Originally published in 1957, 'The Hidden Persuaders' is a classic examination of how advertisers use motivation research, a psychological technique, to tap into consumers' unconscious desires. The book analyzes products, political campaigns, and television programs of the 1950s to reveal the insidious manipulation practices that dominate the corporate-driven world. It has sold over one million copies and significantly changed the public's perception of advertising.
Written after his defection from Stalinist Poland in 1951, 'The Captive Mind' is a philosophical and political essay that explores the allure of Stalinism to intellectuals and the mechanisms of totalitarian control. Miłosz uses metaphorical portraits of four Polish writers (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) to illustrate the universal human phenomena and attitudes towards totalitarianism. The book critiques the philosophical systems of Marxism and Hegelian historical determinism, highlighting the internal longing for harmony and happiness that can lead individuals to submit to such regimes. It also discusses the personal and psychological costs of living under totalitarian rule, including the transformation of 'free minds' into instruments of the state[1][2][4].
This book, first published in 1961, is an analysis of the experiences of fifteen Chinese citizens and twenty-five Westerners who underwent brainwashing by the Chinese Communist government. Lifton outlines eight criteria for thought reform, including Milieu Control, Mystical Manipulation, Demand for Purity, Confession, Sacred Science, Loading the Language, Doctrine over person, and Dispensing of existence. The book explores the thematic pattern of death and rebirth, accompanied by feelings of guilt, that characterizes the process of thought reform and discusses its broader implications for the study of extremism and totalism.
Lisa Guenther's book provides a philosophical analysis of solitary confinement, tracing its history from early penitentiary systems to modern supermax prisons. It explores how solitary confinement diminishes relationality, leading to social and mental disintegration, and argues for collective resistance against such practices. The book draws on phenomenology to understand the devastating effects of isolation on prisoners' perceptions and identities.
In this episode we explore the history of brainwashing - the process of pressuring someone into adopting radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible means.
Daniel Pick, a Psychoanalyst, Historian, and Professor Emeritus of History at Birkbeck College, University of London, joins Subhadra Das, broadcaster, academic and writer, with a keen interest in the history of eugenics, to delve into the murky history and psychology of brainwashing and to discuss Pick's latest book, 'Brainwashed: A New History of Thought Control'.
This episode was recorded on the 17th of April 2023. It was produced by Senior Producer Tom Hall, with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney
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