Let's start with the assumption that the
human mind operates on physical laws just like
the rest of the universe. As a result, it is a
logical machine - it is this same property that makes it susceptible to both
propaganda and
counter-propaganda. Here are two ways to build up beliefs: 1)
Proof (
deduction) from
axioms, and 2)
Propaganda tricks.
The following is something of a recipe for building up beliefs using
the second method, the most effective probably being #3 and #6:
1. Name calling - labeling ideas or people with words that have negative connotations.
2. Glittering generalities - associating things with poorly defined concepts such as freedom or evil; associating beliefs or actions to a larger, containing group such as "Americans are killing innocent people."
3. Transference - using authority or prestige to promote statements.
4. Testimonials - endorsements from celebrities or the use of other anecdotal reasoning.
5. Plain folks - ascribing opinions to someone who is supposed to represent the average person.
6. Card stacking - presenting facts that support only one side of the argument, interspersed with straw man arguments, leaving out facts for the other side(s) whenever they are uncomfortable.
7. Band wagon - arguing for correctness based on the number of people believing it, such as "everybody is doing it," or "we're united."
This happens in all nations - including your own, no matter where you happen to be reading this. Card stacking is particularly common in debates.
However, the problem with the second type of belief is that it is a shell of a
belief structure. There isn't the same underlying support
holding up the person's logic as there is in the first case:
proof from axioms. During the
Korean War, certain people in the
intelligence community were amazed by the fact that
captured American soldiers were "
brainwashed" so much that even when they returned to the U.S. they continued to spout
communist propaganda.
I think we can honestly admit that the soldiers in almost any military organization are indoctrinated (simply because it is easier to do so), not by proof from axioms, but by a thin shell of propaganda tricks like transference and card stacking. This is weak. The counter-propaganda tricks used on the captured soldiers probably didn't have to dig very deep before the soldiers' own logical thinking process started to kick in. Granted, one-sided stacking of arguments from the opposing side was probably still used. However, even if the deeper axioms the soldiers agreed to were not very deep, it still serves as a firmer foundation to counter the more superficial methods used in traditional propaganda.