Kev-uhn

Kevin Castor

Mrs. House / Mr. Conner

English 2H; Period 1

20 May 2016

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I’ll Follow You into the Dark

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    A sheep herder without sheep, is merely a person, it isn’t until that individual can obtain sheep that one may call themselves a herder. In Nazi Germany circa World War II, the Nazi’s convinced the German population through propaganda and other tactics by exploiting their oblivious nature as seen in Hitler’s speeches and other Nazi work. Additionally, Russian dictators such as Stalin manipulated their followers into complete submission through mental and physical force, as well as the allegorical version Napoleon and Squealer from Animal Farm. Power can be used effectively by leaders only if they’re able to manipulate and force their followers into submission through brainwashing by using propaganda and law enforcement.

    During the Holocaust, Hitler and the Nazi’s were able to slaughter the Jewish population solely because of the Nazi party’s ability to effectively manipulate Germany people’s perspective on the Jews through propaganda and exploiting humanity’s inherent oblivious nature. The nefarious but effective Hitler believes his success was due to how “people don’t think” (“Adolf Hitler”). Leaders are only leaders when they have followers to take charge of, but a majority of followers are easily tricked into believing in malicious content through persuasive convincing. In order to be efficacious, a leader must be able to have blind followers in order for them to become fully obedient to the intentions and motives of the leader. Furthermore, the Nazi party published a children’s book with the intention of poisoning the children with anti-Semitic morals: “Yes, my child! Just as a single poisonous mushrooms can kill a whole family, so a solitary Jew can destroy a whole village, a whole city, even an entire Volk” (Hiemer). The book is meant to teach virtues and good habits, however it advocates the destruction and discrimination of Jewish people. Total control is derived from the people, with followers that with the same watchword as the leader, the leader can effectively pursue anything they desire with a large support group. All in all, the use of mind control and brainwashing through exploiting humans mentally rewards leaders with a submissive and blind army to achieve whatever it is they desire.

    Leaders during the Russian Revolution, both in the allegory Animal Farm and history, seize control over their followers’ freedom to create obedient workers and supporters through physical and mental force. Leaders such as Stalin, utilized armed forces such as the KGB in order to force workers into submission (Voron). In the image, women and men are being forced to work by the government officers who appear to be holding weapons. The people are left with no other option but to obey, if not they will be liberated through death. Willful and submissive followers are essential to any effective rule, in order to have the people work towards the action they must be controllable whether or not forcefully done so. Additionally, Animal Farm-the allegorical tale of the Russian Revolution-describes the watchword of the leaders at the time through their allegory of Stalin and propaganda, Squealer and Napoleon. The watchword of the pigs revolves around “weakening the instinct by means of which free peoples know what is or is not dangerous” (Orwell).The pigs in control of the farm preach and advocate their motivation which results in the animals following in the virtues of the leaders. By controlling what followers perceive as a threat, gives the leader control over what they will do, follow, and appropriate at ease. Leaders, both allegorical and real, utilize brutal mental and physical enforcement to create an obedient and controllable society willing to take action in any of the leader’s desires.

    Power can only be effective when a leader can gain control over the people through oppression and exploitation by propaganda and persuasion. During the Holocaust, the Nazi party turned an entire country  anti-Semitic through utilizing human obliviousness and brainwashing. Stalin was able to turn Russia into a military power only by oppressing the people into forced submission and obedience. Squealer and Napoleon achieved their goals on the farm, changing its entire infrastructure only by obtaining the willing and blind followers by forcing labor. When one has the control over others, one has the power and potential to even obliterate the universe with effectiveness and efficiency. The herder can’t herd, unless the sheep are willing to follow.