New Film Released: "The Brainwashing Of My Dad"

[RKP5637]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/31/how-fox-news-made-my-dad-crazy.html?google_editors_picks=true

The Brainwashing Of My Dad also warns of how generations of Americans have been tricked into an angry cult-like devotion to a new conservative lord and savior: Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.

His reaction was shocking and extreme, wildly out of character. “He was so mad he threatened to pull the car over and let me hitchhike home,” she says.

It was just the beginning of a sharp change in character that, ex-hippie Senko eventually realized, coincided with her father’s increasing idolatry of the radical right-wing-media and his “hero”: talk radio lion Rush Limbaugh.

“His entire life became consumed by the agendas that were inundating him on the radio, the television, and through the mail. He joined every radical right Republican organization he could.”

Armed with a camera, she began chronicling her father’s rants and antagonistic emails so aggressive his own wife learned to stop talking politics at home. (Years later Senko’s mother slyly deprogrammed the remote controls, weaning her husband off of Fox News.) While actor Matthew Modine (who produced with Adam Rackoff) narrates much of the film, Senko frequently turns the camera on herself and interviews fellow exasperated family members to try to understand what happened.

As a result, The Brainwashing Of My Dad isn’t just about one family slowly losing a loved one to ugly political extremism. It’s also a densely packed, sometimes overstuffed examination of how shrewd strategists engineered a long-term takeover of the media on behalf of the GOP, arguing that right-wing think tanks, advocacy groups, and media outlets together achieved what the left has always refused, or been unable, to do: manipulate the minds of America.

[cyberswede]

1. That looks really interesting.

“Maybe groups will decide they want to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. Maybe there will just be a common knowledge among people that saw the movie and the next time somebody says something [citing right-wing media] they’ll say, ‘They lie. They make stuff up,’” Senko muses. “A lot of times people are intimidated and don’t want to get into a confrontation. Maybe people will fact-check their media more. Maybe the people who watch Fox News will be a little bit ashamed and think, ‘Maybe it is a little closed-minded of me to have one source.’”

Let's hope.

[RKP5637]

3. Hopefully! It seems well done! That stuff is so seductive. I think many listen not realizing the

world they are getting sucked into through the mind numbing orchestrated propaganda.

[Mnemosyne]

2. Wonder how soon available, looks great. nt

[RKP5637]

4. ... don't know, I was wondering the same. I was going to search, but I've got a pile

of things to do I've got to get moving on today.

[Mnemosyne]

22. If I find any info later will post here. Thanks RKP5637! nt

[PoliticAverse]

46. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it. There was a kickstarter campaign for the film...

that was completed on October 30, 2013, but the film still apparently hasn't been completed
as it being shown at the film festival as "a work in progress".

[RKP5637]

49. Thanks for the update! n/t

[mmonk]

7. Soon. Only a few small details left to do.

It was delayed a little due to Jen Senko getting pneumonia.

[Mnemosyne]

21. Many people need desperately to see this film. nt

[Xyzse]

5. Ah-ha! I can't wait to get this on video...

[PatrickforO]

6. I have an idea how we can deprogram these 'ditto heads'

Bring back the Fairness Doctrine.

Declare news to be a public utility free from the need to generate advertising profit, which IS a bad word in this case.

[Taitertots]

35. "Fairness doctrine" is an Orwellian joke

[Enthusiast]

38. Huge +1!

[Paladin]

8. This film should resonate with LOTS of families, with similar experiences.

Me and my family, very much included.

[RKP5637]

11. Yep, it's like a deprogramming film sort of. It's a great way IMO to illustrate to someone

what's been going on and it gets a direct family member away from being in the middle trying to explain it by themselves which I know first hand does not always work well.

[GusBob]

27. Same. My mom especially

Really turned her from being fun to just plain ol mean

[Beaverhausen]

30. Definitely mine. My dad is angry all the time about "Obama the liar and murderer"

He forwards those insane emails, but I asked him to stop sending them to me and he has but it embarrasses me to know he sends them to other people.

[Skittles]

50. coworkers too

people who parrot EVERY STUPID THING FOX NEWS TELLS THEM

[Roland99]

9. Had a neighbor that had Faux on 24/7 in his household

well, when certain sports weren't on or the kids hadn't taken over w/a Disney movie.

Anyway...

He told me he was genuinely concerned about his stocks/investments if Obama won the election in 2012. He was seriously planning for a financial downfall that would affect him personally and gravely. I mentioned that, under Democratic administrations, the stock markets have done VERY well going back decades. He was needlessly stressing.

And look where the markets are now.

Hmmmmm....

[brewens]

10. It's all been reinforced by relentless projection for years. It's really

left wing media bias they are pounded with. All librul lies all the time unless it's FOX "News" or one of their favorite hate radio perverts.

