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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   30625 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of September 22, 2025

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The vast majority of the MK ULTRA program files were destroyed and never released or leaked, so it’s hard to say. There were probably multiple types of techniques tested, and any that were successful were probably spun off into their own programs. In tinfoil hat circles I’ve heard of successor programs called MK NAOMI and MK MONARCH. I suspect some of the techniques of MK ULTRA or other similar programs ended up in mass media. In a democracy, being able to manipulate a huge number of people a small degree could be very useful.

The vast majority of the MK ULTRA program files were destroyed and never released or leaked, so it’s hard to say. There were probably multiple types of techniques tested, and any that were successful were probably spun off into their own programs. In tinfoil hat circles I’ve heard of successor programs called MK NAOMI and MK MONARCH.

The short list of the programs is here.

I suspect some of the techniques of MK ULTRA or other similar programs ended up in mass media. In a democracy, being able to manipulate a huge number of people a small degree could be very useful.

What the professionals were looking for were not better marketing, advertising and PR technologies, not better interrogation and torture methods. By "mind control" they meant actual mind control from pulp science fiction of the time - methods of deleting and rewriting human memory like one deletes magnetic tape, reprogramming human mind like one programs electronic computer, marvel of this age. For some reason, they felt this is the thing Free World(TM) needs to defend freedom and fight communism.

So far, there is no sign it is possible, no sign that anyone in the world has such capability. It would be truly nightmarish world if it was real, world where killing is obsolete, world where they (for value of "they" you fear and hate the most) instead of cutting your head just stick you into machine, and it will turn you into one of "them".

Being able to create real life Manchurian Candidates would be extremely valuable. If you could transform captured communists into sleeper agents. If it were real it would be a great weapon to use against our enemies.

But also yes, a nightmare if it existed and inevitably wound up being used on regular people.

For some reason, they felt this is the thing Free World(TM) needs to defend freedom and fight communism.

It's because the Soviets had the same kind of programs, and they were worried they'd get BTFO'd if the commies have working mind control, but the US does not. At least officially.

Personally I think the whole capitlism vs. communism spat was just a laboratory experiment to find out which form of managing an industrial society is more effective, but both sides would love mind control, and any other technique of reducing humans to cogs.

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