Undoing the Brainwashing

townhall.com ^ | May 22, 2013 | Thomas Sowell

[kimtom]

This time of year, as college students return home for the summer, many parents may notice how many politically correct ideas they have acquired on campus. Some of those parents may wonder how they can undo some of the brainwashing that has become so common in what are supposed to be institutions of higher learning.

The strategy used by General Douglas MacArthur so successfully in the Pacific during World War II can be useful in this very different kind of battle. General MacArthur won his victories while minimizing his casualties -- something that is also desirable in clashes of ideas within the family.

Instead of fighting the Japanese for every island stronghold as the Americans advanced toward Japan, MacArthur sent his troops into battle for only those islands that were strategically crucial. In the same spirit, parents who want to bring their brainwashed offspring back to reality need not try to combat every crazy idea they picked up from their politically correct professors. Just demolishing a few crucial beliefs, and exposing what nonsense they are, can deal a blow to the general credibility of the professorial pied pipers.

For example, if the student has been led to join the crusade for more gun control, and thinks that the reason the British have lower murder rates than Americans have is because the Brits have tighter gun control laws .........

[kimtom]

(photo Thomas Sowell) What ever happen to just "educate" ??

[C210N]

Link is a list of good reading, each book devoted to a major aspect of the brainwashing. However, if you have a college kid home for the summer, he/she is not going to spend it reading 10 books. Another alternative, presuming your returnee will read more realistically one book, is Levin’s prior book... “Liberty and Tyranny”. IF they can get into that, then, they perhaps will continue to Ameritopia... they have to want to, and L&T may be the catalyst to get them there.

[twister881]

The mistake by Mr. Sowell is assuming today’s “utes” can read, even college utes.

[mazda77]

The way is to ask the questions that require them to think. In their indoctrination, they are fed the canned answers but when the next question is asked that makes them think about that answer, voila!, the process begins.

I hate to use the analogy in light of recent events, but it is like setting the heat to a pressure cooker. It will boil around in that cranial cavity until sooner or later the steam starts to find a way out.

[GBA]

Link is a list of good reading, each book devoted to a major aspect of the brainwashing.

I was just thinking the same thing. More books to buy. Levin's books are good, too. Beck's books are very contemporary, as well, with lots of supporting facts and numbers.