Essay On Brainwashing

There are three types of brainwashing, all of which can be used to devastating effect on a human being. There are three methods of thought reform, otherwise known as brainwashing, which are Persuasion, Compliance, and Education. In addition, some personality traits make a person much more susceptible to brainwashing than others. There is substantial evidence that brainwashing was used during the Korean war on American Prisoners of War. Currently brainwashing is being used in many cults and extremist groups around the world.
During the Korean War, Korean agents brainwashed American Prisoners of War and they admitted to waging germ warfare even though they had not. As a result of brainwashing, 21 U.S soldiers converted to communism and refused to return the the United States after the war ended. After months of isolation under complete control, a new personality was instilled in them.. Today many totalist cults, which are the more extreme and destructive type, use brainwashing. They purposely exploit their members vulnerability in order to gain complete control over them. These cults use deception to trick new recruits into joining the group and once the targets
These steps take many months of isolation to truly be effective. Breaking down the self is the first step, in which the agent assaults the target’s identity and beliefs. Next is the possibility of salvation, in which the agent offers to help to target and channels his guilt. The target realizes he needs help and a purpose to fill his recently lost identity. Lastly comes rebuilding of self, in which the target states his final confession and in a sense is reborn. The target is now completely under agent's control. The first method is education, otherwise known as the propaganda method. In the education method, the agent focuses on altering the target's beliefs which are important to both attitudes and