Lesson #0

> To be resistant to brainwashing, first be OK with being a constant weirdo (2025.10.06)

Season 3 episodes 4 to 6 of Mob Psycho 100 is basically about brainwashing. The evil spirit, Ekubo, was a cult leader who, after being almost completely exorcised, befriended the protagonist, Mob. However, an evil spirit is an evil spirit and he somehow possesses this giant broccoli, regains his powers and immediately starts brainwashing people. Mob must have felt lonely in that moment since the entire world was against him, but there was one guy, Hanazawa, who resisted possession to a greater extent than others. I guess these episodes got me thinking about peer pressure, social norms and advertisements. Advertisements are only effective if your behaviors are similar to the average of people with your characteristics, right? Would that not imply that if you dare to be yourself instead of bowing down to what others expect of you to maintain some arbitrary image, then it would be a lot more difficult to pin you down and be targeted?