Beyond Indoctrination

"There can be no greater task than to understand the mechanisms and practices of indoctrination."

-- Noam Chomsky

Indoctrination is inescapable. We are indoctrinated not just by governments or political parties, but by religions, parents, teachers, advertisers and friends. Everybody's got an agenda, and they'd all like us to buy into theirs. 

And we do, mostly on an unconscious level. That's why it's so important to understand the "mechanisms and practices" as Chomsky calls them. But you don't need a PhD in brain washing, or even an in-depth study of psychology or sociology. What you need is to pay attention. 

Attention is our number one indoctrination-fighting tool. As mentioned earlier, most indoctrination is accepted unconsciously. When we're spacing out, or future tripping, or reminiscing, our minds and hearts are open to influence and manipulation. If we are totally and fully present to what is happening in our lives, indoctrination stands out like a turd in a punch bowl.

The mere act of being aware of attempted indoctrination robs the mechanisms and practices of their power. When you know how a trick is performed, it's no longer magic -- it's merely slight of hand. And, perhaps the most interesting thing is that, if you really pay attention, you will see others attempting to get you to buy into their belief systems when they don't even know they are doing it! You become more aware than the manipulator of what he or she is doing! 

One warning, though: If you have your own agenda, if you are engaging in an indoctrinational war, you will get caught up in a power struggle, and only deepen the beliefs that have been foisted upon you previously. In other words, the only way to be protected against another's agenda is to have no agenda of your own, to transcend indoctrination altogether. 

It's a tall order. But it's the only way to find the real you, the you that resides beyond dichotomies and beliefs.  Don't accept indoctrination, don't project indoctrination. Move beyond beliefs to Reality.