Trudge onward brave friend... your mind is your shield, you need not flee in fear... face your fear...
I've felt a certain sensation before, and likely the rest of you have. In fact, I am certain it is fairly common due to simple observation showing people reacting to this thing on a regular basis.
There are likely phrases, and words that trigger a mental defensive mechanism. You hear the word, or a phrase that has the words in a proper format and your mind's palace starts blasting a RED ALERT sound. The air raid siren starts playing. You quickly shelter your mind.
DO NOT ACCEPT INPUT FROM THIS SOURCE.
That is the phrase that goes through your mind. At least I suspect you've experienced this. I know I have.
I freely admit this as it is something I've noticed that I actively attempt to resist now. I try not to let certain words or phrases make me not listen to someone. I have a brain, a mind, and I like to believe I am capable of using it and thinking. This means I can read all kinds of information without my mind simply wholesale deciding it must be true.
I don't trust anyone to be the ultimate authority on any subject. We all have flaws, and many things are simply speculations/hypothesis based upon observation.
This means I should have no fear on listening, or reading information from any source regardless of the topic.
I might be attacked for mentioning a source. I might be attacked for mentioning a topic that someone finds not so credible.
If a person doesn't know me then I shrug and go about my day, as these people have not interacted with me. When someone that does interact with me on a regular basis has one of these knee jerk reactions and challenges me then I am a little more surprised. I have to ask "Don't you read what I write, and have a good idea how I approach things? If so what makes you think I have suddenly lost the ability to think for myself simply due to choosing a specific topic? What makes you think because I provided information from a certain source that I let them do my thinking for me?"
I can see past clickbait titles and read material and draw my own conclusions. I can also read pieces from sites and publications that are clearly biased. In fact, it is very difficult to find a source these days that is without bias. That doesn't mean I should ignore them.
I'd like to believe that I am getting better with practice at identifying speculation and not treating it as fact, but as what it is speculation. I am thus fine reading and reviewing from ANY source without fearing my mind will be tainted and I will somehow magically become stupid.
I can read a piece that I find to be majorly biased and complete drivel and sometimes find a thread of information that is worth further investigation. I will do that investigation and look for further material from other sources.
I believe it is very important that we learn to control our minds and resist conditioned mental reflexes so that we are not effectively blinding ourselves in some areas.
Here are a few words and phrases that will shut people down or kick in the heavy bias shields:
- Climate Change
- Global Warming
- Ancient Aliens
- Religion
- Politics
- Conspiracy
- Conspiracy Theory
- Federal Reserve
- UFO
- Bigfoot
- Ghosts
- Vaccines
- 9-11
- Inside Job
- Freemasons
- Racism
- Bilderberg
- Bohemian Grove
- Roswell
- Area 51
- Consensus
- Anti-Vaxxer
- Liberal
- Conservative
- Left
- Right
- Alt-Right
- Alt-Left
- Fake News
- CNN
- Fox
- MSNBC
- Infowars
- Breitbart
- Zerohedge
- Drudge Report
- Trump
- Obama
- Clinton
- Bush
- Cheney
That is all I could brainstorm on at the moment. I tried to cover a broad spectrum. Did you feel a twinge of any mental defense mechanisms attempting to kick in as you read any of those words or phrases?
It is interesting how the reactions people have to such things 'feel' justified. Part of the problem is that we all think we are smart enough not to be manipulated.
I teach some lessons on emotive words and how what can have a positive reaction for one can affect another strongly in the negative. It mostly depebds on their relationship (or perceived relationship) with the word.
The list is more US relevant as words go but these days the US media IS all media just about through syndication. If people notice when they read many news articles, the journalist is no longer mentioned. Depends on what source of course.
There were a couple small twinges but nothing major and I look for it in myself as much as possible. Of course, what slips through goes through unnoticed and my filter is definitely not infallible. So no emotional peaking.
Except Bigfoot. That prick owes me money.
Hahahaha how much Joy and Pleasure floods me to be a witness that you also have a splendid witty sense of humor.. despite the fact that you seem to hide it. LoL
BTW @dwinblood.. I wonder why you did not include in your list Witty Sense Of Humor like an also infallible Word, Topic and Weapon to kick in the heavy bias shields along with make people flee in fear yapping and grumbling away. Hahaha
Heh. Yes I get twinges from some of those words/phrases too. Others have no impact on me at all and I just listed them because I've seen people react.
As far as non-US... perhaps throw Brexit in there, or some other things.
