I've been thinking a lot about my Mormon penpal as of late (it looks like our conversation might be getting a reboot) and I've been trying to think of a way of explaining to her that she has been indoctrinated.* Which got me thinking about how an indoctrinated person can tell that they have been indoctrinated.
I know, for instance, that I have been indoctrinated to certain things. The most overt example of my own indoctrination is that I (now) consider myself indoctrinated into the D.A.R.E. program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education); As a teenager I don't remember a time when I thought that doing drugs was a good choice, it was always in the back of my mind that drugs were illegal and doing them was just wrong, wrong, wrong despite the fact that I didn't care whether others were doing them, I was adamant about not drinking before turning 21, and the one time I was offered the opportunity to smoke pot I said no before I even fully comprehended what had happened**. Reflecting on this incident (the pot-offering incident), which happened about seven years ago, I think this is my indoctrination presenting itself. It gave me an answer to a question that I could give without even thinking about the answer. It was automatic, out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying. There was no thought on my part. Which is one of the hallmarks of indoctrination.
I have no personal experience with religious indoctrination so I guess I'm wondering how a religiously indoctrinated person realizes that they have been indoctrinated. For myself, I came to think I was indoctrinated because of self-reflection after reading The God Virus and wondering if I had been "infected" with something that wasn't god or religion.
Does anyone on the forums have this kind of experience, being indoctrinated and then realizing it while still being in the midst of one's indoctrination?
How do you think one realizes that indoctrination has taken when one has been indoctrinated? Is it really as easy (or as hard) as self-reflection?
* I understand that explaining this to her is likely to have no effect and just piss her off.
** I concede that this might have as much to do with my goody-two-shoes personality as with being indoctrinated, but I definitely consider my attitude towards drugs to be externally imposed - through indoctrination at the grade-school age.
I know, for instance, that I have been indoctrinated to certain things. The most overt example of my own indoctrination is that I (now) consider myself indoctrinated into the D.A.R.E. program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education); As a teenager I don't remember a time when I thought that doing drugs was a good choice, it was always in the back of my mind that drugs were illegal and doing them was just wrong, wrong, wrong despite the fact that I didn't care whether others were doing them, I was adamant about not drinking before turning 21, and the one time I was offered the opportunity to smoke pot I said no before I even fully comprehended what had happened**. Reflecting on this incident (the pot-offering incident), which happened about seven years ago, I think this is my indoctrination presenting itself. It gave me an answer to a question that I could give without even thinking about the answer. It was automatic, out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying. There was no thought on my part. Which is one of the hallmarks of indoctrination.
I have no personal experience with religious indoctrination so I guess I'm wondering how a religiously indoctrinated person realizes that they have been indoctrinated. For myself, I came to think I was indoctrinated because of self-reflection after reading The God Virus and wondering if I had been "infected" with something that wasn't god or religion.
Does anyone on the forums have this kind of experience, being indoctrinated and then realizing it while still being in the midst of one's indoctrination?
How do you think one realizes that indoctrination has taken when one has been indoctrinated? Is it really as easy (or as hard) as self-reflection?
* I understand that explaining this to her is likely to have no effect and just piss her off.
** I concede that this might have as much to do with my goody-two-shoes personality as with being indoctrinated, but I definitely consider my attitude towards drugs to be externally imposed - through indoctrination at the grade-school age.
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
