What are some signs that someone has been brainwashed or indoctrinated?

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What are some signs that someone has been brainwashed or indoctrinated?

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  1. Plane_Tradwife6776 Avatar

    They wear that magat hat

  2. decaturbob Avatar
    • obviously NOT questioning what they are being told
  3. Dead_Henry Avatar

    They hate bees.

  4. snapellll Avatar

    If proven wrong via facts and evidence, they will not change their mind

  5. BobbyGloria Avatar

    Support something without mentioning its flaw, like a politic party

  6. Visual_Rice_4381 Avatar

    When they will gladly light their own kitchen on fire to make sure they burn the oppositions toast.

  7. YourWickedUncleErnie Avatar

    My maga dad who can’t accept any flaws about the administration when I point things out. He views trump as a literal god and it makes me sad.

  8. Armyof1gun Avatar

    “My politician is better than your politician”

  9. PirateJohn75 Avatar

    You can’t see the paint job of their car through all the bumper stickers

  10. DragonfruitGrand5683 Avatar

    Isolation from family

    Non group members are outsiders

    Bodily functions are controlled

    Chanting and use of words unique to the group

    The encouragement of donations with shaming if one doesn’t donate

    Groupthink and a central all powerful leader

    Group members are special

  11. riddlerprodigy Avatar

    – They believe in flat earth
    – They believe in astrology
    – They believe their news is unbiased

  12. anima99 Avatar

    When they shun loved ones and friends because this new belief validates them.

  13. elscrappo3 Avatar

    The literal signs of being delusional, like still vehemently believing what they believe despite being shown hard evidence that it’s not true

  14. SoulfulAnubis Avatar

    They could be told “2+2=3” by what they’ve been indoctrinated by and they’d start conceptualizing and preparing arguments as to why that’s ultimately true.

  15. Various_Squash722 Avatar

    They use circular logic.

    “The bible is gods word, so it must be true.” – “How do you know it is gods word?” – “It says so in the bible.”

    And yes I’m aware that it doesn’t explicitly say that the bible is gods word anywhere in the bible, but that has never stopped indoctrinated people to claim it does.

  16. augustinefromhippo Avatar

    too much time on reddit

  17. Probablyawerewolf Avatar

    When someone refuses to acknowledge flaws, and instead uses abstract logic against the opposition to justify them.

    When someone identifies as a believer in their system to the extent that they strive to be the best believer.

    When someone expresses a sense of hope in something that isnt materializing.

    When there’s a marked hostility towards people who go against their leader, or when there’s marked hostility towards specific groups being targeted by their leader.

    Feeling as though bending to the whims of a leader is bettering the world for a noble cause, no matter how detrimental to themselves and those around them.

    “It makes sense if you look at it this way.” “He was right about everything.” “The truth will be revealed when they (xyz).” “They’re going to end (insert problem) by getting rid of (insert type of person).”

  18. VanillaAcceptable534 Avatar

    When you prove them wrong (or even better if you make them prove themself wrong) and they actively choose to ignore it because it doesn’t fit their idea

  19. ZebTheFourth Avatar

    They wear red hats made in China.

  20. Icy-Career7487 Avatar

    Parroting and unable to explain anything

  21. EifertGreenLazor Avatar

    They take the article title of a Reddit post as fact without reading the article.

  22. Animationzerotohero Avatar

    Lack of empathy for others while you repeat rhetoric that promotes the harm of others.

  23. thewintersouljaa Avatar

    They get visibly shaken when presented with logic and facts

  24. Salty-Bit-7777 Avatar

    Taking arguments to heart. They get stubbornly angry when somebody has another opinion. Or they don’t QUESTION their sources.

  25. Mystery_Basket Avatar

    Repeating the same mantras as if it explains anything. 

  26. emorab85 Avatar

    They cannot be reasoned with, cannot look beyond their blinders, their life is defined by the belief or thought process.

  27. Dictatorkayla Avatar

    making politics their whole personality

  28. Mineturtle1738 Avatar

    Personally I think “brainwashed” and “indoctrinated” are loaded terms that are used for ideologies the person disagrees with.

    My best attempt at a non-political checklist

    1. Admitting that nothing’s can change their mind.

    2. Inability to change their opinion after being confronted with evidence/inability to confront evidence.

    3. Saying everything else is brainwashed

    4. Inability to take self accountability and lack of empathy

    5. Can’t take crisisism for their beliefs

    6. Beliefs are more based of emotions then fact (even if a person thinks their belief are based of “facts)

    Just because someone might vaguely fit these roles (take a look at 3) doesn’t mean they’re indoctrinated but I think these are things to look out for.

  29. Local-Scale-6224 Avatar

    They believe all their problems can be solved by a group/ideology/person/belief system/political party.

    Bonus points if the group informed them about their problems.

  30. Musclecar123 Avatar

    They speak untruth with the utmost confidence; like they’re a subject matter expert.

    A guy in his 70s told me last week that Mars came close to Earth and dumped sand on all the beaches and created the desert. That explains how the world is not more than 5000 years old.

  31. Prestigious_Ear505 Avatar

    Feelings over Facts

  32. mediocreterran Avatar

    When they make the choice that benefits the cult and not themselves or their families.

