Are We Brainwashed to the Point that we don't live our own lives?

Furious_George · 11-02-2013 11:38AM

cherryghost wrote: »

A thought occurred tonight as I was watching the fairly unfunny Big Bang Theory bloopers. I ended up zoning out of the scenes and started listening to the laughter track, listening to it loop over and over with minor differences in each track. The laugh tracks are there to tell us when to laugh. They manipulate us, and in some ways they make us laugh at situations that aren't even funny.

For the past 150 years we have been living our lives, walking down streets, reading newspapers, browsing the internet, looking at ads. Whether some of you choose to believe it or not, they force us down a road with little or no choice. Even back in the dark ages, religious oppression and prophets gave us 2 options; follow your orders or die in a ditch.

I guess at the end of the day, we're just brainwashed zombies in a corrupt system and it will always be the case.

Thoughts?

Its not canned laughter. Saw a making of documentary on it and its filmed in front of a live studio audience. Not to say the audience arent being encouraged to laugh at certain points.

Live your life however you see fit op, there is a lot of brainwashing going on alright though through news marketing etc etc and it is hard not to be affected by it.

Sergeant · 11-02-2013 11:40AM

We're all being controlled by the Jewish Freemason Lizard People and their control of the media and banking.

You think The Big Bang Theory is as bad as it gets. Not even close, man. Soon we will all be lobotomised and forced to watch endless repeats of Who's the Boss.

11-02-2013 11:48AM

Sergeant wrote: »

We're all being controlled by the Jewish Freemason Lizard People and their control of the media and banking.........

Not forgetting people from Leitrim.

The greatest trick Leitrim ever played was convincing the world that it did not exist.

StormWarrior · 11-02-2013 12:22PM

You should read David Icke.

SEPT 23 1989 · 11-02-2013 12:35PM

You can't bate the Matrix

Apolloyon · 11-02-2013 02:04PM

Fnord.

That is all.

11-02-2013 08:53PM

9959 wrote: »

Jim Corr has made some very challenging observations on this topic, curiously I can't recall any of them.
I must be 'brainwashed'.

George Carlin did an even better one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

donegal_road · 11-02-2013 09:00PM

When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other (Hoffer's Law)

Duggys Housemate · 11-02-2013 09:07PM

The whole living in capitalism hating capitalism is as old as capitalism.

If you want to be anti-capitalist then live like Charles Ingalls (Laura's father). In the 1st book - little house in the forest - we join the family when Charles had

1) cleared part of the forest for the house
2) cleared part of the forest for the farm.
3) built the house from the cut wood.
4) built the furniture.
5) brought in the food (farmed or hunted) every day

The wife made most of the the clothing and bed clothes from the skin of the animals they hunted. The fuel was chopped firewood. Toys were whittled from wood. What surplus they had from deer hide sales went on seed and some minor luxuries - the odd dress, a violin. That's not that long ago in human generations.

There is nothing stopping you living like that - the Amish are close enough. Otherwise can the whining.

Wibbs · 11-02-2013 10:56PM

You really don't have to buy into it, or even buy into all or most of it. So long as someone else does you're golden

Most of all you have the choice to buy into it or not. Take cars. Why would anyone in their right mind buy a new one? Huge depreciation(unless you're rich enough to be buying Italian exotica. In which case, marry or adopt me), generally speaking nothing extra over even a year old car. For the price of a basic econobox, an office cubicle with wheels, you could buy a ten year old fancy yoke if that's your bag. Goes for lots of stuff.

Even computers. 10 years ago when you upgraded after a couple of years, by god you'd notice the speed difference. These days not so much and really not so much for the majority of users who are doing stuff like this, watching movies, writing emails etc. Hell people forget that we used to do amazing photoshop/sound/movie production stuff on kit from say 5 years ago that most would laugh at today. And that's computers folks. A massive part of our lives that are actually getting better and better over time. Most of the crap we surround ourselves with usually doesn't.

Basically if you choose and you do have that choice, you can live a nice life and have nice "stuff" while not buying into the crasser and pricier end of consumer culture. And that goes for information too. While lots of stuff is vying for our attention we have never had so much choice in choosing which stuff to buy into. Or not.

staker · 11-02-2013 11:00PM

Take smoking- if ever there's an example of brainwashing for monetary gain despite all the negatives associated smoking's one.

Aquarius34 · 11-02-2013 11:03PM

Czarcasm wrote: »

Speak for yourself thanks. You make the choice to work and you make the choice to consume. Our purpose in life is to make the most of it while we can, not to covet what everyone else has.

