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Robert J. Lifton

What is Mind Control?

Hey everyone. I’ve been talking about Scientology and destructive cults for some time now and we have discussed the concepts of undue influence, coercive persuasion and mind control or brainwashing, but I’ve never really dived deep into this and talked about what this is and isn’t. As Justice Potter Stewart famously said about hard core pornography, it’s hard to define but you know it when you see it and the same might be said for brainwashing. But is it really so easy to see and understand? Are there pitfalls in talking about it vs free will and an individual’s rights to decide and choose what is best for his or her own life? What is the dividing line between personal choice and mind control?Read More »What is Mind Control?

Advice to Family & Friends of Cult Members

Hi, my name is Chris Shelton and I am a cult survivor and now advocate against destructive cults. I was involved for decades with the Church of Scientology but I’ve found since leaving that group four years ago that high control groups which engage in undue influence or cohersive persuasion have a lot in common. If you’re watching this, you may know someone who is in one of these groups and want to know what you should and shouldn’t do to help them see the error of their ways and get them out of that group. Now I’m not a trained psychologist or psychotherapist, but I have helped people escape from Scientology and I’ve helped some others recover. Let’s go over some things and see if some of what I’ve learned can help you too.Read More »Advice to Family & Friends of Cult Members