You're telling me. People aren't even brainwashed by specific talking points or dogmas of their parties anymore. No, it's gotten worse. Now people are brainwashed by what the establishment says hiding behind the facade of their parties. People aren't even aware of when their party is doing a complete 180 on what it stood for for decades until the last minute. And it's sad because we're in the information age where people are blessed with intelligence.
But brainwashing can happen to a smart person, and fanaticism can happen to a secular person.