The Daily Stoic Why You’re Not as Hard to Manipulate as You Think | Rebecca Lemov
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Jan 10, 2026 
Rebecca Lemov, a Harvard historian of science, sheds light on the frightening reality of manipulation. She discusses how captivity, social pressure, and subtle defiance can lead to compliance. The conversation touches on the ethical implications of historical cases replacing unethical experiments. Lemov reveals that many believe they are immune to brainwashing while, in fact, situational factors can easily undermine resistance. They also explore modern persuasion tactics through technology and media, highlighting the importance of dissenting voices in understanding radicalization.
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Prison As A Human Behavior Lab
- Rebecca Lemov frames extreme imprisonment as a "laboratory of human behavior" that reveals what humans can endure and how they survive.
- These real-world ordeals expose limits and adaptations that unethical lab simulations cannot replicate.
Showing McCain To Teach Resilience
- Rebecca Lemov used footage of John McCain's Hanoi Hilton experience to teach students about resilience under coercion.
- The film showed severe deprivation and humiliation that clarified how captors aimed to break prisoners.
Divide And Erode Social Fabric
- Breaking often succeeds by isolating leaders and eroding social fabric, not only by ideology conversion.
- Dividing prisoners and undermining codes makes cooperation and resistance much harder.
