Anyone who has used social media or engaged in an online discussion knows that trolls are commonplace. For those who do not know, a troll is someone who posts messages or comments on a forum, social media site or chatroom with the specific intention of creating the maximum disturbance and descent.
Online trolls tend to distort and confound any genuine curiosity or interest from the public. Furthermore, due to indoctrination, group think and social conformity, some people feel compelled to agree with a troll, creating false consensus, and steering public opinion.
The less one is capable of thinking critically for themselves, the more they are swayed by strong opinions and the statements of others.
What’s worse, the government actually participates in coordinated social engineering to manipulate public opinion. Edward Snowden released documents to Glenn Greenwald several years ago that conclusively prove the US Government employs Social Engineering or Online Personal Management Services. Under a similar program, a serviceman can have up to 10 fake social media profiles.
Given that social media is now more used for interpersonal communication than just having a simple conversation, it is a strong possibility that some of the trends sweeping social circles are manipulated.
But manipulation of public opinion is hardly new. The powers that should not be of this world use propaganda or public relations to steer the collective consciousness towards realizing their agenda.
Operation Mockingbird is a government social engineering program from the 1950’s. It involved the production of media in various forms designed to manipulate public opinion with the cooperation of giants in the industry.
The following article details some of the history of this admitted government program as well as reviewing some of the contemporary policies of social engineers.
It seems clear that this effort never really ended, and through the Patriot Act and NDAA, it has actually expanded. Considering that most people form their worldviews and opinions by interacting with media in some form, the reality of mass consciousness manipulation seems self-evident.
But thankfully, the truth is a great ally.
Trolls rely on fear and intimidation to coerce others into accepting their points of view. Often discussions devolve into juvenile arguments where no logical cohesive statements are being made —exactly where government trolls want us to be. Instead of sharing information in a clear, coherent and compassionate way, they want us to bicker and argue amongst ourselves. And by all accounts,they have been hugely successful at dividing the awakening community. This is why learning conflict resolution techniques can be so powerful.
The first thing to realize is that winning an argument with a troll is impossible, especially paid trolls. They’re trained to keep confrontations alive, not admit defeat, especially when confronted with a logical point. So instead of trying to win over the troll, focus on sharing high-quality information objectively. Focus on sharing the ideas clearly so that onlookers can recognize that you are not reacting to the trolls provocations. While you won’t get the satisfaction of the troll admitting defeat, you will rise above the confrontation energy and set an example of compassion and wisdom for those observing. This will undermine the troll’s primary goal, which is to cause division and divert focus from the topic at hand. And of course, once you’ve delivered your wisdom and compassion, walk away. Don’t be tempted to have the last word, that’s what the troll want’s more than anything else, and they will fight to have it.
The following argument pyramid shows how a discussion can devolve. But when we stay at the top of the pyramid, focusing on the information, and not paying energy into insults, the troll’s power to manipulate dissolves.
The ability to remain focused on the discussion at hand is key to avoid being manipulated. And ultimately if we are seeking the truth, then any argument is actually just a passionate discussion. We should seek out wisdom from others even if it means entertaining ideas that conflict with our own.
And it is also important to realize that some of the people we interact with online aren’t genuine. They are paid social engineering agents, cointelpro operatives, specifically trying to make us feel disempowered.
So the next time you find yourself in a heated argument online, take a step back to ask yourself if it is worth the energy, especially since it may not even be a real person you are talking to.
– Justin
Source – American Intelligence Report
About the Author
Are You Chatting With a CIA Agent On-line?
Operation Mockingbird historically is a secret Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) campaign to influence media to promote false propaganda or print misleading stories.
However, the program has evolved into a new brand of media control using the Internet to spread any propaganda seeming beneficial to the current political climate.
Agents create fake user accounts on social media platforms, such a as Facebook, Twitter and others, to argue any ideology they are instructed to.
According to RT news, agents have up to “10 fake shill accounts” used to troll and create the illusion of having a genuine network of friends.
“They will defend current administration decisions with relentless irrational stubbornness that one can only be paid to do.”
Are you chatting with a CIA Agent on-line? It’s possible you may already have.
Abby Martin, from RT’s “Breaking the Set,” reported on an up to date Operation Mockingbird with the sole purpose of misleading the public on-line.
In the congressional hearing from 1976 (below) listen to how many agents are in the media to write false stories.
According to the Congress report published in 1976:
“The CIA currently maintains a network of several hundred foreign individuals around the world who provide intelligence for the CIA and at times attempt to influence opinion through the use of covert propaganda. These individuals provide the CIA with direct access to a large number of newspapers and periodicals, scores of press services and news agencies, radio and television stations, commercial book publishers, and other foreign media outlets.”
By the year 1953 Operation Mockingbird dictated information in over 25 newspapers and wire agencies. These organizations were run by people with well-known right-wing views such as William Paley (CBS), Henry Luce (Time and Life Magazine), Arthur Hays Sulzberger (New York Times), Alfred Friendly (managing editor of the Washington Post), Jerry O’Leary (Washington Star), Hal Hendrix (Miami News), Barry Bingham, Sr., (Louisville Courier-Journal), James Copley (Copley News Services) and Joseph Harrison (Christian Science Monitor).
Even Rolling Stone claimed that journalist Joseph Alsop was under the control of Operation Mockingbird in 1977.
His articles appeared in over 300 different newspapers. Other journalists alleged by Rolling Stone Magazine to have been willing to promote the views of the CIA included Stewart Alsop (New York Herald Tribune), Ben Bradlee (Newsweek), James Reston (New York Times), Charles Douglas Jackson (Time Magazine), Walter Pincus (Washington Post), William C. Baggs (The Miami News), Herb Gold (The Miami News) and Charles Bartlett (Chattanooga Times).
According to Nina Burleigh (A Very Private Woman), these journalists sometimes wrote articles that were commissioned by Frank Wisner, creator of the program.
The CIA also provided them with classified information to help them with their work.
About the Author
Follow @KristanTHarris or Facebook: @American Intelligence Report
This article is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article with attribution to the author and AmericanIntelligenceReport.com. Tune-in to the Kristan T. Harris Show Monday-Friday @11AM CST; 12PM EST; 9AM PST.
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Source:
http://americanintelligencereport.com/government-agents-hired-to-argue-politics-on-line
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