| Linda Riebel's article explores a mechanism used in
religious groups, therapeutic and religious cults, secular religions such as
utopian political doctrines, and the like. It explains why it is so difficult
to convince members of such groups or movements of any position other than
their own. One is reminded of George Orwell's “Notes on Nationalism”
(1968), where he wrote that once a person ascribes to a particular nationalism,
certain sets of facts are inadmissible.
He wrote: "All nationalists have the power of not seeing
resemblances between certain sets of facts. Actions are held to be good or bad,
not on their own merits, but according to who does them" (p. 369).
The projective mechanisms inherent in beliefs, or delusions
such as "they" are going to destroy us or "they" are plotting against us, are
not realized as such. Nationalist thinkers do not see the similarity between
their fears, their desires and their perception of the world.
"Indifference to objective truth is encouraged by the
sealing off of one part of the world from another, which makes it harder and
harder to discover what is actually happening" (Orwell, p. 371). Ergo the
self-sealing mechanism, one which Riebel explores deeply. She makes the point
that theory becomes ideology, that is no longer is changeable or truth seeking,
when it refuses reality and bends all objective information and challenge to
fit its particular view of the way things work and are. We have all had the
experience of attempting to reach someone, only to have each of our arguments
turned to suit the needs of the other person. Illogical as it is to us, it is
perfectly reasonable to the other person, despite adult information and logical
argument.
“"...there are facts which are both true and untrue,
known and unknown. A known fact may be so unbearable that it is habitually
pushed aside and not allowed to enter into logical processes, or even, on the
other hand it may enter into every calculation and yet never be admitted as a
fact" (Orwell, p. 370)
This is related, also, to Robert Jay Lifton's criteria for
totalism, that is total control, and thought reform, or brainwashing. It is
characteristic of what he called sacred science. By this Lifton (
427-429) meant that the organization has developed an ideology that it believes
embodies a universal truth, and its authority comes from a source that
transcends humankind. It is considered to be sacred and flawless. Therefore,
the act of questioning, doubting, or disagreeing is prohibited; it is
considered to be an indication of a personality flaw or an essential
unworthiness.
This has been a characteristic of the secular, political
religions of the 20th century, e.g. Marxist-Leninism, Fascism. It is the belief
that because we follow a certain theory, we are better than anyone else.
Perhaps it is also true of fundamentalist Christianity, Islam and Judaism as
well. But in the end it is no longer a theory. It is rather... an ideology.
Riebel's ideas can also be related to the “be perfect
in driver” Kahler's article published on TAJnet at
http://www.tajnet.org/articles/kahler-capers-miniscript.html :
“When a person is under the influence of his "be
perfect" counterscript driver, he strives for perfection, or expects others to
do so. He may use big words, tell more than he is asked to tell, or cover all
the bases. He believes he has to give a great deal of information so that
people will understand him "just right." He is under the misconception that if
he is not perfect, that means that he is not-OK. The pedantic caterpillar in
Alice in Wonderland who demanded perfect grammar symbolizes "Be
perfect." (see http://www.tajnet.org/articles/kahler-capers-miniscript.html
under Counterscript Drivers).
Alan Jacobs, Editor.
May 11, 1999
References:
Capers, H; Kahler T. (1974). The miniscript. Transactional
Analysis Journal, vol. 4, no. 1. Pp. 27-42
and: Capers, H; Kahler T.
(1974). The miniscript. TAJnet, http://www.tajnet.org/articles/kahler-capers-miniscript.html
Lifton, R. J. (1989). Thought reform and the psychology of
totalism: A study of brainwashing in communist China. Chapel Hill: The
University of North Carolina Press. (First published, 1961, W. W. Norton &
Co.)
Orwell, G. (1968). As I please: Notes on nationalism.
New York: Harcort Brace Jovanovich.
TAJnet reprint of the
1996 article Self-Sealing Doctrines, the Misuse of Power, and Recovered
Memory by Linda Riebel... |
