What is less harsh than "brainwashing"?

Solution 1:

The word "institutionalized" is sometimes used euphemistically to refer to a successful organisational attempt to control people's thinking and belief systems. e.g. They have been institutionalized. Sample articles that use it thus:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate-employees-who-have-been-institutionalized-you-mele

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/791525-humanity-has-been-institutionalized-and-we-are-all-the-products

Solution 2:

There is 'Indoctrination'

Indoctrination - noun

1 - the act of indoctrinating, or teaching or inculcating a doctrine, principle, or ideology, especially one with a specific point of view: religious indoctrination.

www.dictionary.com

Solution 3:

Consider,

molding/(Chiefly BrEng) moulding.

mold: to shape or influence; give direction to; mold public opinion Wordnet by Farlex

conditioning

condition: train or accustom (someone or something) to behave in a certain way or to accept certain circumstances: Oxford Dictionaries

training

As in, We've been trained (through advertising, media exposure, etc.) to fear/hate certain things and to be attracted to others. Google

train

a. to coach in or accustom to a mode of behavior or performance.

b. to cause (a plant or one's hair) to take a desired course or shape, as by manipulating. AHD

Solution 4:

Consider inculcation:

inculcate: to teach (others) by frequent instruction or repetition; indoctrinate

(AHD)

Another alternative not yet mentioned is ingraining:

teaching or impressing upon the mind by frequent instruction or repetition

(WordNet)