The mind is particularly vulnerable to stress.  In fact, political conditioning thrives on induced stress—namely fear and anger.  Pavlov’s experiments famously revealed that dogs could be more easily conditioned under pressure, especially after unexpected trauma like flooding.  The same holds for people.  The fear, anger, and uncertainty induced by politicians serve to wipe minds clean, leaving people open to suggestion.  In this state, judgment is clouded.  Perhaps this is why “emergencies” never seem to end; wars, crises, and pandemics continually fuel fear, ensuring populations remain compliant.

Yet, when not clouded by stress, the advantages of peaceful cooperation are evident to everyone.  Cooperation requires sacrifice, but the rewards often far exceed the costs.  By cooperating, we temporarily set aside our immediate gains in exchange for greater rewards down the line.  This principle, though straightforward, is lost on those who have been conditioned to think otherwise.  As Bastiat once observed, “When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.”

Statism is a religion.  Unlike traditional religions, which are chosen freely, statism is imposed upon the individual.  Traditional religions bind followers to a set of beliefs and ethics; statism binds people to a system that they aren’t free to reject.  The differences between political parties—whether Stalinism versus Trotskyism or other ideological shades—are superficial.  In all cases, loyalty to the state becomes a de facto creed.  It’s a faith system, whether people recognize it as one or not.

Some individuals are incapable of adapting to peaceful cooperation.  They may lack the mental strength required for mutual respect and exchange.  Society itself depends on the majority’s willingness to cooperate; otherwise, force prevails.  When cooperation breaks down, a dangerous imbalance emerges: the majority, unwilling to cooperate, often subjugates the minority.  As Nietzsche noted, “Insanity in individuals is something rare—but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs, it is the rule.”

We cannot expect violence to disappear as long as society is governed by conditioned minds.  Many voters exhibit an almost cult-like adherence to party or nation, supporting leaders whose agendas often include coercive force.  Conditioned to see violence as a necessary means of governance, they ignore the simple truth that the very nature of power attracts those inclined toward domination.  “A good politician,” as Mencken said, “is quite as unthinkable as an honest burglar.” It is ideas, not power, that shape societies.  Rejecting the glorification of force and insisting on voluntary cooperation may be the only path to curbing oppressive rule.

References

Ludwig von Mises; Human Action

William Sargant; Battle for the Mind