Moving from Victim to Survivor in Precarious Times — A Conversation with Robert Jay Lifton, M.D.
I’ve been hosting the Influence Continuum podcast for over seven months, and I’ve spoken with guests on topics ranging from election integrity to 4th Generation Warfare and the Christian Right. It is plausible to say that I would not even be investigating any of these topics had I not encountered the work—and later met—the esteemed guest of my first ever podcast episode, Dr. Robert Jay Lifton. Dr. Lifton joined me for an urgent conversation when the show debuted back in January 2022. I owe an immense debt of gratitude to Dr. Lifton’s work and his mentorship, both of which resulted in significant milestones for me. His intellectual work, specifically Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of ‘Brainwashing’ in China, was fundamental to my deprogramming from the Moonies.…