Article on change in human values
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When a group is converting a person, one of the key things they often do, no matter where they started from, is to move into the realm of ideas and values. This includes anything that is not tangibly physical, and can include social and political ideas as well as religious and quasi-religious ideas. In this way they take the person out of the real world and into the ideological world of the group.
A conversation that may start with ideas will eventually turn to thoughts about what is right and wrong, good and bad, important and less important. In other words, it focuses on values. If you can change these rules in a person's head, then you have no need to police them - the values will do that for you.
An effective start is to seek out the values of the target person and play to these. If the person puts themselves first, then be admiring of them. If the person considers human rights as a key issue, then talk about social justice.
A further values platform is generic human values, which are very difficult to deny. Love, peace, helping one another. On the surface at least, the group may appear as a near-perfect embodiment of social concern.
Values can also be negative, by the way. Selfishness and hedonism can be elevated as worthwhile reasons. Racism and elitism may be accepted as true. For more peaceful groups, these will later be shown to be wrong. There are, however, groups that preach intolerance and play directly to their target members' baser natures.
Another, more direct approach, is for the leader of the group to be defined as the person who sets the group values. This is particularly made possible by having one of the basic values of the group that the leader must be obeyed without question. When the leader is showing wisdom and concern, this may seem logical. However, if the power goes to the leader's head (or they are playing a devious game) then they may later define values and rules that people may want to question, but dare not.
A conversation that may start with ideas will eventually turn to thoughts about what is right and wrong, good and bad, important and less important. In other words, it focuses on values. If you can change these rules in a person's head, then you have no need to police them - the values will do that for you.
An effective start is to seek out the values of the target person and play to these. If the person puts themselves first, then be admiring of them. If the person considers human rights as a key issue, then talk about social justice.
A further values platform is generic human values, which are very difficult to deny. Love, peace, helping one another. On the surface at least, the group may appear as a near-perfect embodiment of social concern.
Values can also be negative, by the way. Selfishness and hedonism can be elevated as worthwhile reasons. Racism and elitism may be accepted as true. For more peaceful groups, these will later be shown to be wrong. There are, however, groups that preach intolerance and play directly to their target members' baser natures.
Another, more direct approach, is for the leader of the group to be defined as the person who sets the group values. This is particularly made possible by having one of the basic values of the group that the leader must be obeyed without question. When the leader is showing wisdom and concern, this may seem logical. However, if the power goes to the leader's head (or they are playing a devious game) then they may later define values and rules that people may want to question, but dare not.
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