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Brainwashing can be a good thing.
The difference is that you get control of the recipe before someone else inevitably does. You can then assemble your influences in a positive direction instead of letting them slip for malicious folks to pick up. It's never been more possible to steer your worldview (and selfview) into something more beneficial.
Peace of mind and hope for the future are well within reach.
“Be joyful though you’ve considered all the facts.” - Wendell Berry, Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front
It’s not that you’re setting out to overlook the problems in the world. It’s about a core belief that there’s more good than evil in the world and that things get better over time. It’s about refusing to let problems drown you out. You're instead finding that rock of fulfillment that holds you safe despite the intense river conditions.
There are still good things in the world (and in you).
There is still beauty to witness.
There are still memories to make.
There are still tears of joy waiting to be shed.
There are still moments, days, and chapters of your life to look forward to.
The world isn’t only balanced, it’s tilted toward the good.
Yet, rose-colored glasses and a sunny disposition are not what I’m calling for.
The approach is to be rationally optimistic. When you’re rationally optimistic, you are well aware of the issues. BUT, you believe you’ll come out ahead and get past any challenge or obstacle that comes your way. No delusions, just straight-up determination.
Even if this belief precedes reality, all other alternatives tend to dull the senses and dim your light.
You gotta sprinkle in some irrationality too.
You don’t want to start mistaking what is for what could be. The world is still in desperate need of dreamers and those wanted to turn trash into treasure. To upcycle the status quo into a state of woah. Reason, logic, and rationality don’t cover all the bases and there is too much mystery to ignore and not dance with.
It’s important to leave the door open for those quantum leaps and leaps of faith. Those out-of-this world discoveries, epiphanies, and religious experiences.
The open mind is still in vogue and required.
Judge a belief by its usefulness.
If it doesn’t cause ripples of peace, love, or beneficial impact, then what’s the use? There are only so many slots in your soul for beliefs to fit into, so you must choose wisely. You don’t want to be stuck with a belief that doesn’t serve you or those in your circle, especially when you have a choice to choose differently.
Question the beliefs you do carry. It’ll either strengthen them or have you wondering why deal with their weight if the results produced are lackluster.
It’s our behavior that indicates our true beliefs.
It’s human nature to act out our beliefs. It gets weird and out of hand when we think we believe one thing, but we’re actually disconnected from it. We only hold it in the abstract but hesitate to embody it and make it real.
Beliefs can reside in that weird place between checking the box in our mind without ever making it down into our daily life.
If the beliefs we carry are worth their salt, then we’ll embody them.
We will connect to them and slowly become our beliefs. The thing about beliefs and brainwashing is that it's 100% happening with or without your conscious involvement. So you might as well be leading that cause and minimizing the hijacking by bad actors.
It’s an exciting process to delve into when you think about it.
We could all use a new way of looking at our situation.
Chances are, it just kind of is what it is when we’re not making a conscious effort. But, intentionally refreshing our eyes can only help right? There’s a good chance we missed something while going through the motions.
A new set of eyes on the circumstances may reveal new paths to take, new turns to make, or even a renewed appreciation for the steps you’re already taking.
Don't forget the mind loves to lead the way and let reality catch up.
They move at different speeds anyway, so you might as well let your mind get a head start in a positive direction. The evidence will trickle in at first, then come in waves, and then all at once. Reality always catches up to our beliefs, so it’s critical to what we set our minds to.
And again, if we have the opportunity to have this influence over ourselves, why not take it?
Once it sinks in, you realize this has been available this whole time.
Like a bird stuck in a cage without realizing the door was open. You don’t get to keep a blank slate of beliefs, because people will always be pushing theirs upon you. But since you have the ability to choose any possible beliefs to adopt that you want, why not go for gold?
Why not go ahead and brainwash yourself?
