a good washing to examine how we think, feel, and  behave, then clean out the debris.   Recognize who or what influenced you in the past and increase the use of independent thought now and in the future.