In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Sigourney Award recipient Daniel Pick who is a Historian, Psychoanalyst, and Author of the thought-provoking book “Brainwashed: A New History of Thought Control”! His historical perspective combined with a psychoanalytic approach adds wonderful insights and helps us see connections between various issues and matters that are of extreme relevance and importance for today’s world.
Brainwashing is an often charged and loaded word, but it was interesting to see that the term itself has evolved out of post-war tensions and during the Cold War, although it had been previously given other names and had been referred to as possession or mesmerism.
Nonetheless, the practices have changed since the 1950s and 60s by including and appropriating insights from psychoanalysis followed by a variety of projects and experiments aimed at creating resistance and resilience on one hand as well as influencing and manipulating others by changing thought patterns and belief systems. This was done on both sides of the political spectrum, and it is assumed that the term itself brainwashing may have come from a Chinese literal translation of “cleansing the mind”.
Moreover, we talk about Freud and his opposition during the heydays of psychoanalysis, his revolutionary insights combined with a new therapeutic approach that has been altered and modified throughout the years and has led to different and diverse methods, theories, and approaches in the rich and fertile psychoanalytic field.
Finally, we look at the drive towards rigid dogmatic thinking while following and embracing charismatic leaders alongside the dangers of groupthink, peer pressure, and totalitarianism. We also discuss the unique psychological and historical underpinnings and undercurrents of Nazi Germany but also what experiments and research in the “psy” disciplines have shown us regarding obedience and authority. We finish off with the example of road rage and how previously sweet docile people can quickly and briefly turn into monsters of sorts.
The Troubled Legacy of Timothy Leary and Harvard’s New Interdisciplinary Science & Research into Psychedelics with Patrick Schmidt
Being Free and Open to Express and Process Your Emotions with Freeda the Frog with Nadine Haruni
Bravery Always Wins: True Heroic Events around the Fake Disease of Syndrome K with Filmmaker Stephen Edwards
Mind over Body: How Meditation-in-Action Can Switch on Conscience and Super Conscious Wisdom with Leonard Perlmutter
Brain Science, Unconscious Bias, and Leadership: Living & Working in a Diverse World with Christopher “CJ” Gross
The Keys to Happiness: Being and Living Happier with Chicken Soup for the Soul with Amy Newmark
Stories Won’t Die: The Emotional Power & Resonance of the Creative Arts toward Peace & Healing with Filmmaker David Henry Gerson
Tips & Tools for Parenting and Modeling Emotionally Intelligent & Socially Aware Children with Dr. Helen S. Hadani & Rachael Katz
The Many Joys of Life and Nourishing Your Body and Soul with Faith, Writing, and Good Food with Julie Fitz-Gerald
Ramblings and Takeaways on Mental Health with Arash Farzaneh
The Chris and Arash Show on Creativity
Espionage, Acting, and Identity and the Healing Power of the Creative Arts with Shila Ommi
Purpose, Pajamas and the Leap of Faith: Following Your Heart Voice and Intuition with Genevieve Piturro
Life-Centered Therapy: Saying Yes to Everything and Accepting Life’s Lead, Guidance and Invitations with Dr. Andrew Hahn
You are Happier than You Think and How to Deal with Happiness Zappers with Pamela Gail Johnson
The Messy But Beautiful World of Liberal Democracies and the Importance of Interfaith with Professor David Elcott
The Chris and Arash Show on Meaning and Purpose
From Mountains to Buddhism and Mindfulness to the Conscious Classroom: An Interview with Amy Edelstein
The Chris and Arash Show on Buddhism
Ramblings and Takeaways on the Oscars 2022
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Good Mood Revolution
Your Sleep Guru Podcast
Anxiety Slayer™ with Shann and Ananga
Men Do Talk Podcast
The Dr. John Delony Show
On Purpose with Jay Shetty