The American form of Brainwashing

Brainwashing has continued to exist throughout many violent monarchy and communist nations. We have seen this in Germany throughout the holocaust, China through the limited use of technology, North Korea and their belief in the corrupt leader Kim Jong-Un and many more. However what if I told you that America's present youth was experiencing their own form of brainwashing. What if I pushed it even further and said that this brainwashing is being promoted by the rest of our nation, maybe even unknowingly. This brainwashing we are experiencing is the diminishment of free speech. After walking the halls of a high school and consistently hearing the phrase "it's a free country I can say what I want" it may be hard to believe that this epidemic is occurring. However look at our very election this year. Yes, Donald Trump may be a corrupt man but he is the first "politician" I have ever seen to firmly state his opinion on gay marriage, abortion, gun control and border control with the utmost confidence. Watch how the media criticizes Trump's use of free speech. The media is demolishing his campaign because he stands against the "liberal flow of life". This is simply one of the few examples of freedom of speech "going out of style". 

I believe their is a lack of confidence in our generation with expressing their opinions. Our generation fears the opinions of others so much as to not state their own.  This is a scary turn in history. Why does our society care about one another's opinions, who are they seeking to please? Or are they looking for approval of their wrongdoings through the approval of others. The effects on this new fad of acceptance will demolish the very essence that makes us human if prolonged. We are learning beings, we were made to learn, explore and discover. Think I'm wrong? Look at Christianity. Christianity is the very process of discovery and education in order to create a deeper relationship with a higher power. In the process of true education one must submit to a higher power of understanding in order to accept wrongdoings or further the mind. The very definition of education is "the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.". For one to truly gain the benefits of education there must be an imparting from the opinions of others, a development of immaturity and most of all a sense of humility. 

 

Occidental College in California created a system with microaggressions and macroaggressions. A macroaggression would be a violation such as rape, murder, fowl language, cheating, stealing etc.. This would be subject to consequence by the school. In the past years they have brought forth the concept of microaggressions. The definition of microaggression was explained as, "to communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages to target persons based on their marginalized group membership.  You could call these microaggressons "small sins" in their eyes. Students describe microaggressions as anything said that could potentially "emotionally hurt" the ideas or beliefs of another individual. When questioned the students explained that simply asking a Chinese student if they were from China would be considered a microaggression. My question is if the simple logic, bluntness about life and the way we are made is being considered "politically incorrect" how are we supposed to discuss heavy topics such as the holocaust, slavery, and the feminist movement in the classroom without committing a microaggression against the school. Students will be more focused on staying "safe" than learning and creating an individual thought process. What will this result in? This will result in a society that all thinks the exact same. A society that is brainwashed. We are bringing forth a bunch of insecure, uneducated robots. 

Yes, I do believe our free speech is being infringed upon. However, I don’t believe this is being done because the first amendment is being broken. The first amendment protects us from the government imposing on our speech not necessarily any other organization. For example if you commit to going to a private school and they have rules such as the one at Occidental College you need to be prepared to follow them with the knowledge that your education is being cut-short. This is why I believe these blogs are so important. Because unlike every other Senior class in America we are becoming aware of our current society before we sign papers to rack up the student loans for a college that is transforming us to think the exact same way as everyone else. A college that teaches that is not an education facility, it is a factory manipulating our minds into conformation.