Brainwashing or Gaslighting?

The Real Cost of Those Eggs pt.53

Gaslighting and brainwashing are both forms of psychological manipulation, but they differ significantly in intent, methods, and outcomes. Here's what I found   

(from Psychology online)

 Brainwashing

• Goal: To radically change a person’s beliefs, values, or behaviors—often to align with a specific ideology or agenda.

• Methods: Isolation, sleep deprivation, repetition, indoctrination, and coercion.

• Context: Commonly used by cults, authoritarian regimes, or extremist groups.

• Outcome: The victim adopts new beliefs and may become a vocal supporter of the manipulator’s cause

 Gaslighting

• Goal: To make someone doubt their own reality, memory, or sanity.

• Methods: Denial, contradiction, trivializing experiences, lying, and distorting facts.

• Context: Often occurs in personal relationships or hierarchical dynamics (e.g., boss-employee).

• Outcome: The victim feels confused, anxious, and insecure, often questioning their own judgment and perception

        Is it not bad enough that we have a President who lies with every breath he takes? Who will look right into the camera and tell you that January 6th was a “beautiful day of love” or his constant whimper of how the 2020 election was rigged against him, all just to stroke his ego?

Then there is this Holy Grift. Makes me ask the question: Does Heaven take American Express?

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On, Charlie Kirk's podcast hosted by VP J.D. Vance and deputy chief of staff Steven Miller, both proclaimed.

Again, and for the last time, nobody wanted Charlie Kirk dead. This idea flashes me back to Sept. 11th, 2001, when someone said.

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            Early in his second term, Trump started to push to reshape American history which stems from his belief that current narratives are overly critical, divisive, and ideologically driven. All this is in line with,

wait for it  

Project 2025 Blueprint: Backed by the Heritage Foundation, the plan aims to permanently reshape federal institutions, including cultural and historical agencies. It’s designed to ensure that conservative values dominate public history and education for decades—even beyond Trump’s presidency.  Trump allies are working to appoint board members and agency heads who align with this vision, ensuring long-term control over how history is curated and presented

Let’s talk Trump bullshit

(gaslighting)

Attacking and delegitimizing institutions that record facts

Example: labeling major news outlets “the enemy of the people,” suing newspapers, and publicly denigrating reporters and judges — moves that reduce public trust in independent fact-checking and reporting. The Washington Post+1          

 Removing or burying inconvenient evidence

Example: a 2024 DOJ/NIJ study showing that far-right extremists accounted for far more ideologically motivated killings was taken down from the DOJ site in mid-September 2025, which critics say reduces public access to inconvenient data. (Archived copies remain, but removal itself fuels doubt and confusion about what’s true.) The Guardian+1

Rewriting recent history or claiming responsibility for outcomes that aren’t true

Example: public statements that recast who caused or ended events (claims about foreign wars or outcomes that conflict with reporting and official records). Rewriting the narrative lets supporters believe a different version of events. 

“Flood the zone” — overwhelming the information environment

Example: using a massive volume of contradictory statements, lawsuits, competing narratives, and social posts so the public can’t easily sort truth from falsehood. This tactic makes people give up trying to verify and accept the version they prefer.

Selective moral framing and shifting blame

Example: focusing public blame on the “radical left” for political violence while downplaying or questioning data that shows a larger share of violence comes from the far right — a rhetorical pattern that changes which threats the public sees as real. The removal of DOJ material and the rhetoric around some recent attacks are cited by critics as part of this

Don’t Look Here

(Brainwashing)

Relentless repetition of simple messages — repeating a few clear slogans or claims until they feel true (e.g., “rigged,” “fake news,” “drain the swamp,” “the left is violent”). Repetition turns complex realities into easily shareable emotional certainties. Large rallies, social posts, and sympathetic media amplify the repetition.

Creating an “us vs. them” identity — framing politics as a moral struggle and defining an enemy (the media, the left, academics, “elites”). That strengthens group cohesion and makes dissent feel like betrayal. Scholars and commentators have repeatedly documented this rhetorical move in Trump’s messaging. 

Emotional arousal and theatrical performance — rallies, dramatic language, and spectacle produce strong emotions (anger, pride, fear) that make people less likely to process information critically and more likely to form lasting beliefs tied to identity. 

Rewarding loyalty / punishing dissent — public praise of loyal voices, amplification of friendly media, and legal/political pressure on critics discourages independent voices and encourages conformity inside the movement.

 I'm sure I have been preaching to the choir, and yes, it gets overwhelming when there’s a constant stream of spin, denial, or outright falsehoods. Surviving Trump’s lies and bullshit is about building strong filters, protecting your mental clarity, and keeping a solid footing in reality. 

(I find that Gummy's work as well as Tequila)

                                          

  Sept. 17th. 2025

        The Avg. price of 1 doz. Grade A eggs Nationwide are $3.11 down .02 cents since 9/13/25

        The avg. price of 1 gallon of regular gas Nationwide is $2.94, down 0.04 cents since 9/13/25 

  Elections have Consequences, get involved and tell

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