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Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide

Started by B_M_W, May 12, 2006, 05:03:00 AM

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B_M_W

Introduction
I'm  not all that great at this stuff, so I'm not posting a piece for the PD06. Instead, I am going to expand upon what I call reverse brainwashing, and was mentioned earlier in the brainstorming stages. Reverse Brainwashing works in nearly the same manner as the garden variety, except its purpose is to free the individual from their 'Iron Bar Prison', and get them to expand their imagination to think for themselves. To wake them up to reality, essentially. Like the opposite, reverse brainwashing rewrites a persons paradigm, and there are several stages to the process.

1. Hook the Sheep
   In this stage we attract those who may be more receptive to waking up at the moment. From earlier discussions, we have found that certain things work well to attract the target population. From polls of other discordians, we have found the target age group, the age group which is most receptive to this process is late teens (16-20). So the modes of attraction are aligned towards these individuals.
   Shiny things tend to catch peoples eye, that is, things that are oddly colored when compared to surroundings. The best way to go is LOUD. Clashing colors, bright graphics, complex, interesting looking graphics, these all get peoples attention. One color font is right out. Non standard fonts are better, but make sure they are easily readable. Make each sentence or thought a different color. Use bright colors, or at least those that contrast highly with the background. Make it ATTRACTIVE to teens these days. You know they spend all day in bland 'prisons', so make it look as different from the prison as possible!
   Place the propaganda in prominent locations. If you are going to disseminate fliers, dress cleanly and properly (depending on the location, maybe suit, maybe street gear), but don't say anything, just hand them out. At this point we are just trying to get them to notice.

2. Reel them in
   So, you've caught their attention. Now, what do you TELL them off the bat? Generally, members agree to leave out as many inside jokes as possible. Leave out 'classic' rich words too, like All Hail Eris, Fn0rd, Greyface, etc. These only get in the way of keeping them interested. In fact, leave out any mention of religion in general. Use newly coined phrases, like ,ÄúThe Discordian Society cordially invites you to join us in a jailbreak...,Äù. Leave out as much classical humor as possible. Use questioning phrases.
   Most of all, intrigue them. Give them just a little meat to work with, using new buzzwords like ,ÄúIron Bar Prison,Äù. Make them want to come to you for more. Make the message short, don't draw it out. These kids have short attention spans, its got to be catchy.
   Finally, give them somewhere to go. Putting www.principiadiscordia.com at the end of the flier is good, or the address to POEE. This is very important, and it will weed out those who are truly interested; they will take the initiative and come.

3. Operation Mindfuck
   In this stage we fuck with the dogma that is stuck in circuit. We weaken the prison with weirdness. This is the realm of the PD06 now in progress, it is the most difficult job of this process, and the most important. It is here that we begin changing the paradigm.
   The document itself has little ability for variability in length. On one hand, the potential discordians have short attention spans, so it should be short enough to adjust for this. On the other hand, there is a minimum length for such documents, because of the time needed for the weakening to occur. This is important: if the PD06 is too short, it will accomplish little or nothing in this stage. This is because a sort of minor hypnosis must occur, which allows the mind to be more easily screwed with.
   The PD06 must be easily accessible; if possible, it should be the first discordian document the potential has ever come across. The less he/she has heard before this point, the better. Put it next to or, if possible, in place of the original at PD.com.
   It should look unassuming. Start out with the same sorts of things from the 'propaganda'. Give a little humor, but make it background. Use lots of buzzphrases. Use repetition. Lull them into an unassuming state, while slowly increasing the weirdness.
   When a critical point is reached, completely shatter their world view. Shock them.  Warning: this can only work if they are first lulled into that semi-hypnotic state. This is the point of turning, where the dogma that has been ingrained is broken. What they knew can't possibly be true anymore. So give them something else to know.

4. Reversing the cycle
   Throughout the PD06, subliminal messages should be placed. These should span around central themes such as freedom, 'jailbreak', thinking for oneself, imagination, waking up, etc. gradually increase the frequency of these and decrease the subliminality, until the critical point is reached. Then, all things should be about these central themes. At this point, we are taking their closed mind and replacing it with an open one. We broke their reality, and now supply a better one. Once you are at this point, you can say nearly anything, and a person will run with it, so be careful! Don't fall in the same traps as the original pd! Yes, some randomness, some humor, but don't make them the most important things. Otherwise you end up with more 'zomg23pinealglandlol' discordians, who are seldom well welcomed in most discordian forums, and their growth as people is also impeded.

5. Welcome the convert
   So a person is converted. What next? They most likely go to find more like them. Thus making active discordian web communities of high importance. The convert should be welcomed and guided. They still have lots to learn. Eventually they should be introduced to the full cannon of discordian literature. But for now, teach the basics. As before, keep the religious aspects low key. There is still the possibility to ostracise. Make them feel welcomed, give them praise and constructive criticism. Encourage them in their interests. In other words, be like good foster parents. They're still kids and have a long way to go!


Conclusion
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.

                                Yurito Sakari,

                     The Wannabe Buddhist Monk
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of Discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.

     --Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=9801.0


6.5 billion Buddhas walking around.

99.xxxxxxx% forgot they are Buddha.

