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We have a local mind-control cult where I live. When asked they'll retort "why yes, we are a mind control cult. We teach you how to control your mind." ...but

We have a local mind-control cult where I live. When asked they'll retort "why yes, we are a mind control cult. We teach you how to control your mind." ...but that isn't what I meant. Controlling the language. It's a big thing.

JohnFen 3y ago
> Controlling the language. It's a big thing. And that's underselling how big it is. Language is the API to our brains. That's at least half the point Orwell's 1984 makes.
- pstuart 3y ago
  Chomsky has entered the chat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent
- swayvil 3y ago
  I get what you mean. But we also have this thing called Science. Where a firsthand encounter with nonlinguistic reality is considered key. And Science has proven its power over and over. And you'd think that would impress people. Even if you lay the forms and products of our modern scientific culture aside. Just that philosophy. The supremacy of observation. You'd think it would lead to a momentary pause in the babble. But no.
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    I don't think that what you're saying and what I'm saying are mutually exclusive at all. Science is how we tease out truths about reality. Language is about how we communicate and is closely linked with cognition.
    - swayvil 3y ago
      I didn't mean to suggest that they are mutually exclusive. Just that this sphere of language definitely has a limit. (Which leads to various important stuff)
everdrive 3y ago
It's interesting that you have a local cult. What's it called?
- swayvil 3y ago
  School of the Prophets (or something like that). A flavor of Sufis.
  - pstuart 3y ago
    A dear friend was, if not a follower, at least quite friendly to sufism. I found her points about it intriguing and worthy of contemplation. If I was going to join a cult then that might be the one to join ;-). Of course there's a significant difference between a belief system and a group that practices that belief under a charismatic and dogmatic leader....
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JohnFen 3y ago

> Controlling the language. It's a big thing. And that's underselling how big it is. Language is the API to our brains. That's at least half the point Orwell's 1984 makes.

pstuart 3y ago
Chomsky has entered the chat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent
swayvil 3y ago
I get what you mean. But we also have this thing called Science. Where a firsthand encounter with nonlinguistic reality is considered key. And Science has proven its power over and over. And you'd think that would impress people. Even if you lay the forms and products of our modern scientific culture aside. Just that philosophy. The supremacy of observation. You'd think it would lead to a momentary pause in the babble. But no.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  I don't think that what you're saying and what I'm saying are mutually exclusive at all. Science is how we tease out truths about reality. Language is about how we communicate and is closely linked with cognition.
  - swayvil 3y ago
    I didn't mean to suggest that they are mutually exclusive. Just that this sphere of language definitely has a limit. (Which leads to various important stuff)

everdrive 3y ago

It's interesting that you have a local cult. What's it called?

swayvil 3y ago
School of the Prophets (or something like that). A flavor of Sufis.
- pstuart 3y ago
  A dear friend was, if not a follower, at least quite friendly to sufism. I found her points about it intriguing and worthy of contemplation. If I was going to join a cult then that might be the one to join ;-). Of course there's a significant difference between a belief system and a group that practices that belief under a charismatic and dogmatic leader....
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