He wrote: "All nationalists have the power of not seeing resemblances between certain sets of facts. Actions are held to be good or bad, not on their own merits, but according to who does them" (p. 369).

The projective mechanisms inherent in beliefs, or delusions such as "they" are going to destroy us or "they" are plotting against us, are not realized as such. Nationalist thinkers do not see the similarity between their fears, their desires and their perception of the world.

"Indifference to objective truth is encouraged by the sealing off of one part of the world from another, which makes it harder and harder to discover what is actually happening" (Orwell, p. 371). Ergo the self-sealing mechanism, one which Riebel explores deeply. She makes the point that theory becomes ideology, that is no longer is changeable or truth seeking, when it refuses reality and bends all objective information and challenge to fit its particular view of the way things work and are. We have all had the experience of attempting to reach someone, only to have each of our arguments turned to suit the needs of the other person. Illogical as it is to us, it is perfectly reasonable to the other person, despite adult information and logical argument.

"...there are facts which are both true and untrue, known and unknown. A known fact may be so unbearable that it is habitually pushed aside and not allowed to enter into logical processes, or even, on the other hand it may enter into every calculation and yet never be admitted as a fact" (Orwell, p. 370)

This is related, also, to Robert Jay Lifton's criteria for totalism, that is total control, and thought reform, or brainwashing. It is characteristic of what he called sacred science. By this Lifton ( 427-429) meant that the organization has developed an ideology that it believes embodies a universal truth, and its authority comes from a source that transcends humankind. It is considered to be sacred and flawless. Therefore, the act of questioning, doubting, or disagreeing is prohibited; it is considered to be an indication of a personality flaw or an essential unworthiness.

This has been a characteristic of the secular, political religions of the 20th century, e.g. Marxist-Leninism, Fascism. It is the belief that because we follow a certain theory, we are better than anyone else. Perhaps it is also true of fundamentalist Christianity, Islam and Judaism as well. But in the end it is no longer a theory. It is rather... an ideology.

Riebel's ideas can also be related to the be perfect in driver Kahler's article published on TAJnet at http://tajnet.org/articles/kahler-capers-miniscript.html :

When a person is under the influence of his "be perfect" counterscript driver, he strives for perfection, or expects others to do so. He may use big words, tell more than he is asked to tell, or cover all the bases. He believes he has to give a great deal of information so that people will understand him "just right." He is under the misconception that if he is not perfect, that means that he is not-OK. The pedantic caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland who demanded perfect grammar symbolizes "Be perfect." (see http://tajnet.org/articles/kahler-capers-miniscript.html under Counterscript Drivers).

Alan Jacobs, Editor.
May 11, 1999

References:

Capers, H; Kahler T. (1974). The miniscript. Transactional Analysis Journal, vol. 4, no. 1. Pp. 27-42
and: Capers, H; Kahler T. (1974). The miniscript. TAJnet, http://tajnet.org/articles/kahler-capers-miniscript.html

Lifton, R. J. (1989). Thought reform and the psychology of totalism: A study of brainwashing in communist China. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. (First published, 1961, W. W. Norton & Co.)

Orwell, G. (1968). As I please: Notes on nationalism. New York: Harcort Brace Jovanovich.

TAJnet reprint of the 1996 article Self-Sealing Doctrines, the Misuse of Power, and Recovered Memory by Linda Riebel...