The Instability of Truth with Rebecca Lemov
IndoctriNation
IndoctriNation
4.8 • 566 Ratings
🗓️ 21 May 2025
⏱️ 80 minutes
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Summary
In this enlightening episode, Rachel engages in a deep conversation with Rebecca Lemov, a historian of science at Harvard University, whose research focuses on brainwashing, mind control, and hyper persuasion. As they explore the malleability of truth and identity, Rebecca shares her journey from anthropology to the history of science, where her fascination with brainwashing began during her dissertation at UC Berkeley. Together, they discuss the complexities of self-concept, especially for those who have experienced high-control environments, and how individuals often struggle to reclaim their identities after manipulation.
Throughout their discussion, Rachel and Rebecca delve into the psychological impact of coercive relationships and the disorienting effects of being told what to believe. They touch on personal anecdotes and broader societal issues, including the crisis of trust in contemporary discourse and the challenges of discerning truth in a world filled with misinformation. Rebecca emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's own experiences as a source of truth, rather than relying solely on external narratives.
As they navigate the intricacies of memory and perception, the conversation highlights the need for self-awareness and critical thinking in understanding one's place within manipulative systems. This episode serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience required to reclaim autonomy and the significance of community and support in the journey towards healing.
Purchase THE INSTABILITY OF TRUTH: Brainwashing, Mind Control and Hyper-Persuasion here:
https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324075264
Find out more about Rebecca and her work here:
Find links to Rebecca's other books & articles here:
https://histsci.fas.harvard.edu/people/rebecca-lemov
Listen to the Bob Dylan song Rebecca referenced, "A Hard Rain Is Gonna Fall" here:
https://youtu.be/T5al0HmR4to?si=w4M4ZX1yy9T4nzoO
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to indoctrination, a weekly conversation series about protecting yourself from systems of control. |
| 0:11.2 | I'm your host, Rachel Bernstein. |
| 0:13.8 | Hello, everyone. I am so happy to be able to introduce you to Rebecca Limov. She is fascinating. She is so smart. |
| 0:26.8 | It was so nice to talk to her. And she also just seems like a genuinely nice person. I hope one day |
| 0:35.6 | to meet her in person. She's a historian of science at Harvard University and has been a visiting scholar at the Max Planck Institute. Her research explores data, technology, and the history of human and behavioral sciences. |
| 0:57.9 | She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her family, |
| 1:02.0 | and her book, The Instability of Truth, |
| 1:05.7 | brainwashing, mind control, and hyper-persuasion, |
| 1:08.9 | is available through Norton. |
| 1:11.8 | You can go on to her website, |
| 1:14.5 | to her Instagram page, |
| 1:15.9 | and by her book, |
| 1:18.9 | we'll put all the links to all of this in the show notes. |
| 1:23.2 | Here's Rebecca now. Music I am delighted to have Rebecca Lamov with me today, who is going to be speaking about a lot of subjects that are near and dear to my heart and to my clients and to colleagues |
| 1:47.7 | and being able to show, I think, how malleable something is that seems like it should be |
| 1:56.9 | stationary and solid, something as important as truth, that's something you want to be able |
| 2:04.1 | to rely on and lean on and know that you can't just sort of push it over when you're leaning |
| 2:09.7 | on it, but it seems all too easy to do that. And so I would love to be able to just get into |
| 2:17.0 | our conversation, but first to have you |
| 2:19.8 | spend a moment introducing yourself. Go ahead. Thanks so much for having me, Rachel. It's |
| 2:25.0 | great to meet you. I love the way you started with the idea that this is a topic close to |
| 2:30.2 | our hearts, because I do find this to be one myself. I've been working on this for 25 years or so, |
... |
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