Time and time again in political arguments, people constantly accuse the other of being brainwashed. Of course, the person who makes the accusation is immediately susceptible to the same thing. It’s just whoever gets the accusation out first has the stronger jab. Brainwashing comes from people settling into a compartment on the political spectrum. It’s where political beliefs are basically choosing the information for a person. When I see people who are insulting others, being arrogant or snarky, looking down on other groups, etc., I don’t see intelligent people. I see people who are largely brainwashed because these negative characteristics are glaring symptoms.
Responding to the accusation
I simply cannot be brainwashed. The big reason is I don’t believe in being correct in politics, I believe in being knowledgeable. When I talk politics, I always say the phrase “One way of looking at this is….” and then proceed to tell the person what I’ve heard. When the person pushes back on it, I simply go “Whoa, I said this was one way of looking at this, I didn’t say it was the correct one!” If I heard it elsewhere, I also let them know that the origin of the perspective is not here to defend it.
When people do this, then it’s best to follow up with “There are so many ways to look at this topic. I am only one person such as you, so what perspective do you have and then what will the next person have?” By simply showing them that I’m on the lookout for more information, should completely nullify any accusation they can level against me. I’m a moving target. Therefore, I’m immune from brainwashing.
Some people get very annoyed and frustrated by this. Because for some, it’s a very uncomfortable realization. People love to think they are the guru at the top of the mountain who have all the answers. By letting them know I’m going to shop around for more information, it does help them realize that maybe they should too.