Absolutely good versus absolutely evil

The concept of thought control called a "demand for purity" divides the world into absolutely good versus absolutely evil, as well as pure versus impure, us versus them, and so forth. It demands that "Everything contributing to the state of 'impurity/evil/them' must be searched out and eliminated." It is said that this also "creates [an] environment of guilt and shame."

In the October 29, 2001, article "Mind Control in the New Kind of War", Jan Baughman writes


 * In response to the 9-11 attacks, an expert on cults and mind control, Steven Hassan, warned of the danger of jumping to evil conclusions. In his statement he explains the indoctrination that can lead an individual to join a cult, or to become a suicide bomber. Part of the cult mentality is that people see things in terms of black and white. Everything gets reduced to extremes: belief of 'good versus evil' and 'us versus them.' Cult members are indoctrinated to exercise strict blind obedience to the charismatic figure atop the pyramid structure of their group. They are in a form of trance. Basically it's mind control.' Hassan described the cult-like nature of the attackers, but what about the behavior of the rest of us?

Examples of words and phrases
(See individual articles for further analysis.)

Recent examples of words and phrases demonstrating this concept come from the numerous speeches made by President George W. Bush and members of the Bush administration regarding the motives and motivation of terrorists and the war on terrorism allegedly connected to not only the events of September 11, 2001, but also to subsequent activities. These examples include the repetition -- an incessant litany -- of the following words and phrases:


 * Axis of evil (evil)
 * cult of evil (evil)
 * clear and present danger (evil)
 * danger to civilization (evil)
 * designs and power of evil (evil)
 * enemies of freedom/"enemies of freedom are not idle" (evil)
 * evil-doers (evil)
 * evil empire (evil)
 * evil knows no borders, no boundaries (evil)
 * evil ones (evil)
 * fight against evil (evil)
 * freedom-loving people (good versus evil)
 * innocent victims (evil versus good)
 * instruments of evil (evil)
 * motivated by hate (evil)
 * out of evil comes good (good versus evil)
 * terrorist cell (evil)
 * War on freedom (evil)
 * we will not rest/we will not stop/we will not tire (good versus evil)
 * weapons of mass destruction (evil versus good)
 * we're a compassionate nation (good versus evil)
 * why do they hate us? (evil versus good)

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * adjectives and adverbs
 * capture of Saddam Hussein
 * conspiracy theory
 * fear
 * media control
 * mind control
 * Neurolinguistic programming
 * power of persuasion
 * Reckless escalation of adversity
 * The Bush Theocracy
 * think tank
 * Using fear as a political tool
 * weapons of mass destruction