It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief...

[perseus]

In the film 'The Clockwork Orange' the main character Alex is subjected to a 'treatment' known as 'The Ludovico technique' in an attempt to cure him of his violent and sexually aggressive tendencies. 
Although 'fictional' in what is actually done to Alex in the film, it is a variation on a genuine form of aversion therapy regularly used by psychologists and therapists in 'treating' 'unpleasant' acts of behaviour.

At one end of that spectrum are simple things such as nail biting, smoking and other unpleasant habits that people voluntarily are looking to stop doing. However, at the other end of the spectrum aversion therapy has been used in an attempt to 'cure' homosexuals.

It's a complex treatment programme by and large, but basically it involves constant exposure to a particular visual stimuli connected to the habit the person is trying to stop, whilst at the same time, exposing the patient to a nausea inducing drug.

So, for example a person who smokes would watch video footage of a person smoking at the same time as the drug would likely make them vomit. Eventually, the person will associate the cigarette on the screen as a major factor in inducing the nausea and ultimately (hopefully) stop smoking.

At the opposite end of a treatment programme like this, is the concept of 'systematic desensitisation', which more often than not is used to cure phobias.

For example, a person with a fear of spiders might, initially, be asked if they are willing to see a picture of a spider on television. Gradually, (over a period of weeks or even months) they will slowly but surely have the 'anti-upped' by the psychologist. They might be asked to draw a picture of a spider, agree to a spider being placed in a tank in a far corner of the room, until eventually, stage by stage, bit by bit, they will build up to actually holding the spider.

Whatever you views on this, one thing is agreed upon by psychologists. That being that the power of a constantly reinforced message is limitless.

Harlow Gale realised this and transferred his ability in psychology to the world of advertising and made millions. He knew the power of a constantly reinforced message. Tell people something often enough, for long enough, in a range of way and eventually they'll arrive at the conclusion you want them to arrive at.

You can basically, if you're clever enough, convince people to believe anything.

So why am I telling you this? Why is this on a political discussion forum?

I'll explain.

My views are obviously polarised to those of certain HTH forum members on certain issues. The recent 'halal school dinners' thread being a good example of that fact.

This is not about me 'being right' and others 'being wrong'; it's about the ability to understand that just because a message is constantly reinforced does not necessarily make it true.

Coke isn't the best drink on our planet; it's basically brown sugar water. But it is the best selling. The i-pod isn't the best MP3 player on the market by some distance, but it sells more than all the others combined. In short, if you tell people something enough times in the right way, they accept it without question.

Below is a link to a newspaper headline generator. Basically the computer uses an algorithm to take 2 or more headlines from the newspaper in question and stitches them together so that they make a grammatically correct if 'fictitious' 'new' headline.

Sit back, click the 'refresh' button on the link and read the headline. Do it 50, or if you're brave enough 100, times and read the 'new' headline each time before you click it again.

The scene in 'A clockwork Orange' when Alex is exposed to the Ludovico technique is pretty scary. However, some of the messages certain members of this forum have been exposed to year on year is a hell of a lot scarier.

Remember though, just because you're exposed to a message enough times, doesn't necessarily make it true.

Here's the link, remember, read the headline then click refresh, read the headline then click refresh, read the headline then click refresh.... although I don't know why i'm telling you this. Some of you have been doing it everyday for 50 years or so already.

http://www.qwghlm.co.uk/toys/dailymail/

Mind how you go.

Love Perseus.
X

[Julie noted]

And no matter how many times you bang on about YOUR beliefs, and your purile analogies, it doesn't make YOU right on many subjects across the board. 

You have obviously had the Ludivico treatment. 
Ergo, whatever you say is right and everyone else has to be wrong.

And no, I'm not getting into longwinded, backwards and forwards posts with you.
I've started treating your posts like I do with Jim Allan (Mail letters). Skip them!