I would concede that in the past, most professional journalists would tend to be liberal. That wouldn't prevent them from doing their jobs and reporting straight news though. I don't think their was ever much of an orchestrated left-wing scheme to take over the media.

In the past, media figures were career journalists, their education and early work in the field would make it pretty unlikely they would be conservative. Business oriented conservative parents wouldn't tend to encourage their kids to go into journalism in the first place. Sure we had a majority of liberals writing for newspapers, on radio and on TV news. It was never anything like the orchestration and propagation of lies the right is pushing now.

[Volaris]

14. That's right. It used to be an organically-liberal professional field..

Fox news is the Genetically Modified version of journalism.
it's the Monsanto of Media.

[SalviaBlue]

23. That's a great description!

[BeanMusical]

12. That is so creepy!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

13. So it's finally coming out! I remember reading about a while back. I think they were trying

to finalize the funding or something like that.

[phantom power]

15. "It began when the filmmaker’s father took a new job that required long commutes"

That alone is very very interesting.

[Nay]

18. It's why lots of OTR truck drivers are right wing, too. nt

[Hiraeth]

16. The brainwashing of my brother. Same thing. Sad story.

[Nay]

20. My SIL and one BIL are RWers due to this shit. It's a sad thing. We visited mr nay's sister and

although I had no intention of discussing politics -- we were there to visit and enjoy their company -- she couldn't help herself. At least she held off until we were about to leave, but jeeze. Actual spittle was flying out of her mouth. Her 2nd husband got her into wingerism, and she sadly was very vulnerable because her first husband was an abusive asshole who made sure she didn't have any self-esteem at all by the time he was done with her.

[Hiraeth]

24. I blame his wife. She is some weird fundamentalist religion and brother was not like this until he

met and married her. Weird thing, he is so very smart but, he hangs on every word Beck and Limbaugh say. The hatred is palpable. You can actually see his BP rise as he talks. I don't even try any more ... just let him rant on until he runs out of juice. Sometimes I just walk away in the middle of it. Always tell him Love ya but, I gotta run.

[ybbor]

55. You know, I, unfortunately am the same way

My blood pressure and heart rate gets so high when I talk politics with my RW family and friends. I get so fired up because of their short-sighted and one source viewpoints.

I can't do it anymore, and I so wish I could control my emotions to have a civilized discussion. I try to stay calm and use the facts I have at my disposal, but I get so fired up.

I don't know how to become an effective steward of our cause. I blame my Irish, Polish, and German lineage as my downfall.

[demigoddess]

17. Limbaugh is classic brainwashing.

We studied brainwashing techniques in high school back in the 60s. And when I heard Limbaugh, I could see he was using those techniques. When he brings up a subject and then gets three calls that agree with him, that is a brainwashing technique. When he repeats the same subjects day after day, that is a brainwashing technique. I could see the holes in a lot of his arguments but not everyone will be able to.

[Pisces]

19. You can only manipulate sheep like minds. The left as an aggregate are not group thinkers. They are

not as easily swayed. Our tent is big, theirs is small. It is easy to make a group of people who feel their way of life is disappearing
to buy into the idea that someone is stealing it from them.

[KittyWampus]

33. You are totally wrong. All humans are "group thinkers". Ever hear of Confirmation Bias.

Some humans respond more readily to certain messaging. Right-wingers definitely do respond more to fear/anger.\

But we all tend to dismiss messages that don't mesh with our already held preconceived ideas.

And if you read the article it points out that the issue is not that only rightwingers are manipulated/manipulators… it's that the left is really bad at doing the same.

[Pisces]

34. The left is bad at manipulating because they have to manipulate a much bigger tent and a much

smarter group. Has already been proven the that liberals are smarter than conservatives.

http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1968042,00.html
http://samuel-warde.com/2014/03/scientific-proof-liberals-smarter/

It is harder to manipulate progressive thinkers. So you argue that liberals should be better at brainwashing??
They don't need to brainwash.

[Live and Learn]

56. +1 One can see the difference even on message boards.

The difference between DU and the unmentionable board is staggering. DU members offer differing and well thought out (usually) opinions while the other board is just a sounding board for inane Faux News sound bites.

[RKP5637]

40. Quite true! At least that's what I was taught at the university. n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

41. Maybe that is why none of it "stuck" with me

I have been questioning and pushing back against "authority" my whole life

[RadiationTherapy]

44. "You can only manipulate sheep like minds." That sounds like a very dangerous statement in that

no one considers themselves sheep-like. To think one's self immune from programming and brainwashing is - to me - to make one's self quite vulnerable to programming and brainwashing.

