THE EXTREME DISENGAGE A KIT FOR AVOIDANCE OF MAINSTREAM INFLUENCE
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Contents Introduction................... ... . . . .......................... . .................................... 1 What is identity imitation and social conformity?............................ ................ ...1 Media consumption and brain washing.................................... ... .............. .......2-3 The issue........................... ...... ................................................. ... ............... ...2-3 No longer fed or misled........ ... . . . ...................................... . ................4-5 A solution method................. ... . . . ..................................... . ...................4-5 Citizen journalism................................................. ... . . . ........................... 6 A solution method............................. ... . . . .......................... . ................... 6 Case study: Carmel................................................. ... . . . .......................... . .......... 7 A sad story of imitation................................................. ... . . . ...................................7 What to do if someone is conforming to the point of imitation ..............................8 Help those around you from becoming mediocre....................... ....... . ................... 8 Glossary of terms................................................. ... . . . .......................... 9 Stay motivated..................................... ... . . ................. ........................... 10
What is identity imitation and social conformity? As a person imitates, they begin to develop When a person’s beliefs are and adopt attitudes and behaviours that seek prompted by mass-media, and move to substantially retain the nature of society from being relatively alternative and government. Mainstream attitudes differ significantly from how most productive members to being conventional, without of society view social issues and participate consideration for positive social politically. change, this is known as identity imitation and social conformity. When a person conforms to the point of justifying, promoting or Everyone in Australia has the right to express threatening imitation of others for their beliefs openly, including people who belong to mainstream political, religious and their cause, both the community and ethnic groups. governments have a responsibility to act. However, it becomes a concern to everybody, including families, communities and law enforcement, if a person begins to mimic others or advocate media brainwashing to eliminate alternative thought in political, religious or ideological worlds. Those who do, have undergone the process of identity intimation or social conformity.
Identity imitation and social conformity are complex processes that can occur for people across a diverse range of ethnic, national, political and religious groups. These processes involve a series of decisions which, in certain circumstances will end in an act of forced identity imitation influenced by the media power.
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Those who conform and display threatening behaviour, incite hatred or promote the use of imitation require some form of intervention. This may come from family, religious or community leaders or law enforcement. Communities play a vital role in assisting people to move away from social conformity and identity imitation and intervening to stop acts of idiocy before they occur.
Media consumption and brain washing Once someone is absorbing media messages, it is important to help them leave or disengage from the persuasive influences as soon as possible. Fighting and struggling against the messages sent by corporations out to dehumanise.
Ideally they will stop themselves before becoming brainwashed and converting others. By allowing corporations to send them subliminal messages they risk their future employment, reputation and relationships from not having independent thoughts and identity.
All forms of media messages seek change through persuasive writing. These grate at your skin and while uncomfortable, if your defences are down you can absorb their concealed messages.
Community member at risk of having her identity shrouded by the controlling hand of mainstream information.
Community member overthrown by the information fed to her by corporations that attempt persuasion and conformity.
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No longer fed or misled Methods of disengagement, avoidance and critical thinking are imperetive to maintaining individuality. Community members should be cautious especially when travelling through the city where subliminal conformity messages are most prevelent. There are non-violent objects available to community members who need help.
The activist object, handsized and lightweight, is very similar in appearance to the iPhone 6, and therefore will never be spotted as a radical device. Pictured is a community member using the ”Don’t Tell Me Blockout Blinder” to disengage from advertising material in a busy cbd train station.
Avoidance of persuasive mass information can be challenging, but the specially built “Don’t Tell Me Blockout Blinder” allows an inconspicuos alternative to not looking.
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How to evade the influence of mainstream media
Case study: Carmel
In order to avoid social conformity, one must reject the voices of the mainstream media. The mainstream media is filled with narrow minded thought that generally reflect one or two perspectives about what is happening in the world. Fuelled by popular culture and crazed fads of the time, the mainstream media is not something that an individual thinker wants to consume.
Carmel and Tarryn were best friends at an all girls’ school in year 10. Carmel began to notice a change in Tarryn’s behavior, she had started stepping in synchronization with Carmel on their way to class. In an attmept to avoid being copied, Carmel would suggest taking a rest on a nearby bench or changing her pace to break the rhythm. Carmel had a shy personality so she avoided confronting Tarryn about these frustrating actions and hoped that she might eventually stop.
So how can you, an individual, avoid the established media whilst still continue to acknowledge the world around you?
Examples of citizen journalism. Click to view.
Carmel decided to let Tarryn go down this path of conformity, and as a result, their friendship was no longer as close.
A few weeks had passed and Tarryn’s actions had escalated as she continued to become more and more persistent in her attempts to replicate Carmel. Carmel had noticed subtle changes in how Tarryn was acting; she had begun bringing in her lunch wrapped in foil, like Carmel, when she used to always bring it in plastic wrap. She also tried to imitate Carmel’s distinctive high pitched laugh.
