One of the great causes of human evil is indoctrination into cruelty. One example is teaching children that animals are a kind of thing at people’s service and that we can therefore use them, abuse them, and mistreat them at our convenience. Others include that homosexuals are depraved people detested by God who must be killed or subjected to punishments to make them suffer, or that women are men’s property, and that men therefore have the right to use violence against them.
Therefore, it is advisable to avoid instilling malicious values in children, and for that it would be good to recognize children’s right not to have their minds polluted in that way. Because they belong to no one, not even their parents, but to themselves. They are not mere objects that form part of their parents’ assets, like the house and the car. In fact, rather than rights over their children, parents have responsibilities toward them, with the child’s best interests prevailing over the parents’ wishes.
In this regard, toxic brainwashing is not good for a child; what is good is developing practical skills, acquiring useful knowledge, and learning to think for oneself so that they can decide their own path, not the one their educators want.
It is a valuable asset to develop the ability to verify what is demonstrable and verifiable truth and what is not. Also, to internalize universal values that contribute to a world as fair and happy as possible, such as a culture of respect, justice, honesty, tolerance toward everything that is not abusive, consideration toward others and not harming anyone except in legitimate self-defense. Therefore, let’s instill in them day after day and year after year the ethics of kindness instead of doctrines that drive them to cause suffering to innocents. Let’s bring out the best version of themselves: a polished and shining one instead of a rusty one.
Read the DODECALOGUE OF KINDNESS
If we realize that our children are being subjected at school or in other settings to some religious, ideological, nationalist, or any other kind of indoctrination, let’s encourage them to question the truth of those ideas. Let’s ask them for irrefutable evidence for them, which they will be unable to provide.
If they see gods or angels in the sky, if they perceive demons or other abstract beings, we can ask them to show us exactly where they are or, better yet, to provide us with photos of them.
However, once a person is mentally programmed, from a certain age it can be difficult to change such brainwashing—sometimes very difficult.
The more intelligent, educated, well-traveled, and open-minded an individual is, the easier it will be for them to think for themselves and question the indoctrination they have received. Conversely, the more conservative they are and the more closed, obtuse, intolerant, and provincial the environment in which they were raised, the more they will tend to cling to the software that has been installed in that computer that is their brain throughout their childhood and youth.
LIVE WITHOUT HARMING: Preserve the good and change the harmful
There are even people who are so stubbornly attached to the narrative they were indoctrinated with that, even if we give them proof after proof, data after data showing it is incorrect, it will be useless, because it will slide off them like water off oil.
This will happen to a greater extent when they have a strong need to belong to a doctrinal community—that is, to adhere to a group and its dogmas, rules, obligations, prohibitions, rituals, and ceremonies, even if they are absurd or even extremely cruel and abhorrent.
HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT HARMING? Avoid harmful gregariousness
FOR A WORLD WITHOUT HARM: Oppose poisonous dogmatism
But not all is lost, because there are excellent remedies to free ourselves from all those constraints:
THE ART OF LIVING WITHOUT HARMING: Be rational
THE REVOLUTION OF LIVING WITHOUT HARMING: Be open-minded
BUILDING A BETTER WORLD! Strive for excellence to achieve it
LIVE WITHOUT HARMING! Turn away from the Decalogue of Evil
To improve our ability to reason for ourselves, it is highly advisable to read the following free books from the Well-Being Institute: first, the adventure story “El Secreto de Milene” (Milene’s Secret), then the action and suspense novel “Historias de Zan” (Zan’s Stories), and then “Las Técnicas del Bienestar Personal” (Personal Well-Being Techniques). Specifically, it is advisable to read the chapters devoted to Thought Training, where the rationalization of false negative beliefs that limit us and make us feel bad is explored in greater depth.
LET’S THINK FOR OURSELVES!, regardless of what we have been taught or what others think.
And, in any case, if in the end we decide to keep the indoctrination we received, it is not fair for that to condition other people’s freedom. For example, if we were taught that we must dress in a certain way for each occasion, let us apply it to ourselves if we wish, but let us not demand it of others or judge them for it.
Thank you for sharing if you believe these ideas contribute to a more evolved society,
Xavier Paya
Live Without Harming initiative
LET’S NOT HARM ANYONE, except in legitimate self-defense against the aggressor.
With the Live Without Harming initiative, we strive to prevent any kind of suffering or harm from being caused to you, your loved ones, and others.
1 Mission: A happier world
3 Goals:
1. Share scientific knowledge about wellbeing.
2. Encourage people not to cause harm.
3. Promote scientific research on quality of life.
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WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP US LEAVE A BETTER WORLD THAN THE ONE YOU FOUND?
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