When Does Influence or a Deeply Held Belief Become Indoctrination? | Thinking Out Loud

Thinking Out Loud | Kimberly · Sep 17, 2026 · 11m · transcript

EP46: When Does Influence Become Indoctrination?

Welcome back to Thinking Out Loud! I’m Kimberly, and today we’re diving into a topic that often stirs up strong emotions: When does influence or a deeply held belief cross the line into indoctrination?

We often picture indoctrination as a black-and-white scenario involving cults or strict regimes, but what if it manifests more subtly in our daily lives? What if indoctrination is wrapped in the guise of advice, tradition, or even love? When someone tells you, “This is just how things are” or “Good people believe this,” it might not feel like…