[Springslips]

61. True. Funny a subthread that. . .

Criticizes a phenomena while doing the phenomena. Talk about group think? Lets reinforce the presumption our own ideas of cogntive superiority by dissing the otherside reinforcing theirs! Truth is their is a whole lot of woo and wackiness at DU as the othersides. Even myself can get carried away with following a crowd when in retrospect the idea discussed were far from reality.

[Pisces]

65. I didn't say immune, I said it is much harder to brain wash a group who thinks for themselves.

The Republican base is very religious, and they are easy to manipulate with the idea that God is for something or against
something. Much easier to manipulate a mind that abdicates to the bible vs. using their own common sense to determine
what is right and wrong. Many won't like this answer but it has been proven.

An example of the difference are Catholic Republicans and Catholic Democrats. Repub Catholics follow doctrine exactly as written,
many of the most devout are part of Opus Dei.

Democratic Catholics are better known as cafeteria Catholics. Picking and choosing to follow what makes sense in the modern world
such as accepting homosexuality, birth control, a women's right to choose.

Self thinkers vs. sheep thinkers.

[Johnny2X2X]

25. I've lived this

I've gone through this with my mother. About 25 years ago my mother decided to get a part time job seeing as her kids were mostly raised and gone, the owner of the pharmacy she worked at during the day would blast Rush every single day from 12-3.

Over time she became so bitter and fearful that it was hard to believe this was my mother who I knew to be the most compassionate and caring person in my life. School lunch programs were a big sore spot for her, why should her taxes go to paying to feed other peoples' children? Things got worse when Obama was elected and she was now browsing Right Wing News sights like DRUDGE. Obama is a terrorist loving, America hating, Muslim to her now. I've given up discussing politics with her for several years now, I wonder what she thinks now that none of her dire predictions for the country under a 2nd Obama term have come to pass. The country is stronger, fairer, and more respected in almost every way under Obama, that is undeniable.

FOX News, Rush, and Drudge prey on the elderly and their fear. It's absolutely sickening to see what their brand of news can turn otherwise good people into. There is an entire portion of America that believes that their neighbors are their enemies because of Right Wing Hate Media. It makes my stomach turn.

And what's also sad is that they never change their paranoia and hate, even in the face of a mountain of evidence that shows all of their predictions were wrong, they simply make new predictions for the doomed near future that they think is just around the corner.

[dougolat]

26. "Mega-dittos"

I saw it happen to an intelligent, reasonable lady who drove a rural mail delivery route. The radio offered pop and country with repetitive play-lists and annoying ads, or religious rants/narcissism, all of which fade out in areas, or Rush Inc. After a few years, she became angry and combative.
The media homogenization since the '90s, in which other voices were bought out or drowned out, has been very effective, too.

[GusBob]

28. Great article thanks for posting

Nt

[AllFieldsRequired]

29. Deeply ingrained in the minds of so many it is scary. They are simply not going to be

deprogrammed, ever.

I believe the only way to deal with them is to override them politically and so on.

Everyday more Latino's become part of our population and everyday these tea party, brainwashed people become more and more fearful and angry.

Everyday more black people and gay people assert their demand to be treated equal, everyday more women do the same, and this makes them more and more fearful and angry.

[Rex]

31. Watched something like that happen to people I know that became Foxnews junkies.

They all followed a pattern; became more bitter and withdrawn from society. Short bursts of rage and irrational claims about the government. A loss of intelligence. Loss of critical thinking skills. A move toward sociopathy and for some psychopathy. Distancing from family with a different POV. Far less tolerance and compassion over all for living things.

I am happy they finally made a film about the horrid state of media in this country I hope it wakes some people up!

[Dawson Leery]

39. I have noticed that too.

Just not acquaintances/neighbors etc, but it seems that once Actors/Entertainers pass their prime, many become very right wing.

See Dennis Miller, James Wood, and James Caan.

[Adrahil]

32. Part of the problem , I think, is....

differences between how a majority of those on the left and right think.

Most (or at least many) on the left understand that pretty everything you hear or see in the "news" has a point of view, a bias, explicit or implicit, deliberate or incidental. So we understand that even the news and analysis that we view as "true" is situational.

The right is generally not burdened with such nuance. To them, the "lame-stream media" is all leftist biased. But Fox news and the right-wing media is telling THE truth.

This makes it extremely hard to actually discuss an issue with them. They view you as either duped, or one of the people doing the duping, while they stand in the light of THE TRUTH.

It's the same strategy and mind-set of the creationist movement. Reasoning is based on outcome. The validity of "evidence" is judged on the basis of whether or not it supports the desired outcome, which is assumed to be TRUE and unassailable from the beginning (in the same way creationists assume the Bible to be true and unassailable, and therefore evidence that does not support the Bible must be false, or misunderstood).

