Can the brainwashed who belong to cults ever be freed from their influence or once lost it's forever? Can a washed brain be unwashed? How?

So it's rather akin to being hypnotized? You have to allow it for it to occur? Thank you for your reply Durdle!  :)

I'm not sure "allow" is the right word. Cults behave like political tyrannies, and though they might not be able to murder you or send you into exile, they are still bullies. The victims either have no say in the matter anyway, or are unable to withstand the pressure to believe what they are told to believe.  

Here's what I meant by the use of the word "allow" Durdle. Years ago my dentist who was a long-time friend would use hypnotism to calm the patients who were afraid  of dentists. He also used it to help folks quit smoking or lose weight. At that time I was always on one diet or another and so he offered to hypnotize me and place a suggestion in my mind that could help me. We tried and tried and tried. Nothing happened. He said there are some people who refuse to ALLOW others to take control and so they are very resistant to being hypnotized. It's as if they put up a wall and no suggestions can penetrate it. I told him that consciously I wanted to have the benefit of the help so why didn't my subconscious let me and he said the subconscious works on its own schedule and you aren't the driver. Thank you for your reply Durdle! :) This post was edited by RosieG at December 17, 2017 3:45 AM MST

I am not a good subject for being hypnotized tom. Being brainwashed? I dunno. If it's way different from being hypnotized then mebbe. Years ago my dentist who was a long-time friend used hypnotic suggestion to calm patients who were afraid of dentists and also to help folks quit smoking and lose weight. At the time I was on a diet merry-go-round so he offered to help. Well we tried and tried and it just didn't work. He started off by telling me to just focus on the sound of his voice and I would feel myself getting more and more relaxed. What happened was I tensed up and stayed tense the entire time. He said I was one of those who coulgn't be huponotized because subconsciously I would not allow anyone to gain control. That was when I was in my 20's. Now? I dunno. Maybe I could but maybe I never will. I think what I think and feel what I feel and I don't allow others to manipulate me/reshape me into what they want me to be, feel, think. I think. Thank you for your reply! :)

A good point Rosie. A lot of brain-washing is deliberately subtle and persuasive, having traits in common with advertising, rather than by the fear of physical attack as dictatorships tend to use.

I don't know how old you are  Durdle but many years ago when I was a teenager there was a movie whose name I forget that featured a lot of desert. At intermission many in the audience fled to the snack area and bought tons of drinks. It was later found that the theater would flash subliminal messages during the movie telling people how THIRSTY they were. So subliminal advertising was supposedly banned. Oh. I remember now. The movie was Lawrence of Arabia and I recall being among those waiting to buy a cold drink because I was so very "thirsty"! AARRGGHH. If folks can make a buck manipulating you they will. Thank you for your reply and Happy Sunday Durdle!  :)

Thank you Rosie!

I've not seen that film but I know the basic story of Lawrence of Arabia.

I am in my mid-60s. I remember subliminal advertising being banned, but I am not usually caught out by advertisers and the wiles of supermarkets etc,  because I know their tricks. I must be the type they hate because I read what they write or say more deeply than they want.

For example, if they say, as I have seen, "It Just Got Better" I would like to tell them it's a pity their literacy has not improved as well, and anyway, "better than what?"

Happy Sunday!

Thank you for your reply Durdle. So I'm not quite old enough to be your mom but older sister? Yep.  Fact is I always wanted an older brother. I was a painfully shy child and I yearned to have someone there to help me along the way. An older brother would have been a perfect gift for someone like me. Of course once born it was too late for that! Older brothers watch out for their sisters and protect them from meanies. At least that would be my older brothe and what he would have done for me! Younger works really well for me. Always has. The smartest boss I ever had was younger. Also the smartest CPA I ever worked with was a gal young enough to be my daughter. I had no problem with that at all. I think I'm immune from ageism in that regard. Younger/older...male/female. Who cares? All I want is smarter/more intelligent! I got a job once where the VP of Finance didn't know that debiting a liability REDUCED it! I found that out the third day on the job and gave my notice to the President's secretary! She whisked me out to lunch (we had Margaritas) and told me they were in the process of finding a replacement for him. They knew he didn't know his a** from a hole in the ground  accountingwise. I stayed and it was really a great job. He allegedly had a Master'ss Degree in Finance from HARVARD! I kid you not. So much for degrees.  Anyway I like to surround myself with smart folks. I think it's because I'm really a perennial student and my mind is like a sponge.  It never seems to get sated. Maybe I squeeze it out by asking so many questions. Thank you for your reply. The subliminal messages that were flashed on the screen were so fast you didn't see them. Yet they affected you anyway. So how can what you don't "see" do that? I don't get it!  :(

Well, I have two sisters, both younger than me, and our family is fairly close! :-)

I don't really know how subliminal messages work, but I think they are shown for just long enough for the eye and brain to respond and remember them subconsciously, but not for long enough for you to realise you've seen them. The hidden memory surfaces when it's triggered by something related to its subject.

I guess these messages need repeating quite a few times to sink in, but some people might be more susceptible than others, not because there is anything wrong with their minds but simply by individuality.

I have a radio on as I am typing, and I've suddenly wondered if the speech on that works in a similar way. You naturally pick out the words that matter in the message, but sort of gloss automatically over many of the basic prepositions, conjunctions etc. that make the message go smoothly. They only come to mind when you stop to think about the message and recall specific quotes.

Perhaps that's also in the way that when you walk along a busy street you don't really recall what most of the people you dodge are wearing, because your brain is concentrating on their presence and movements, and calculating instinctively how to steer you round them.

Only theories - I don't know as I'm not a neuroscientist - but something to think about!

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis Durdle. There is much to think about and sadly many folks don't bother. It's hard work. Tough sledding sometimes. So they just follow by rote the script of the group to which they belong. Others do all their thinking for them. They need not plug in. If they memorize the script they're home free. Just now in America for example the Republican Donald John script reads "fire Mueller". So every Republican says that. Everywhere all the time verbatim at times. It is transparently amusing but at the same time it is scary a he**. The drumbeat is getting louder. The voodoo man is getting more frantic and frenzied. Do you hear it? You will. SIGH. Wear earplugs. Save your sanity. Happy Monday to thee! :)