You can choose to live your life as an individual, or you can choose to regurgitate snappy soundbites.

You're a slave too, so get over it and stop trying to think you're not. You're a consumer. If you don't work, you will be left to live on scraps and live on a state income that barely supports the life of rat. Yet the reality is, the majority of the human race live as a race of worker ants to keep the 0.1percent rich, wealthy and living luxurious lives.

To make the most out of life, is to wake up out of this run around mad matrix of living like ants....

Aquarius34 · 11-02-2013 11:05PM

Deleted User wrote: »

George Carlin did an even better one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

I think that was his last public speech. Which is kind of Ironic to say the least. But he was right on it with that clip. I miss that man like crazy. We don't have enough people like him on that planet and It really depresses me.

Duggys Housemate · 11-02-2013 11:06PM

staker wrote: »

Take smoking- if ever there's an example of brainwashing for monetary gain despite all the negatives associated smoking's one.

Not at all. It's an addiction. The advertising is banned. The packs carry grotesque images mandated by government and people carry on despite the advertising. Which is negative.

Advertising has some effect, but not as much as advertisers or anti- capitalists think.

Johro · 11-02-2013 11:07PM

Your poll needs more than 'Yes', 'No', or WTF' options.
I would tick the 'To a certain degree' box.

celticcrash · 11-02-2013 11:10PM

How dare you ask am I brainwashed.

I Vote Fianna Fail.
I vote Fianna Fail.
I vote Fianna Fail.

Duggys Housemate · 11-02-2013 11:10PM

Aquarius34 wrote: »

You're a slave too, so get over it and stop trying to think you're not. You're a consumer. If you don't work, you will be left to live on scraps and live on a state income that barely supports the life of rat. Yet the reality is, the majority of the human race live as a race of worker ants to keep the 0.1percent rich, wealthy and living luxurious lives.

To make the most out of life, is to wake up out of this run around mad matrix of living like ants....

Join the Amish.

Aquarius34 · 11-02-2013 11:10PM

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Not at all. It's an addiction. The advertising is banned. The packs carry grotesque images mandated by government and people carry on despite the advertising. Which is negative.

Advertising has some effect, but not as much as advertisers or anti- capitalists think.

It's made addictive, it's made to sell, and it has chemicals in it that not only poisons you but also dumbs you down. Smoking is dumb to begin with anyway. So it stands as a point in itself.

Aquarius34 · 11-02-2013 11:11PM

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Join the Amish.

Eh, No. I'll be myself.. Quite content with doing so.

staker · 11-02-2013 11:11PM

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Not at all. It's an addiction. The advertising is banned. The packs carry grotesque images mandated by government and people carry on despite the advertising. Which is negative.

Advertising has some effect, but not as much as advertisers or anti- capitalists think.

Those images prick the logical part of our brain, not the sub-conscience. That's why they're ineffective imo.

They're far cuter at the actual marketing though. Remember this?silk cut purple

I know it's banned but I'm just talking in principle:)

dr.bollocko · 11-02-2013 11:16PM

They've done a number of studies into the psychology of the laugh track.

Actors hate them. Directors hate them and writers hate them but network execs will always push for them in a sit com because they work. People are more likely to laugh with a laugh track for whatever reason. Like your mates giggling when you tell a joke. But when you see something funny on the silent Internet you'll just exhale some air instead of actually laughing out loud.

Duggys Housemate · 11-02-2013 11:18PM

Aquarius34 wrote: »

Eh, No. I'll be myself.. Quite content with doing so.

I'm not content with your hypocrcisy. If you don't like the modern world get off the Internet ( built by "drones") Grow your own food. Build your own accommodation. Make your own clothing. That's what being anti-consumerist means. It doesnt, or shouldnt, mean ranting about consumerism while consuming. I already gave an example of Charles Ingals. The Amish do it in groups. You don't have to. Find some cheap land and live off the grid. The world won't care.

Duggys Housemate · 11-02-2013 11:20PM

dr.bollocko wrote: »

They've done a number of studies into the psychology of the laugh track.

Actors hate them. Directors hate them and writers hate them but network execs will always push for them in a sit com because they work. People are more likely to laugh with a laugh track for whatever reason. Like your mates giggling when you tell a joke. But when you see something funny on the silent Internet you'll just exhale some air instead of actually laughing out loud.

People forget that Fr Ted has a laugh track. Black adder too I think.

