We are constantly exposed to stimuli that seek to modify our ideals and beliefs. Some are subtle and others are less so.
We will perform a tour of the most frequent forms of indoctrination starting first with a broad definition of this phenomenon that will allow us to lay the foundations for the subsequent study of the types that we can encounter in our daily lives.
In order to know the various types of indoctrination, it is first necessary that we be clear about the term indoctrination, as it can sometimes lead to certain confusion. The truth is The action of indoctrination is basically transmitting a doctrine to another person. Of course, this action has extraordinary implications
Transmitting a doctrine means that one person is trying to instill in another a series of values, ideas, ways of thinking and even acting. As social beings that we are, this is a phenomenon that inevitably occurs in many of our interactions, especially with those closest to us.
This is the case of experienced transmission from parents to children, as we will see later when reviewing the types of indoctrination. In this case, it is difficult to establish a boundary between the mere process of educating and that of indoctrinating. Some authors introduce the nuance of critical thinking to differentiate both concepts.
In that sense, we could say that indoctrination differs from education when The indoctrinator tries to ensure that the indoctrinated person does not reason critically about the elements that are being instilled in him, and therefore accepted them without further qualms. This issue has generated a heated debate between parents and educational communities about the limits between the two.
As with education, and as we will see in the types of indoctrination, this concept also maintains strong links with that of socialization, making its separation in certain areas complicated. In any case, Socialization is seen as a neutral process, while indoctrination unleashes a series of negative connotations
The phenomenon of indoctrination has been dealt with historically, even in ancient times, although it has been given other labels. However, the modern term has been studied especially in the 20th century, through research on the influence of the media carried out by such influential authors as Avram Noam Chomsky, or even the physicist and Nobel Prize winner, Albert Einstein.
After having built a theoretical base, we can now delve into the different types of indoctrination. To do this, we are going to review a list with the most common examples, although it does not mean that they are the only ones we can find, since indoctrination can occur in a multitude of fields
1. Political indoctrination
Without a doubt, when thinking about the types of indoctrination, one of the first that will come to mind is the one that has to do with the field of politics. In that sense, The different political doctrines would make up the set of ideals, values and ways of thinking and living that a certain group would try to impose about the rest.
Indoctrination is a fundamental part of politics. Every message and campaign is aimed at strengthening the feeling of unity among those convinced voters but also at trying to generate interest in those who are hesitant between different parties.
Of course, In the face of those parties that are opposed, they will generate a feeling of rivalry that is closer to enmity blaming them for all the ills of society and never recognizing the goodness of a proposal or a measure taken by them.
Furthermore, when we talk about politics, within the types of indoctrination, we must not forget the influence of new technologies, and how social networks are used to try to instill the ideals of the party constantly, so they are no longer limited to this action during electoral campaigns, as in the past, but currently looking for a daily state of tension
Obviously, not all political movements have the same indoctrinating approach. We can find the greatest exponents, as it could not be otherwise, in the totalitarian ideologies that emerged in the first half of the 20th century, such as national socialism or communism.
These types of movements went far beyond politics, making doctrine a whole way of life. Even today we can find vestiges of that past in countries like North Korea, where a cult of the supreme leader that borders on the divine is maintained and absolutely every facet of the citizens’ lives is controlled, restricting their freedoms to the maximum. individual.
If one was politics, the second of the most obvious types of indoctrination cannot be other than religion. Religion is in itself an indoctrination, since raises a series of beliefs that are based on faith, that is, they escape all critical and scientific thinking
Religions have been linked to the history of humanity even since prehistory, as there is evidence of various behaviors included in shamanism, and even funeral rites that imply a series of spiritual beliefs. But later other creeds emerged, some of which even survive to this day.
Why would religion be one of the types of indoctrination? Because They are not only made up of beliefs about a hypothetical afterlife, but also impose a series of rules for earthly life, based on a higher power In other words, they tell people how they should act, since God (the one who corresponds according to the religion) orders it that way.
Majority religions, in fact, have a series of ceremonial rites in which new members are welcomed or a vital moment or commitment is celebrated within the religious framework. These acts are another element that marks the way in which the person should act, another example of why religion fits as one of the types of indoctrination.
Religion is a fantastic means of population control, as occurred in Western countries in the past, through Christianity, or as occurs in many countries in Africa and Asia today, through Islam. Many of these nations are theocracies, where religious power is inseparable from political power, so laws are based on beliefs
But even in countries where religion has lost the power it held in times past, we cannot ignore the cultural mark they have left. This phenomenon is easily observable if we think about the differences in the way of being and living between people belonging to traditionally Catholic countries and traditionally Protestant countries, as is the case in northern and southern Europe.
The most extreme form of indoctrination through religion is that carried out by fundamentalist movements, even convincing their followers to commit suicidal acts, as is the case of some radical Islamic terrorist groups.
3. Indoctrination in the media
The media are not exactly one of the types of indoctrination, but rather they are the ideal means to indoctrinate into various ideologies, some of a political nature and others that go even further.
Evidently, there is no objective means of communication Each and every one of them will respond to some power, in some cases being obvious and in others a more diffuse issue.
In any case, the media acts as a loudspeaker for the ideals that certain sectors seek to spread and impose, and to do so they take advantage of information, entertainment or any other programs. Messages can be introduced in a more veiled way or even in an explicit way.
It is only necessary to review the content of a television network, radio station or newspaper for a moment to capture the editorial line that underlies said medium. This characteristic is also observed in social networks, not only because of the activity of their users, which will depend on each one of them, but also because of the filtering and censorship actions they can carry out, depending on the content they want to show.
Due to our way of life, it is almost impossible to isolate ourselves from the media and social networks An individual can try to choose the media he reviews to inform himself, but he will never be safe from an attempt at manipulation, even when critical thinking is strong in him.
For this reason, the media are, perhaps, the most extraordinary type of indoctrination, due to the practically unlimited power they hold. Perhaps that is why all powers strive to control them.