[d_legendary1]

42. Let's not forget that the right bleeds red, white, and blue

Notice how they always add buzz words like "UnAmerican" to things like Social Security, Obamacare, and Disability to get people to fight against their own interest. They always tell their followers (as opposed to an audience) that the American thing to do is work three jobs, not accepting government assistance, and submit to the authorities. As I've heard it said before, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

[Uncle Joe]

36. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, RKP.

[Ligyron]

37. It's the backlash mentality

as described in the hilarious and informative book, What's The Matter With Kansas.by Thomas Frank.

Keep their working class minions in a state of perpetual outrage, feelings of persecution and that they're loosing the culture war - all due to the Libruls, while ignoring entirely the economic.

That way they vote in Cons who cut wages, enable deregutation and union busting while cutting taxes on the uber rich. Their minions lives thus become even more miserable which is somehow further blamed on the Libs or Dems while their RW heros rail noisely, yet helplessly against cultural and social issues they can never win.

Oh, they'll put forward bills to stem abortion, protect "religious liberty" etc. but they rarely pass or are soon overturned by the courts, which is cause for further outrage. Gradually, anything resembling a moderate Republican ceases to exit as we can easily see.

Frank maintains the the Libs or Dems do the same thing in reverse. Support anti-abortion groups, Gay rights, etc., issues we here are in favor of thus electing Dems who push these social issues while largely ignoring the economics involved. Thus do we get triangulation, NAFTA, Third Way and so on because in the end it is, as with the RW GOP - all about the money. Corporate money.

[PoliticAverse]

43. Note that it still hasn't really been 'released', it's being shown as 'a work in progress',

despite the kickstarter campaign for the film being funded back in October 30, 2013.

[ananda]

45. My dad was such a sad case.

After my mom died, he married this new southern wife (and religious fundie bigot).
He spent ten years with her living in Sun City among "patriots," watlching Fox news,
and his mind narrowed and the cement of hate hardened around it.
It was hard to watch.

All we could talk about was family and the weather.

[Sam_Fields]

47. When Republicans stop Social Security and Medicare

will these angry white men be told it was the liberals fault and then spout that line when they are living under bridges?

[crazylikafox]

48. yes, of course

[valerief]

51. My brother was brainwashed. He scares me. nt

[RKP5637]

52. It's very frightening. Friends, families, acquaintances turned against each other by this

outrageousness, a concerted orchestrated campaign much as with Joseph Goebbels. I believe in free speech and all, but responsible free speech. How far is this allowed to go before it destroys a country much as Goebbels did with Germany ...

[Frustratedlady]

54. Finally! I've been calling it brainwashing for years and people looked at me like I was mad.

It won't help the situation, but I feel better!!!!

[RKP5637]

57. Same here!!! n/t

[diverdownjt]

58. I'm like you Frustrated....

Been trying for years to fight it . Both parents...my formerly very smart sister....
and everybody I work with are Ditto heads. My parents are lost in it. My dad calls
Rush "my boy". I don't remember them being radical asses when I grew up.
But now....can't bring up anything in the news or politics....it doesn't end well.
I have another sister who is still sane and we talk sometimes....more like we lament
the loss of our family to hatred.

[Frustratedlady]

63. Too bad they can't be deprogrammed. eom

[SunSeeker]

59. K & R

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

60. My father would probably disagree with their starting point

My father blames the Watts Riots (or more specifically the media coverage of it) and anti-war movement for lighting the fire in angry white men. That precedes the wave of AM stations changing formats from music to angry white asshole by quite a few years.

[Springslips]

62. What I would have done.

I am not criticizing the director as many people don't like confrontation. But I am a hothead and will not stand for bullying and disrespect. And I think others should find the strength to challenge it too; leaving rightwing assholery unchallenged only emboldens it.

I would of taken him up on the whole leave me on the street, except I am not going home but back to the train station. I am not going to stand for disrespect, and fuck him if he is going to choose rightwing assholes over family. I'd rip his ass and tell him he can call me when he understands what a jerkwald he is being. And I won't be going home until he can respect the opinion of others. Period! He can go home and tell my mother he left me on the road, which would be the last straw and he'd get his ass ripped again! That should at least bust the protective bubble his intimidation is meant to create. I'd hold firm until he calls and apologize and I'd laid down the rules: No bullying me when I have an opinion; no rightwing news on when I'm home. If not than I guess this is the end. Even going to your funeral will be optional. I simply won't take it.

We need to do this with our love ones who have been taken in. Challenge them. If they get aggressive respond with the like. ( of course, don't do this at certain places or times. Wedding, reunion, ect.) This helps burst the bubble and modernize them a bit. Especially if you can use their own words against them. ( for instance: The war on christmas sounds PC, victimization, and part of the outrage crowd that you always cry about. Now you're the whiner.)

[RKP5637]

64. Agree! Far too often they seem to be given the upper hand by default than telling then to F off.