Aquarius34 · 11-02-2013 11:32PM

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

I'm not content with your hypocrcisy. If you don't like the modern world get off the Internet ( built by "drones") Grow your own food. Build your own accommodation. Make your own clothing. That's what being anti-consumerist means. It doesnt, or shouldnt, mean ranting about consumerism while consuming. I already gave an example of Charles Ingals. The Amish do it in groups. You don't have to. Find some cheap land and live off the grid. The world won't care.

You are in no position to tell me anything. I certainly won't take a lecture from a slave who is enslaved by this system. I fight the system everyday. I stand by my values and by my reasons to do so.

Aquarius34 · 11-02-2013 11:34PM

I was born into this world, aka the matrix. It would seem pointless for me to come to this world to live off the grid and break human contact just because I so happen to not agree to this system.

I'm not been hypocritical at all. You don't know me from Adam or know what I do as a living being on this planet, so you can't judge me. It's you who needs a wake up call Duggys.

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 11-02-2013 11:35PM

I agree with the smoking one. You have to look back a few decades though. Movie stars glamorising it, and possibly the round-a-bout denial of health consequences with the likes of "More doctors smoke X than any other cigarette".
We look back at these smoking ads and find them shocking, but while the product changes, you have to ask yourself if the tactics and ethics have changed.

Eden3 · 11-02-2013 11:46PM

No we're just "taxed" to the point that we don't live our own lives ....! Oh, and then our energy bills go up ..... and our Pensions are tapped into, and then our PRSI threshold is non-existent, etc. etc. We don't actually have any control of our money any more - "they" are staking their claim to each week's pay packet!:mad: (and I was never in debt)!:mad::mad: (AM NOW!)

Madam_X · 11-02-2013 11:47PM

Aquarius34 wrote: »

You are in no position to tell me anything. I certainly won't take a lecture from a slave who is enslaved by this system. I fight the system everyday. I stand by my values and by my reasons to do so.

In what ways do you fight the system every day?

I think the point being made is that if you're a worker and a consumer, you have no business telling other people who are workers and consumers that they are slaves, because how are you any different? Even if you fight the system, you're still a worker and a consumer.

It's a pretty reasonable assessment, not an attack on you.

Aquarius34 · 12-02-2013 12:07AM

Madam_X wrote: »

In what ways do you fight the system every day?

I think the point being made is that if you're a worker and a consumer, you have no business telling other people who are workers and consumers that they are slaves, because how are you any different? Even if you fight the system, you're still a worker and a consumer.

It's a pretty reasonable assessment, not an attack on you.

Well tbf, I work part time and had done so for many years. I am not a consumer by the standards you'd call it. I am not materialistic. I don't own a car. I don't own a house. I don't have land. I don't sign rules pr follow rules. I don't sign papers. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't live the same way most people live. I live on a very small income and that is just to keep a roof over my head and food on the table.

But I will say in my job, I fight them all. I fight with my bosses. I fight with everyone and I do the same on this forum. I am a fighting slave. I have lived through what you call "been asleep" but I changed because of taking steps to take control of my life. I can choose to not work and live off the dole, but I know from a spiritual perspective I have to fight the system and face people everyday as I go about my lfie. I am realistic so I know what I have to do. I know I have to do thing's I don't like but as long as I'm still alive, I will keep fighting for what I feel I must fight for.

I plant seeds. I push the boundaries, I provoke people. I push people's buttons. I get people to think and question. It's not really what you say, it's what you do and how you go about it, that makes the effective change you are trying to bring about.

I meant what I said, the dude who said I was hypocritical doesn't know me to make such a judgment. I also don't need to share my whole life story or tell everyone on here as to what I do or don't do with my life.

What matters, is I do what I have to do, to live in the matrix and work against it. I follow the princples of nature and of what you would call been connected to the spirit. To me the spirit is been connected to who you really are and been intune with yourself. When you find you come to that point, you will find that everything on this world will fight against you because man has created an illusion around himself because he has become disconnected from himself. Man is now completely blinded by the illusion to the point that he cannot live without it and he will do anything to keep that "state of living" alive. Therefore people who are living the illusion will fight anyone who is rebelling it. This is a hopeless reality. It's a prison here. It's slavery. It's hell.

For example, the police fighting the public. Or the American military killing innocent people in the Middle east. People who are awake and aware are fighting this system everyday. Most of which is unseen by the masses.

Wibbs · 12-02-2013 12:17AM

Aquarius34 wrote: »

I think that was his last public speech. Which is kind of Ironic to say the least. But he was right on it with that clip. I miss that man like crazy. We don't have enough people like him on that planet and It really depresses me.

Good fcuk, something we agree on!! :eek::D

Are We Brainwashed to the Point that we don't live our own lives?

Comments