The internet and specifically social media is full of propaganda, free speech, lies, truth. What we are exposed to is all too often content we didn’t choose, content not aligned with our values, freedoms, intellect.
To thrive online in any sense of the word is to see the nuance in another’s meme, words, opinion and use some restraint in how we let another’s opinion have control over our feelings. The proof in seeing nuance is choosing to not respond to a lie, but rather using free speech to reveal truth where there is a lie. Nuance determines a thought direction that is less linear than critical.
Propaganda is why we indulge in the social media binge
Your “selfie” can be construed as propaganda where you present a version of yourself to the public you want the public to see and relate to. Its fantasy. All too often a version of yourself you “love”, but far from the version you are. Now that’s a bit shallow of me to say and not a fair statement to many I follow online who simply communicate their legitimate happiness to the digital world or more precisely their family and friends.
Propaganda is a weapon 1st and foremost.
The Military has used leaflets dumped from aircraft in an effort to sway the beliefs of people caught up in a war of information. Those leaflets today are social media posts from people, from bots, who aim to influence, even dictate your values, beliefs and morals.
“The proof in seeing nuance is demonstrated by choosing to not respond to a lie but rather use free speech to reveal the truth where there is a lie”
Here’s and example:
Is the Ghost of Kyiv real? I don’t believe so. And pictures on the internet don’t make it so. But, the idea bolsters strength through belief. I wish there was a Ghost of Kyiv. When and if I am wrong, I will stand corrected. Respectfully. The Ghost of Kyiv is propaganda designed to erode the will of Russian military and elevate the morale of the Ukrainian population. Does it work? I don’t know. Add to that pictures of destruction and label it “the enemy”. It’s really hard to tell. This propaganda serves a greater good.
Just because I don’t believe in BigFoot doesn’t mean I feel a need to put up a sign in downtown Willow Creek, Ca. making a statement that could compromise their very source of tourism.
I watched a missile slam into an apartment building in Kyiv and thought “That could be anybody”. The press and social media said its Russians that shot it. I am inclined to think it’s a SAM that misfired.
I saw video of Russian paratroopers changing into Ukrainian military uniforms. That is highly likely. But not verifiable.
Trump claiming Putin is a genius is propaganda. Trump making the statement Russia would have never invaded Ukraine servers only to keep the nation divided. Purely hypothetical. A typical statement founded on the philosophy of spreading doubt, distortion and a focus on the past that drives all authoritarian leaders. I could take the statement and build a dismal outcome if say Trump was reelected, the US broke up NATO and turned a blind eye on Russia’s planned advance. Russia and Ukraine have been at each others throats since 2014. This invasion was coming one way or another.
Remember why Trump was impeached the 1st time? For extorting Zelenskyy in exchange for fabricated dirt on Biden. That really happened. Trump withheld weapons and funding from Zelenskyy in order to gain an edge in the 2020 election. And it was the GOP who voted to not convict. Why? How? Propaganda and flat out Gaslighting a nation. Trump is a prototypical fascist. I don’t use that word as a perforative. It’s okay to choose fascism, communism, socialism. They all have their upsides.
But beware when threatening to take a democratic republic away from its citizen’s. Ukraine is a great example. It’s impossible to sustain a fight based on a lie. Putin is leanring that and sadly the world will never, ever be the same.
I for one will state, fascism is pure evil. Better off in a communist society if I had to choose between the two.
I remember an old friend telling me he had proof that Hunter Biden was in collusion with Ukraine. I asked to see the proof. He showed me pictures he found on the internet of emails. He literally believed that since it was on the internet, it was true. A few days later I published a website, complete with his admission of being a right-wing Nazi who hated Jews, complete with deep fake images of him in a Nazi uniform that look like it was produced yesterday. Of course I didn’t actually make this webpage public, but when I showed him… it literally changed his life. Freaked him out. He could suddenly see how anything can be manufactured, produced on the internet very quickly, in an effort to ruin another’s character and life for the sake of obtaining a false sense of elevation or furthering a self serving lie at a nations expense.
I don’t know if Hunter was ever in collusion with Ukraine. What evidence that exists is thin in merit. What I do know is those who believe it are confirming a bias. At best. At worst revealing they will believe anything from anyone they perceive, in their mind, as a leader.
I’m not an expert on Ukraine or even world affairs, but BS propaganda pisses me off.
Putin claims Ukraine isn’t a legit country. That is his belief, but not an argument as much as it’s a framing device or a “technical argument”. Certainly not a reason to invade. I could say Canada is not a legit country because it’s a creation of the UK. Fair enough. As an argument, it’s ridiculous, but technically it’s debatable. How that would make Canada a threat is a very far flung concept.
History shows Ukraine existed long before the USSR. Ukrainian history goes way back before 1918. Ukraine has a rich history of medieval, early modern events. There was a national movement in the 19th century. Ukraine has existed within normal European parameters long before the USSR. Even before Russia.
So Ukraine didn’t get created in any sense when the Soviet Union was created. It was already there. It already had a self-representing history.
Food for thought and a slight deviation here is this question: The history of Palestine and Israel. This is a really good topic with rich debate, but one that allows for a deep understanding of how history is twisted and distorted in order to gain influence and survive.
The USSR and Russia are two separate ideas. Prior to 1921, Russia was peasants, farmers to oversimplify the breadth of Russian history. The USSR was not “Russia” but rather an Internationalist plan, created separately from Russia.
It was the USSR who recognized **The Ukraine and not the other way around.
