Some people are more susceptible to manipulation and indoctrination than others, and that isn’t an insult or a moral failing. It’s a well documented reality in psychology and neuroscience. People who are deeply empathetic, conflict-averse, and motivated to be “good” are more likely to internalize guilt-based messaging and moral pressure. Repeated narratives…especially emotional ones…can bypass critical thinking over time, even in intelligent people. This is happening to kind, educated, well-intentioned people…often because they care. Manipulation works best when it hijacks virtues like empathy, fairness, and compassion. Some people can become so deeply conditioned that even breaking out of it feels psychologically threatening. Their beliefs become their identity. Once the external pressure is internalized, people don’t need to be manipulated anymore, they do it to themselves through guilt and shame. You can’t argue them out of it. Because they feel that disagreement is danger. I don’t know exactly what the antidote is, but I do know critical thinking and the ability to tolerate nuance could definitely help. It’s sad when you know people are locked in a moral prison, erasing themselves emotionally in the name of virtue.