Or how about Antifa as they are active outside of the U.S. too?
Though I certainly am fallible. Training myself to recognize these things and improve is an ongoing battle that I never expect to actually end.
Yeah there are plenty of outrage and fear triggers. If Antifa are outside the US it is a recent export (or ramping) due to the media spread perhaps.
I feel like there is a quickening of global media conformity and don't see it as a benevolent process. Global uniform outrage and fear triggers to press whenever the need calls.
I agree... what is happening in the media is far from benevolent.
That's a pretty good list @dwinblood
Found the KOOL AID!
;)
If you drink all of those things I expect you to have a pretty messed up mind. I was trying to think of as many common trigger words I see people react to as I can, and as many of them oppose each other that kool aid might seriously mess you up. ;)
Let's just say this...
I have a high tolerance!
Just being Frank
So true- I learned long ago to ALWAYS trust my intuition- sounds as if certain words kick your into gear!
Even when my intuition tells me "This guy is likely clueless" I still will TRY to read what they say, and on some occasions a sliver of new information is hidden amidst all the clutter.
I should qualify that even if I think a person is pretty clueless, I keep such thoughts to myself, and show them respect. I also have to push past those thoughts as my article is indicating I often am pleasantly surprised if I just wade through the bias.
I think that's what they call "brainwashing" :3
Heh. The term brainwashing WOULD fit just based upon what those base root words mean. Yet, it is also called things like Cognitive Dissonance, and many other psychological labels I likely do not know.
Usually brainwashing was a concerted effort by some group, entity, kidnapper, etc to convince a person that the world and reality were a certain way, and to instill in them mechanisms for resisting any attempt to hear otherwise. :)
I do think it is accurate. Yet it also seems there is a lot of that occurring in our education system, in our religions, in our news broadcasts, etc.
When you are forcing BIAS upon another and expecting them to absorb, repeat, and not challenge your bias then in some way you actually are attempting to brainwash someone. :)
I see no value in that. I have my own mind. I do not benefit from another person thinking the way I do. I benefit from encountering people that have different thoughts and ideas than I do. This is the best chance for me to learn new things.
I prefer a good intellectual fight/ heated discussion over boring agreements any day!
Too bad I agree with you ;)... Well maybe except for one thing: looking at the list of "trigger words", there are surely some influentual groups that want these topics to not be discussed. So I actually think this is systematic brainwashing and not just some people being crazy / not capable of using their brain in a healthy way.
Edit: Maybe its a bit of both tho ;)
Well I agree with you. I also intentionally tried to think of a lot of different words I've seen trigger people. They were no indicator of my own views. :)
Though I do enjoy reading and debating on a large number of those topics.
To be clear: I dont think this is a left vs right issue.
I rather think the very idea of the left-right spectrum is a big contributer. It creates artificial barriers and lets people swallow ideas in bulk instead of one by one.
If I should describe myself in common political terms then I am a nationalistic, liberal socialist. That is just to show that people need to break free from the thought of the classic left-right dualism.
Heh... I was a Libertarian meaning I am neither left nor right though I've been accused of being both at different points in some threads. I now consider myself most closely an Anarcho-Capitalist though if you want to really get down to it I am an Individual and I believe in Voluntaryism.
I think there is a problem with the entire left/right thing as well and have for a long time. That is exactly why I put them as trigger words as I often see people triggered by them. ;)
Left/Right = False Dichotomy
I don't know if you caught it on @lukestokes' blog, but there was a link to an excellent piece by "The Oatmeal" that touched on much of what you're talking about here. It's worth a gander...
When I read your list, what came to mind was "boxes." Boxes are nifty things people can put their ideas of reality into... and use as a substitute for self-inquiry, critical thought and analysis. It's a way to not be personally accountable... and instead engage in pre-packaged group think.
I cut people more slack these days than I used to because "staying awake" at all times is a lot of work, and most people are just too tired and worn out to be mindful of their own biases at all times.
And you're exactly right... we need to be open and not just dismiss things out of hand "because it's from MoveOn" or "because it's from Breitbart." I've gotten useful snippets from both... it's interesting, though, a lot of people call me a "wishy-washy intellectual" because I look at many sides of an issue rather than attach myself and get entrenched in a specific paradigm.
Yeah I read "The Oatmeal" that he shared... it was awesome.
I don't consider you wishywashy. I believe people with death grips on appeals to authority or tradition are missing out on a lot.