Indoctrination and brainwashing

[DavidGYoung]

Indoctrination is real.
Brainwashing is a myth.

Does anyone wish to take issue with either of these statements?

[Athanasius]

Indoctrination is real.
Brainwashing is a myth.

Does anyone wish to take issue with either of these statements?

How are you defining your terms?

[DavidGYoung]

Indoctrination:

Effectively instilling a belief by removing any suggestion that there can possibly be any other view or by generating hostility to questioning it.

Brainwashing:

Effectively instilling a belief and making it impossible for the recipient to call it into question.

[Athanasius]

Is there any difference in process, in your view? For example, indoctrination occurs over a larger period of time, whereas brainwashing would be relatively quick, more forceful, etc.?

[DavidGYoung]

Not really. I can see where you are coming from, but I would regard indoctrination as something which could be either long-term or rapid.

I disagree with the idea of brainwashing as it portrays people as incapable of questioning an idea. I would agree that people can be unwilling to do so, but not that they are incapable.

[Rebecca]

Indoctrination:

Effectively instilling a belief by removing any suggestion that there can possibly be any other view or by generating hostility to questioning it.

Brainwashing:

Effectively instilling a belief and making it impossible for the recipient to call it into question.

I have never heard of anyone who has not been able to 'overcome' a brain washing, with indoctrination.