Groupthink is a mode of thinking among members of a group that forms consensuses based on a desire to minimize social conflict rather than on critical thinking and rational analysis of ideas. Because of this, groupthink often leads to blind spots, which leads the group towards making errors.
As such groupthink is not often useful in forming ones own political base -with a few exceptions, such as to prevent "heretical" factionalisms around election time. However it may be useful to utilize and promote groupthink among opponent political groups to capitalize on its error-making property. As such it would be useful to understand the anatomy of groupthink so as to be able to induce it when desirable.
According to Dr. Irving Janis groupthink has eight predominant components that are symptomatic of it. Thus to induce groupthink as many of these components should be induced as possible. From Wikipedia:
1.) Illusions of invulnerability creating excessive optimism and encouraging risk taking.
2.) Rationalising warnings that might challenge the group's assumptions.
3.) Unquestioned belief in the morality of the group, causing members to ignore the consequences of their actions.
4.) Stereotyping those who are opposed to the group as weak, evil, biased, spiteful, disfigured, impotent, or stupid.
5.) Direct pressure to conform placed on any member who questions the group, couched in terms of "disloyalty".
6.) Self censorship of ideas that deviate from the apparent group consensus.
7.) Illusions of unanimity among group members, silence is viewed as agreement.
8.) Mindguards — self-appointed members who shield the group from dissenting information.
~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink
Because the idea is to induce groupthink in opponent political groups, it would be necessary to masquerade as adherents to the opposing political view. The idea here is for Trojan Horse-style mindguards to "adopt" a subtly designed strawman version of the actual ideology, but with key flaws built into the system that are designed to be exploited. After this, an orchestrated group of the Trojan Horse-style mindguards can promote this ideology among the target group using the list of components described above.
Groupthink is a mode of thinking among members of a group that forms consensuses based on a desire to minimize social conflict rather than on critical thinking and rational analysis of ideas. Because of this, groupthink often leads to blind spots, which leads the group towards making errors.
As such groupthink is not often useful in forming ones own political base -with a few exceptions, such as to prevent "heretical" factionalisms around election time. However it may be useful to utilize and promote groupthink among opponent political groups to capitalize on its error-making property. As such it would be useful to understand the anatomy of groupthink so as to be able to induce it when desirable.
According to Dr. Irving Janis groupthink has eight predominant components that are symptomatic of it. Thus to induce groupthink as many of these components should be induced as possible. From Wikipedia:
1.) Illusions of invulnerability creating excessive optimism and encouraging risk taking.
2.) Rationalising warnings that might challenge the group's assumptions.
3.) Unquestioned belief in the morality of the group, causing members to ignore the consequences of their actions.
4.) Stereotyping those who are opposed to the group as weak, evil, biased, spiteful, disfigured, impotent, or stupid.
5.) Direct pressure to conform placed on any member who questions the group, couched in terms of "disloyalty".
6.) Self censorship of ideas that deviate from the apparent group consensus.
7.) Illusions of unanimity among group members, silence is viewed as agreement.
8.) Mindguards — self-appointed members who shield the group from dissenting information.
~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink
Because the idea is to induce groupthink in opponent political groups, it would be necessary to masquerade as adherents to the opposing political view. The idea here is for Trojan Horse-style mindguards to "adopt" a subtly designed strawman version of the actual ideology, but with key flaws built into the system that are designed to be exploited. After this, an orchestrated group of the Trojan Horse-style mindguards can promote this ideology among the target group using the list of components described above.
