The dark persuasion - the history of brainwashing from Pavlov to social media

Book Title: The Dark Persuasion - The History of Brainwashing from Pavlov to Social Media Author: Joel E. Dimsdale Publisher: Capstone Summary: We are faced with a shocking work that delves into the labyrinths of one of the most ambiguous and terrifying concepts. Brainwashing is not a fleeting term in academic or social research corridors, but the culmination of a long period of savage experiments conducted on the human mind. The author takes us on a journey with Pavlov, who devised pivotal methods that contributed to controlling the human mind, and succeeded in taming the awareness of thousands. Then he moves us to the Cold War, and how the conflict between the Eastern and Western blocs contributed to the emergence of many conflicts centered around controlling others' minds through various techniques and policies. The book also discusses the relationship between brainwashing, religious discourses, social movements, and secret organizations, narrating shocking and painful stories at the same time. The brainwashing that led to the largest mass suicide in history within the United States is the same as the one that contributed to the development of techniques and regulatory controls that enslaved humans and led to their tamed submission through various means, most notably social media, which transformed the human mind into a pliable tool in the hands of those who hold power over money, weapons, discourse, and most importantly, the power of dark persuasion.