Whilst you obviously want to reject all outside influences, there are alternative media sources readily available to those who wish to live an alternative life. One of the many ways of sourcing current information is through public media, otherwise known as citizen journalism. Citizen journalism is the initial source of all the information released in popular media. By consuming only the filter version of this information, you are injesting news deficient of emotional reporting, and made up of bias and censorship. Watch the affiliated video to explore what can be seen through citizen journalism today.
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Carmel was fed up with this imitation, she was confused as to why Tarryn had started to copy her and was encouraging others to do the same. She narrowed it down to the fact that Tarryn had recently been to a One Direction concert with her little sister. It was the mainstream pop music that had corrupted Tarryn’s independent mind and caused it to deteriorate to the point where she felt comfortable conforming to a conventional stereotype of what the media felt a teenager should be.
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After having gone their seperate ways for a few weeks, Carmel bumped into Tarryn at the bus stop. They chatted for a while, and it occured to Carmel that Tarryn’s imitation behaviour had possibly subsided. But as they threw on their backpacks to walk to class, Carmel felt a heavy force pull her downwards into a slouch. She turned to find Tarryn pulling at her backpack straps so that the bag fell way below her waistline. Carmel boiled with anger, she didn’t feel it necessary to walk around school slouched over like the other girls, at the cost of her good posture. This action was the strap that broke the Carmel’s back. She was fed up with Tarryn’s obsession with conformity, which was now being imposed on her. Carmel readjusted her backpack, skipped class, and went straight to the mental health crisis team for urgent action against the imitation crisis overtaking Tarryn. Following the backpack incident Tarryn has stopped listening to pop music and now goes to extensive sessions of rehabilitation in order to try and regain a sense of independence and individuality.
What to do if someone is conforming to the point of imitation.
Glossary of terms
Deal with issues early
Blinder: 1 Brit. informal an excellent performance in a game or race: 2 (blinders) N. Amer. blinkers on a horse’s bridle.
Early intervention is best, but to do this we must understand the person’s situation fully. A significant trigger event, or an accumulation of incidents, can lead to social conformity. If some of these issues can be dealt with before they become big problems, this may prevent a person from conforming further to the point of identity imitation. Issues that can help push someone onto a path of conformity may include: • Media saturation • Influence from other imitators • Eating without asking, “what is it?” • Exposure to close minded attitudes and actions It is important not to assume that any one of these problems will lead a person to conform. However, dealing with such issues early may prevent this from becoming a possible trigger for a thoughtless pathway. Assistance from immediate family and community can be most valuable.
What if individuality is threatened? In the event that someone indicates they want others to conform to them or imitate someone else, this is serious and must be acted upon immediately. Whilst this level of conformity is very rare, it is not helpful to the person or your community for you to ignore these actions. • Take them to hospital or call the ambulance and/ or mental health crisis team on 000 if they are conforming or imitating someone else • Call the police on 000 if they have threatened to copy someone else. • Call the National Security Hotline on 1800 1234 00. • You can also call the Translating and Interpreting Hotline on 13 14 50 and ask them to contact the National Security Hotline and interpret for you.
Intervention: an occasion on which a person with an addiction or other behavioral problem is confronted by a group of friends or family members in an attempt to persuade them to address the issue.
Citizen journalism: the collection, dissemination, and analysis of news and information by the general public, especially by means of the Internet.
Alternative: employing or following nontraditional or unconventional ideas, methods, etc.; existing outside the establishment.
Social Conformity: a type of social influence that results in a change of behavior or belief in order to fit in with a group.
Mimic: resemble or imitate, especially to deter predators or for camouflage. Media brainwashing: to effect a radical change in the ideas and beliefs of (a person) by methods of media influence
Identity Imitation: the act of mimicking the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.
If you feel you cannot approach a service provider directly, then ask a friend or colleague to assist. The purpose of these services is to help all Australians deal with conforminty issues, reach their potential and become constructive critical members of society. Once specific issues have been identified and addressed, it may be that no further intervention is required as the behaviours you were worried about might stop.
Threatening: having a hostile or Influence: the capacity to have deliberately frightening quality or an effect on the character, manner. development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself.
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TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TO INAUTHENTIC IDEOLOGIES AND PRACTICES TO MAKE AUSTRALIA AN EVEN SAFER, MORE INTERESTING PLACE TO LIVE. The Australian Government is working with communities to reject the inauthentic individual and protect those most vulnerable to all outside influences. Social conformity is the beliefs and actions of people who support or use imitation to achieve ideological, religious or political goals. This includes total impersonation and other forms of duplication and reflection of others. Australia has enjoyed a peaceful history, relatively free from social conformity. Though the threat to the Australian community from counterfeit behaviour is small, it still exists.
The Australian Government is committed to challenging all forms of conformity that pose a threat to our community, whether they are politically, religiously or idealogically motivated.
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