April 20, 2023 – thoughts on Alison McDowell’s analysis on how we are manipulated
I like RFK Jr., I’m not against him, but I know better than to start cheering. I have the same attitude towards Canadian political parties.
There must be a lot going on now as far as manipulation. I did an in-depth post on the topic of cognitive warfare, so I’m certain there is.
I am aware of how easy it is for those of us who are like-minded to follow into rah-rah cheering sections for various truth leaders.
One of the problems is that it is very seductive for us to just go along with anyone telling us a little truth or a lot of the truth. It is very easy for us to lazily follow along with bits and pieces of random information we come across on social media also.
It’s not good enough. We need sources. We need to ground supposed assertions.
I know better than to follow Elon Musk although I appreciate the true things he is saying. I can appreciate Jordan Peterson, but I am concerned with some of the people and issues he is mixed up with. And I don’t trust the Canadian Conservative Party at all.
These things relating to leaders in the truth movement can be divisive and that’s part of it. Some are more divisive than others. But the important thing to me is that these leaders might lead us down the wrong paths–as pied pipers. That’s what I’m concerned about. The oligarchy plays all sides, or “both” sides at least. They always have. People need to be skeptical about whatever they hear or read.
The way I look at it is that we need to believe in ourselves, not in appointed heroes and saviours. Alan Watt taught us to “be your own champion.”
We need to be sociable with others, we don’t want to pick fights with others unnecessarily. But we don’t want to follow along into the traps being laid out for us to fall into. We shouldn’t be sloppy with the information. We are being bombarded with information deliberately. We are definitely caught in echo chambers and in shadow banned situations of information not getting out to the people who most have need of it.
And the quality of information–lack of sources–is a real weakness.
Some psychological operations are more obvious than others and some are less obvious. I don’t want to focus on the personality or judge them necessarily if I don’t have to.
I want to sift out the facts and find the ones that are grounded. When I notice problems, then I know better than to follow that leader blindly.
I had the experience when a teen and in my 20s of getting involved with a “cult.” It seemed like the “truth.” It was a lazy shortcut to the “truth.” I don’t think that’s how the truth works–it’s not found under one umbrella. The truth needs you to think and judge for yourself. The truth survives scrutiny. The truth sticks to those who work for it.
I also don’t believe in the right-left division at all. I understand that the “left” so-called has taken on all sorts of destructive absurdities and now they’re even pro-war and pro-corporate –that’s the way it seems, but is that the way it really is? People have been brainwashed to different degrees. It’s a false division. Humans are humans. Reality is reality. Right and wrong is there. Some people have adopted flags and labels that they don’t understand. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s imposed on them through intense mind control media propaganda. Maybe they won’t listen, but don’t assume someone is not going to listen to you. That’s all I’m saying. That’s part of the deception. If you take an adversarial approach, they’re less likely to listen and you’re less likely to try.
The COVID information warfare has been all about making us want to give up. I’ve noticed it. It’s overwhelming. It seems to have locked people in stone. But I think that’s really how it’s supposed to appear and we’re actually not communicating with people enough to even know what they’re thinking. The “media” distorts our perceptions. Yes, it’s a bad situation, but it’s made to appear more hopeless than it is. Communication with the poorly informed is minimal and could be greatly improved in my opinion.
Alison McDowell raises legitimate concerns. I want to study her point of view further.
I am determined to maintain an independent mode of thought–we, you and me, should all contribute leadership–and be active in our own ways and areas–we should all bring our gifts to the table–while working towards making people aware of the general situation that’s happening and the trouble we’re all facing.
This article is very interesting:
… Central route thinking is higher order and more persistent. Peripheral is almost automatic. We were kind of talking about this before. They want people stuck in peripheral thinking – listening to influencers and defending teams rather than thinking about substance.
My call to think for yourself and do your own research is a central route approach. As long as they can keep people in the peripheral route and steering them they are golden.
Alan Watt’s approach was to always think for yourself.
But it doesn’t follow that we should isolate ourselves. We should, in my opinion, work with others–speaking honestly to them but also being willing to accept disagreements–and working together towards opposing and abolishing this oligarchy’s genocidal agenda and building with others a healthier society.
To put it in my own words, her main point is that “central route” thinking allows us to be strong in our beliefs and sense of direction.
“Peripheral” thinking makes us weak in our beliefs and sense of direction–vulnerable to leaders feeding us bad information or becoming unpopular or compromised.
I should note here that whatever points there are to make about RFK, that’s a side issue ultimately because our views and direction won’t be shaken by what RFK or anyone else does, right?
Related links (further research):
Controversy with Celia Farber over RFK
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
THE ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL OF PERSUASION
Vatican’s Plans for Impact Investing
Natural Resources Defense Council Major Funders
This is the last hour of a talk I streamed yesterday. In one hour I lay out some of my concerns about RFK Jr.’s candidacy and the evolution of a health freeDOM movement that allowed the creation of a “not-to-be-critiqued” leadership class.
Full talk: Digital Sandboxes, Cognitive Domain Management
Chronically implantable LED arrays for behavioral optogenetics in primates
2012 Clip: RFK Jr. on National Energy Grids and Free Market Competition
Alison McDowell’s YouTube Channel
Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion