Some of it is legit self-sustaining grassroots stuff. Some is funded by Russia (curiously I don’t think China does this stuff a lot). Some in the first category started as stuff in the second category.
This is standard geopolitics. You find dissatisfied people in the population of countries you don’t like, and then you support those people in various ways in order to destabilize your competitors.
This is standard geopolitics. You find dissatisfied people in the population of countries you don’t like, and then you support those people in various ways in order to destabilize your competitors.
no, not really, it’s only the last 20-30 years and mostly used like this by russians (also includes things like setting up conspiracy theory websites without obvious ideological tilt (at first), maybe to groom suggestible population for later use). the old way was to try to bring these people to your cause, not just to try to cause non-directed disorder
Oh, everyone does this and it’s not new. The US has done this an absolute ton, and is still doing it in, for example, Iran. Arguably the US exists because France did this to the British empire, although France was unusually direct in its support of the rebels. Recently, Pakistan did this with Afghanistan. It’s incredibly common.
Fucking hell, are we under attack by some alien plot? Is it a virus that affects the brain?
Excess wealth. Wealth rots the brain.
Leaded gasoline
Leaded paint chips are sweet
That would only work for people with brains.
Yes! It’s called engagement optimization. And the worlds collective ignorance “don’t feed the trolls.”
Some of it is legit self-sustaining grassroots stuff. Some is funded by Russia (curiously I don’t think China does this stuff a lot). Some in the first category started as stuff in the second category.
This is standard geopolitics. You find dissatisfied people in the population of countries you don’t like, and then you support those people in various ways in order to destabilize your competitors.
no, not really, it’s only the last 20-30 years and mostly used like this by russians (also includes things like setting up conspiracy theory websites without obvious ideological tilt (at first), maybe to groom suggestible population for later use). the old way was to try to bring these people to your cause, not just to try to cause non-directed disorder
Oh, everyone does this and it’s not new. The US has done this an absolute ton, and is still doing it in, for example, Iran. Arguably the US exists because France did this to the British empire, although France was unusually direct in its support of the rebels. Recently, Pakistan did this with Afghanistan. It’s incredibly common.
60 years of right wing propaganda edging us ever closer to outright fascism wrapped in an American flag stitched together with hate.
…hyperinflated by social media algorithms in the last decade or two.
Unfortunately they were savvy enough to recognize the possibilities early.