  33. Dry_Amphibian_5262 Avatar

    They wear a MAGA hat

  34. svenson_26 Avatar

    They care more about their ideology than their friends/family.

  35. ImissTBBT Avatar

    When they do not sway from that they are saying, regardless how much bonafide and verifiable evidence you present to them.

  36. starsmoke Avatar

    Ask them what evidence they would require to change their mind.

    If they say “nothing” they might be brainwashed or indoctrinated.

  37. Jfuentes6 Avatar

    Prove me wrong!

    (Prove them wrong)

    What about it!?!

  38. Pir8te4lyfe Avatar

    Shouting and name calling when you present an opposing point of view

  39. mars_gorilla Avatar

    “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”

    • George Orwell, 1984
  40. Jlbennett2001 Avatar

    Firmly believe something they know nothing about.

  41. GulfCoastLover Avatar

    They don’t recognize Reddit as a liberal echo chamber that downvotes without merit those with differing opinions.

  42. 1SexyDino Avatar

    Being unwilling to even consider changing their opinion ever even when presented with different views or information. It doesn’t even have to go as far as ignoring straight facts and numbers. Complete dedication to a single idea is dogma not reasonable thought. Anyone who says they belive something no matter what is a glaring red flag.

    Also being completely unwilling to accept a difference of opinion amongst company. I see this alot in groups who believe they have the morally righteous high ground. Particularly devote religious followers, extremist trans rights “activists” and vegans.

    *edit to change from Christianity to any religion. Zealots and fanatics are terrifying no matter the belief system

  43. Illlogik1 Avatar

    We’ve all been… start with the man in the mirror. Everything you have come to know/believe has been spoon fed to you either by media , other indoctrinated brainwashed ppl of some ilk …

  44. Ayceio Avatar

    They wholeheartedly believe anyone who opposes or doesnt agree with their beliefs and views is inherently evil

  45. BleuRaider Avatar

    As long as their side wins they believe the ends justifies the means in every situation, no matter what.

  46. JD054 Avatar

    When they refer to themselves as an Alpha and compares others to sheep

  47. good_testing_bad Avatar

    Dismissal of opinions

  48. MrLemurBean Avatar

    They side with teams no matter what.

  49. Supersaiajinblue Avatar

    They believe in scientology.

  50. Smoerble Avatar

    they wear a red hat with a senseless slogan

  51. DaGayEnby Avatar

    *sigh* *sorts by controversial*

  52. nage_ Avatar

    they can look at a video of the thing they trust explaining how it has manipulated something exactly the same way it is currently manipulating the person and do one of two things:

    -they immediately decide how it is fake and won’t accept alt information

    -they speedbump the conversation; call you out on being a ‘plant’, a bad friend, that you ‘always do this’ even though this is the first conversation about it, that they can make their own decisions and its not hurting anyone

  53. WiseMagius Avatar

    It’s my family member being a “vaccine skeptic” but happy to get botox every time they can.

    “You are getting injected with chemical poison!” 😮‍💨

  54. Dash_Harber Avatar

    Based on experience with some family members, I’d say calling everyone that disagrees the r slur and never actually making an argument is probably a good sign, though that person may just be an insecure, ignorant, asshole.

  55. DylanRahl Avatar

    Fanatical adherence to cults, be they right, left or religious

  56. Blubasur Avatar

    “They say jump, we say how high. You’re brain dead, you got a fucking bullet in your head”

    • Rage Against the Machine
  57. iAMguppy Avatar

    *gestures around*

  58. TwinFrogs Avatar

    Thinking anything on Facebook is fact.

  59. nomorehamsterwheel Avatar

    They think bringing more people to this world is a good idea.

  60. CaptainPrower Avatar

    A red baseball cap.

  61. Badloss Avatar

    They interpet discussion as a personal attack and get upset when you challenge an idea. Healthy people don’t attach their identity to political stances

  62. Good-Concentrate-260 Avatar

    They’re posting on r/unvaccinated

  63. Kevin4938 Avatar

    There’s an election sign on their front lawn.

  64. Duke_Newcombe Avatar

    That they resist the very suggestion that they are susceptible to brainwashing.

  65. justl00king0 Avatar

    when asking them questions make them go into defense mode/ hostile

  66. griphookk Avatar

    Not knowing anything about the details of beliefs of groups they disagree with, and thinking it is a bad thing to learn about their opponents views.

  67. Top_Astronomer4960 Avatar

    They are a Jehovah’s Witness

  68. Ichgebibble Avatar

    Abandoning any previously held values and morals in favor of the cult.

  69. tydyety5 Avatar

    Voting for Trump

  70. Difficult-Storm-1273 Avatar

    They wear a red maga hat

  71. HistoricalLoss1417 Avatar

    they voted for Trump

  72. Captain_Anxiety69 Avatar

    They vote for a convicted felon, and keep supporting that political partie’s ideologies and not facts.

  73. Fit-Influence615 Avatar

    MAGA, crosses, swastikas, shit like that.

  74. Barbz182 Avatar

    Blind faith. Ignoring obvious facts.