LHX

there is a lot to go thru here

it will be supremely useful


i am so tired right now i cant feel my face


we have come a long way
neat hell

East Coast Hustle

damn. that might be the best thing you've written yet, BMW.
Rabid Colostomy Hole Jammer of the Coming Apocalypse™

The Devil is in the details; God is in the nuance.


Some yahoo yelled at me, saying 'GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH', and I thought, "I'm feeling generous today.  Why not BOTH?"

B_M_W

Quote from: East Coast Hustledamn. that might be the best thing you've written yet, BMW.

Thank you. I worked hard on it. It feels akin to my Un-inteligent Design piece I wrote a half a year back. Or at least the style does.

Please to Note: Questions Comments and Critisisms are welcome. I want to revise this, include some more sugesstions and make it even better.
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of Discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.

     --Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=9801.0


6.5 billion Buddhas walking around.

99.xxxxxxx% forgot they are Buddha.

deet

Propaganda must be:

Recognizable
Easily understood
Repetitious
Not open to interpretation
All walls have two sides.

B_M_W

Quote from: deetPropaganda must be:

Recognizable
Easily understood
Repetitious
Not open to interpretation

Thus making it shiney, short on words, and not full of classical buzz words. Or were you talking about section 3 and 4?
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of Discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.

     --Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=9801.0


6.5 billion Buddhas walking around.

99.xxxxxxx% forgot they are Buddha.

LMNO

I see a contradiction between the urgency to make it shiny, and the urgency to be unassuming.


Then again, I had 4 pints of IPA for lunch.

B_M_W

Quote from: LMNOI see a contradiction between the urgency to make it shiny, and the urgency to be unassuming.


Then again, I had 4 pints of IPA for lunch.

Make Steps one and two shiney, the shinier, the better.

But, make the cover of the PD06 very basic, just title and maybe pd.com. The cover must be unassuming, but the inside will slowly decrease that.
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of Discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.

     --Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=9801.0


6.5 billion Buddhas walking around.

99.xxxxxxx% forgot they are Buddha.

LHX

Quote from: LMNOI see a contradiction between the urgency to make it shiny, and the urgency to be unassuming.


Then again, I had 4 pints of IPA for lunch.

its all about tact
neat hell

B_M_W

Quote from: LHX
Quote from: LMNOI see a contradiction between the urgency to make it shiny, and the urgency to be unassuming.


Then again, I had 4 pints of IPA for lunch.

its all about tact

What he said.
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of Discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.

     --Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=9801.0


6.5 billion Buddhas walking around.

99.xxxxxxx% forgot they are Buddha.

East Coast Hustle

Quote from: Buddhist_Monk_Wannabe
Quote from: LMNOI see a contradiction between the urgency to make it shiny, and the urgency to be unassuming.


Then again, I had 4 pints of IPA for lunch.

Make Steps one and two shiney, the shinier, the better.

But, make the cover of the PD06 very basic, just title and maybe pd.com. The cover must be unassuming, but the inside will slowly decrease that.

like it or not, people DO judge books by their covers. I think the cover ought to be as loud and shiny and "OMG LOOK AT MEEEE!!!!" as possible. it's the thrust of the message that should be kept unassuming, lest we turn people off with jargon and/or cult-like appearances.
Rabid Colostomy Hole Jammer of the Coming Apocalypse™

The Devil is in the details; God is in the nuance.


Some yahoo yelled at me, saying 'GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH', and I thought, "I'm feeling generous today.  Why not BOTH?"

B_M_W

Quote from: East Coast Hustle
Quote from: Buddhist_Monk_Wannabe
Quote from: LMNOI see a contradiction between the urgency to make it shiny, and the urgency to be unassuming.


Then again, I had 4 pints of IPA for lunch.

Make Steps one and two shiney, the shinier, the better.

But, make the cover of the PD06 very basic, just title and maybe pd.com. The cover must be unassuming, but the inside will slowly decrease that.

like it or not, people DO judge books by their covers. I think the cover ought to be as loud and shiny and "OMG LOOK AT MEEEE!!!!" as possible. it's the thrust of the message that should be kept unassuming, lest we turn people off with jargon and/or cult-like appearances.

Okay, should I start a new thread about cover design?
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of Discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.

     --Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=9801.0


6.5 billion Buddhas walking around.

99.xxxxxxx% forgot they are Buddha.

East Coast Hustle

hell, man, do whatever you want.

but at this point, that might be putting the cart before the horse.

then again, it's gonna have to be gotten around to sooner or later, so if you wanna start thinking on it, it might not be a bad idea.

ECH,
is just thinking out loud and apologizes for contradicting himself every 3 sentences today
Rabid Colostomy Hole Jammer of the Coming Apocalypse™

The Devil is in the details; God is in the nuance.


Some yahoo yelled at me, saying 'GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH', and I thought, "I'm feeling generous today.  Why not BOTH?"

LHX

fuck

these are good points


theres pros and cons to both




a ridiculous cover might not be good for the 'safe for work' folks


maybe a safe for work appearance with a grab-you-by-the-balls title
neat hell

LMNO

I think i get it; the trailers, lead ins, tags, and other visuals should be grabbing.  The content itself should be more restrained.  I thinks that's a good idea.