Lenin could see the influence and strength of Ukraine. The people, after all, fought and died for their country “Ukraine”. The USSR had this question back then that Putin is running with today and that’s the very question of “who is Ukraine?” This very question is what formed the USSR… not Ukraine. Putin has it backwards by historical standards.
Ukraine “was” part of Russia. But the former Russian state declared its independence in 1917 as a republic within the structure of a federated Russia upon the fall of the Russian Empire.
“The USSR had this question back then that Putin is running with today and that’s the very question of “who is Ukraine?” This very question is what formed the USSR… not Ukraine. Putin has it backwards.”
Putin’s argument is “propoganda”. Claiming Ukraine is run by Nazi’s and drug addicts is unverifiable other than its Putin’s opinion. I would have to jump through many hoops and ignore facts in an effort to “believe” Putin. I would have to believe in Putin’s rhetoric at face value in spite of observable data.
The USA has a ton of Nazi’s and drug addicts. The USA is a bigger threat than Ukraine. Why not invade the USA? That would make more sense. Crazy? Well, yes.
When Putin tells the Ukrainians to not let their Women, Parents, Children become shields in the fight for Ukraine and against Ukrainian Nazi’s, that dovetails with Russian Paratroopers changing into Ukrainian uniforms. It’s not unreasonable to think that Putin is setting up his plan to literally kill civilians (it’s already happened).
Propaganda often projects the intensions and character of the source. When another accuses one of lying without supporting the accusation or of being members of a far right Nazi party without substantiating the claim, this is all too often “Projection”. What is projection?
From the Wiki: In its malignant forms, it is a defense mechanism in which the ego defends itself against disowned and highly negative parts of the self by denying their existence in themselves and attributing them to others, breeding misunderstanding and causing untold interpersonal damage. A bully may project their own feelings of vulnerability onto the target, or a person who is confused may project feelings of confusion and inadequacy onto other people. Projection incorporates blame shifting and can manifest as shame dumping.
Hitler did the very same thing in 1939 when he invaded Poland. He charged Poland with illegitimacy. Borders didn’t matter. Hitler promised a better Germany and taking back what he felt was Germany’s was a good plan according to much of the German populace until their world literally blew up. It’s important to understand that the common German in 1938 was only fed the narrative of Hitler. He promised jobs and prosperity and demonized Poland and Jews. Hitler proved it was really easy to control and influence huge numbers of people if they perceive a patriotic duty and a central authority figure.
Another example are cults like James Jones and the Peoples Temple cult, or Marshall Applewhite and the “Heavens Gate” cult. David Koresh of the “Branch Davidians“. The tactic is to present a mythic past and a plan to obtain a future utopia while pitting or I should say, triangulating between the followers, the savior and those who want to bring them/you/everyone down.
Putin said the fall of the USSR was the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century. Many claim Putin wants to rebuild the Warsaw Pact, or bring back the USSR. I’ver read Putin is in this perpetual state of brooding over the humiliation he felt upon the collapse of the Soviet Union and his status. I don’t know. What I can see is Putin, like Hitler is driven by a personal vendetta against Ukraine and uses distortion and propaganda in setting up his future trials of Ukrainian leadership where death or a life in a labor camp awaits Ukrainian leadership. Putin is setting up genocide the same way Hitler did by presenting the Ukrainian’s as a problem. They are in the way of a greater Russia.
Hitler like Putin pretended to favor democracy when they were elected but what ensured was Authoritarianism. I would argue Putin is not a communist but rather an Authoritarian, Fascist dictator. What good and prosperity Putin brought to Russia is all but gone today. He has literally sent Russia back a decade due to his own psychological blocks and isolation.
Viktor Orbán of Hungary used the slogan “Make Hungary Great Again”. Hungary was once a democracy. Until 2010. Today elections happen every 5 years but they are run by the military. Orbán remaining in office since 2010. Although the economy has improved, he continues to close down any kind of liberal institution, running the nation based on Christian principles where homosexuality or LGBTQ is outlawed. I remember in 2011 how he introduced the “Fundamental Law of Hungary” which states:
“Patriarchy is a virtuous past practice whose protection from liberalism must be enshrined in the fundamental law of the country.”
The country is founded upon a Saint Stephan who made Hungary part of Christian Europe over 1k years ago. Hungary enforces Christian principles upon its people. All about “heritage”. The law of Hungary states that everyone must have an abiding need for spiritual and intellectual renewal.
Important detail to understand: In fascist politics, myths of a patriotic past, perceived to be threatened by encroaching liberal ideals, function to create a sense of panic at the loss of self perceived hierarchal status, mainly for men and for the dominant group’s ability to protect its idea of purity and status from an assigned foreign encroachment. All of it literally “made up”. Based on feelings and beliefs where verifiable facts are ignored.
Slogans are propaganda. Telling the people what they want to hear and not delivering.
Propaganda is a method of setting up an outcome dependent on distortion and inaccuracy.
Look, I believe in God. I am certain Jesus was in fact God. But that’s after studying scripture formally and through that process seeing religion and fundamental Christianity for what it is. Propaganda.
So far, Putin is making his moves straight out of Hitlers playbook. The hope I have is this advance on Ukraine will be too expensive and prevent any further advances on former Warsaw Pact counties or countries that are not members of NATO.
And to our countries in NATO: We can’t just expand influence without consequence.
In closing, the truth always comes out. It just takes time. Take note of the small lies a leader tells. Small ones you might ignore or say “He didn’t mean that.” Small lies are a rat indicating there are 50 more you don’t know about. Every time.
Leave a Reply