I read a thread a while back about the theory of the Kingdom Hall Meeting framework applying a form of Hypnosis.
Ever since I read that I have been really mulling it over.
The Kingdom Hall Meetings have two main formats:
- Public Discourses
- Question and Answer
Public Discourses
Lectures can feel very hypnotic if they are information you already know or are not interested in. But that is not what makes Public Discourses truly hypnotic in my opinion.
From my experience, what applies hypnosis is Rhythm. Rocking chairs sooth infants for a reason: because humans are soothed by rhythmic motion, it puts the mind at ease.
So, with this in mind I have thinking a lot about how do Public Discourses apply rhythm?
The scriptures.
Now I don't really believe that this hypnosis is premeditated by the Watchtower society. It is reasonable to believe that their are many other explanations for why the audience is required to bring their Bibles and why little kids get disciplined for not looking up the scriptures.
But think about it. The application is the same 100% of the time. All the Talk Outlines have the same exact formula:
Make a a point or a few points, immediately followed by a supporting scripture.
So how does make a rhythm (think pendulum)?
Reading something is processed differently in the brain than just hearing something. Same goes along with writing, which is done by many with notes as well. Although a side point I think people that take notes are not hypnotized as much because they have to cognitively create on the fly (by putting the notes in their own words or shorthand). Which doesn't allow for the mind to be at ease as much as just getting "rocked in the chair."
So the people who aren't taking notes are in effect swinging in a mind pendulum: Hearing supporting points and then reading supporting scriptures and then hearing why the scripture was read or moving onto the next point.
Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left.
To boot, there is only a core of about 100 baseline topics (maybe?) that are ever talked about.
This happens for decades... think about it!
Question and Answer
Question and Answer is a little easier to explain why it can apply hypnosis than the above.
Think about school for a second. Think about Ferris Bueller's Day Off and many other movies who have parodied Question and Answer learning formats. They are fairly ineffective and frankly boring.
The best time you have ever had learning something is in open forum right? When the question can be added to on the fly and new questions can be asked?
The Witnesses might be naive enough to think that they are having a "discussion" but all it is is the scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off when the teacher is just putting blanks in his statement and asking the classmates to fill them in.
Anyway, the format is strikingly similar every Meeting. People RARELY deviate from the paragraph or supporting scriptures from the paragraph. It is not a stretch to call this a Rhythmic Motion of question and answer.
Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left.
Here lies the key to why the Witnesses are SO DAMN cultish and why so many members SIMPLY CANNOT transcend their doctrine without a mental breakdown.
DO NOT STOP THE PENDULUM!
At to top it off, how did your family studies go? EXACTLY THE SAME WAY right? That's because Witnesses (as well as pendulums) are exceedingly predictable.
This explains why every time I talk to a witness that is regular at the meetings that I find myself talking to someone distracted because all they see in their head is a swinging pendulum and they don't want the rocking chair to stop.
And when I talk to someone who is not regular at the meetings they are immensely more willing to talk. They are more "available."
-Sab