Psychological operations nicknamed Psy-Ops are memetic warfare designed to terrorize, wear down, breakdown or sow doubt into the mind of the opponent. In short, they are campaigns for your mind. The issue is that psychological operations can be short or sustained for decades.
Knowing is Half the Battle:
While this trite statement is used frequently in a variety of contexts, it brings a different meaning here. Psychological operations require a stealth and repetition to be the most effective. By removing a key element of what cognitive scientists have dubbed the mere exposure effect (MEE). Nothing is always what it seems. The repetition of such information becomes more sticky, familiar and in short persuasive. Degrading existing views or building new ones.
If you understand that potential or actual psychological operations are being waged, you will take things less at face value. Look specifically for “Russel Conjugation” and framing techniques. An example is migrants vs illegal aliens vs undocumented workers. George Lakoff’s book Don’t think of an Elephant is a look at these frames. It is subsequently listed on the memetic warfare reading list.
Become the enemy:
If you were your enemy what would you do? Do a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats or SWOT analysis on yourself and your situation. What would you do to undermine another version of you? Thinking like your enemy can help you counter potential threats before they arise. It will also make you aware of blind spots you were potentially unaware of before.
Cultivate a List of Sources:
If you haven’t already curated a wide and varying list of sources first for the subjects you are interested in. As you will be able to see any falsehood or bias put on the topics you already know. From there branch out into other topics.
Don’t be afraid to have specific sources and individuals for certain topics, rather than an all encompassing source. Would you let your dentist fix your car? Take financial advice from your hairdresser? Probably not, we hire specialists to do specialist jobs, yout information should be no different.
Read what the experts read, rather than what is for mass consumption. Be warned that topics not of your expertise will likely include biases and omissions you cannot recognize. Consult other experts and friends interested in the topic to compensate for these blind spots.
Beware the Mob:
While collective intelligence may be a thing, mixing emotionally charged topics with a mob is a certain recipe for disaster. This collective intelligence shutdowns, as emotions cloud judgment. Large mass movements propagating information should be avoided or their arguments researched thoroughly. If it can be reduced into a soundbite or chant it’s probably wrong.
Complex and nuanced answers are often the right ones, simple answers are ones that groups generally gravitate towards; easier to propagate and understand. It is not to say these answers don’t contain some truth to them, but the full truth is multidimensional.
Don’t jump to Conclusions:
Your initial reaction is probably wrong. Whenever an event happens your initial reaction is a result of something being filtered through your worldview. Your biases and assumptions about the world need to be understood and compensated for. The likelihood anyone removes all biases from their life is impossible, even removing just a few is difficult. So learning to compensate is the best course of action. You already know how to compensate so the point will not be belaboured. If you haven’t Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast & Slow will show you just how many biases and heuristics you have.
Question Authority:
Authority is one of the few principles of influence determined by Dr Robert, Caldini as universal. Proven to be highly effective with the Milgram Experiment, and the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment. By rejecting authority, or at least taking it with some wariness you are making a conscious effort to learn and think for yourself.
This is not to suggest you become your own doctor, dentist and lawyer. Or you reject everything that comes from an expert. However understanding the basics, terminology etc will help not only you understand, but the expert communicate as well. For you now share a common set of terms. In today’s culture, we do not have a shared set of well-defined terms, as a result, we bicker over definitions rather than have actual discussions about the issues. It will also let you understand the complexities of issues often debated at the superficial level only.
Consider the Other Side:
This is one of the easiest and most difficult things to do on this generalized list. It to get out of any potential dogmatic bubble one must honestly examine the other sides arguments, their studies, information and research. If you are so convinced your own viewpoint will regime supreme, you should have no trouble reviewing the other side because you have the facts. Reading the original source material to come to your own conclusions is the best for forming your own opinion.
The reason why ISIS was so effective at converting individuals is they know the source material so well that they can twist it to fit their own ends. Not only do they know the source material but they also understand the deficiencies of Western culture as well. While re-education or deprogramming efforts have failed because of a failure to understand the source material and underlying psychology of the individual.
Detox:
If you believe you are subject to a Psy-Op one of the best thing you can do is relax. Take a break from the stress of the world enjoy your favourite hobby, a good book, exercise and take in nature. If someone or something is trying to put stress on your mind do the opposite. Recharge constructively so you are not dependent on anything or anyone. Take care of yourself for doing so is in of itself an act of rebellion. Remedy the stress if possible, preferably at the root cause.
Conclusion
In short, one should try to be more sceptical of their environment, while not overtly distrusting. As following this line of thought leads to the logical conclusion of isolationism, which is net negative and coincidently makes you easier to influence. Read widely, deeply, and relax.
Addendum Outrage mobs:
* I am no way advising on any potential legal matters, these are generalized opinions and/or thought experiments. Please consult legal counsel before taking any action. Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s right.*
Outrage mobs are the recent product of social media. Outrage mobs only last as long as the news cycle about you. Currently, these news cycles last around two days. If one was Machiavellian one could easily make the argument to throw the mob something fresher. Although the majority are not in such a position nor are they this ruthless.
There are two schools of thought to dealing with the mob, hunker down and ignore or stand up and fight. If one is a public figure the latter option should always be chosen. As silence lets the court of public opinion rule the day. A media firestorm should be treated as a crisis scenario where you count the seconds and minutes rather than hours.
A public statement should be made as soon as possible that is truthful, lest you end up in court. A live press conference or live stream is better as it humanizes the individual countering the narrative of demonization. A public figure should continue to fight the mob until the mob subsides, as any silence will be forfeited territory.
The best answer for the average person is to not back down unless it is something serious (legal action against you etc) and there is physical evidence of such. One should make a public statement or Livestream and then hunker down. Thus you allow your side of the story to get out. If possible state why you will be silence, legal case, non-disclosure, as to help remedy your silence. If your work is threatened voluntarily take a leave of absence or vacation, for a week or two until things settle down. If possible get it in writing you will have a job when you come back.
Apologies should not be given unless you have done a wrong, otherwise, you are placating the mob. One should never fully resign from any position unless truly guilty of what the mob is proclaiming. For once the storm passes the realization of what you have done like a bad hangover will come crashing down on you. If the accusations are false, file a right to be forgotten request to Google and other search engines if available in your country.