User blog:Maslab/Spartan Brainwashing

Recently I had a most interesting discussion on the IRC (commonly known to frequenters as the "Irk") as to whether or not Spartans are considered brainwashed. Let us examine this, but let it be known that I am of the opinion that Spartans are brainwashed.

Firstly we need to know what "brainwashing" is defined as.

Dictionary.com gives the following definition: a method for systematically changing attitudes or altering beliefs, originated in totalitarian countries, esp. through the use of torture, drugs, or psychological-stress techniques.

And the Wikipedia entry, aptly titled "mind control": Mind control (also referred to as brainwashing, coercive persuasion, and thought reform[1]) refers to a broad range of psychological tactics thought to subvert an individual's control of his or her own thinking, behavior, emotions, or decision making.

So brainwashing isn't necessarily what you think. Popular culture refers to mind control by technological means, but these two definitions, which are fairly close, suggest otherwise.

Now we must examine a Spartan's training regime. First, some facts:


 * 1) Conscripted at the age of six. Why does this matter?  Because young children are the most impressionable of us all and the most receptive to input, especially from positions of authority.
 * 2) Trained by ONI. The Office of Naval Intelligence has proven itself to be less than ethical when it comes to human life and rights, so naturally they'd want to have as much control over the Spartans as possible.  While I do know that ONI are just spooks and not some super-powerful secret organization, I believe that this only reinforces my point.  ONI is filled with geniuses, so of course they'd realize how fragile they are, if anyone did.  This would only cause them to redouble their efforts.
 * 3) Insurrectionist activity. The ORION project, and subsequently the Spartan Project, was designed to produce super-soldiers designed to be able to fight the Insurrectionists.  As such the Spartan candidates would be provided with information defaming Insurrectionist groups.  After all, it's common military doctrine to make a soldier view an enemy as non-human.  It's what allows them to get over their natural instinct to not kill.
 * 4) It's the military. Of course ONI is going to throw in the typical "Support our cause" propaganda.  This would affect adults normally, usually coming in the form of a morale boost.  For children this would instill in them a rigorous fire to fight, kill, and die for a cause.

Skip the part between the lines if you don't feel like reading about stuff in real life.

Perhaps the two best modern examples of brainwashing are North Korea and Evangelical Christianity. While I will not say anything on the latter as it is a contentious subject and some would likely take offense to it, I highly recommend you check out the documentary Jesus Camp. If you're not in to that kind of thing at least read about it.

North Korea is, unfortunately, not the best example. What footage I have seen from North Korea is disturbing. People are raised from birth believing that their great leader is, quite literally, a God. Videos of Kim Il-Sung's funeral reveals people quite literally in tears on the ground, and while I'm not sure it's not entirely an act, even the newscaster seems to be having trouble keeping his composure. I quote a man: "Up until this age he had done so much for us. Now he is dead.  How can I hide my sorrow?" This is after all the famine, disease, abuse, death camps, civil rights infringements, etc, etc.

If that's not brainwashing, I don't know what is. --- But back to the Spartans. I've told you the facts I can recall right now. Please discuss and feel free to add anything to the conversation.

As for myself, I believe that the Spartans have been brainwashed. You might say: "well they are still free to think, so you can't say that they have been brainwashed." That's not the point. Anyone is still free to think, but their base psychology has been altered to love or hate something. Brainwashing doesn't turn them in to mindless automatons. In fact you could make an argument that everyone is brainwashed to some extent.

Thanks for reading.