What is a “hive mind“?

It is a type of collective consciousness where individuality is stifled; a state of conformity; also written hivemind.

Another word for hive mind is collective consciousness.  Collective consciousness was a term coined in Psychology by the French sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858–1917) to refer to the shared beliefs and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society.

On March 1, 2012 the You Tube video about the quest for finding and arresting Joseph Kony was put online by Jordan Russell of the San Diego based not for profit group Invisible Children.  It has succeeded in topping the news cycle last week and reaching 71 million YouTube views.  In a very powerful, if simplistic, 30-minute video Russell presents the story of Uganda rebel leader Joseph Kony.  Kony, who for 26 years led the Lord’s Resistance Army in the jungle in and around Uganda. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court say that Kony, backed by child soldiers, comforted by girl sex slaves and fed by a campaign of terror against Ugandan villagers, has abducted, mutilated and killed tens of thousands of children and adults.

I am not here to argue the merits of the cause or to analyze the facts.  There are plenty of supposed watchdogs out there to do that.  What concerned me the most after watching the visually enticing and emotional inducing video was the power of visual propaganda and how unprotected minds could be easily manipulated.  It didn’t take long for the video to go viral and explode from a few thousands views to the now 71 million views.  The video and topic has gone viral on the Internet (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) with big name celebrities using their following to draw them to the cause.

Alex Jones believes this group is being used to perpetuate a “propaganda campaign that has put Joseph Kony on a par with Osama Bin Laden and Hitler is a crude hoax to legitimize the US military-industrial complex’s agenda to re-colonize Africa under Africom.”

Whether that is true or not or just Alex’s own propaganda I do not know.  What I do know is that the manner in which the visuals of the video manipulate such a strong visceral response confirmed my initial fears.

Propaganda Techniques are nothing new but are an ever present threat to our thoughts and beliefs.  One such technique is called Assertion – an assertion is an enthusiastic or energetic statement presented as fact, although is might not necessarily be true.  It is often implied that the statement require no explanation or backup and should be accepted without question.  Another technique, identified by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis in 1938, is called Bandwagon – Bandwagon is the appeal to the subject to “follow the crowd” and join in because so many others are as well.  By getting on the “bandwagon” they are joining the “winning side”.  The implied threat is that the subject will be left behind and be an outsider if they do not join in.

Whether it is an attack on Christianity, a conservative commentator or politician or just a subject that the MSM (mainstream media) wants to change the perspective of PROPAGANDA is the technique to use.  By the way, the timing of the 1938 report from the Institute for Propaganda Analysis had nothing to do with the most prolific users of the technique – the Nazi’s – did it?

The function of creating a hive mind or collective consciousness is to eliminate free thinking, independent minded people either by changing the way they think OR making sure they never thing again either through imprisonment or death.  The Nazis used that one too.

However, the one thing that cannot be ignored is the inherent human spirit – especially one empowered and enlightened by the Holy Spirit.