It is real good to hear Gregg's son is recovering. Get well soon!

As I continue to explore the topic of choosing beliefs, I am now focusing on
escaping ideologies.

I am collecting testimonials of people who were once captivated by some
ideology, and then saw the light and escaped that ideology. I am considering
ideology broadly to include any situation where a person abandons their own
critical thinking skills and adopts some doctrine of beliefs as their own.
This includes personal loyalties, continuing (limiting) beliefs in myths,
legends, traditions, and taboos; caste systems (including racism and
sexism), economic dogma, political ideologies, religions, quackery,
pseudoscientific beliefs, commitment to conspiracy theories, and new
religious movements. If you have a source of such stories, I will appreciate
learning about it.

My primary request is this:

Please let me know of any reliable references on the general topic of
escaping ideologies.

I have read several books on how we form beliefs, defending beliefs, holding
onto beliefs, cognitive dissonance, self-justification, escapes from
religion, and cults. What I don't yet understand is the factors that
differentiate those who leave from those who double down and stay. For
example, if you could interview 100 cult members, what information would you
seek, and what questions would you ask to predict who would leave and who
would double down after a few years?

Thanks for your help on this.

Lee Beaumont 

 


############################

To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1