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WhiteTara

(29,676 posts)
Wed Apr 24, 2019, 08:10 PM Apr 2019

Free Parking - Putin's main psy-ops tool

http://eureka.news/free-parking-73/

Who knew I would learn Russian in my later years; but here I am. My new word today is maskirovka, literally meaning “to mask or masquerade;” using elements of surprise, camouflage, deception, decoys and disinformation; especially through social media.

Where Hitler repeated the Big Lie so often, people began to believe; Putin uses “reflexive control” by planting stories (maskirovka) with just enough truth to seem credible; though sometimes fantastical lies work because they create uncertainty. The whole concept of reflexive control focuses on tricking their opponent into making decisions that work to the advantage of the instigator.

The Russians have used maskirovka for centuries in war to their great advantage on the battlefield. Today the battlefield is in cyberspace. The Special Counsel’s report clearly shows that Russia is still engaged in cyber warfare against not only the U.S., but all western democracies.

Reflexive control is highly developed technique developed by the KGB during the 1960s to control the citizens of East Germany. Maskirovka is designed to keep your enemies off balance. The idea is that you plant fake stories with a bit of truth; one example is the Hillary pedophilia gang in a pizza parlor basement. (Kernel of truth: Hillary Clinton was a presidential candidate and there was a Cosmic Pizza Parlor.) A man came to DC and shot up the restaurant even though there was no truth to the story; the restaurant didn’t even have a basement.
Snip


This is must understand stuff. Are we being pushed to an untimely impeachment process? Or is this spontaneous outpouring. What is the end game for the Russians - to foil the impeachment process by not laying the proper foundation. We are in deep trouble, it is true, but we want the best possible outcome.
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Free Parking - Putin's main psy-ops tool (Original Post) WhiteTara Apr 2019 OP
Interesting and informative read. brer cat Apr 2019 #1
You know it. WhiteTara Apr 2019 #13
K & R ... + 1,000,000 ..................... n/t MFGsunny Apr 2019 #2
Sounds like the elements of a political pivot mitch96 Apr 2019 #3
Yes. You can see how they do it WhiteTara Apr 2019 #8
misinformation comes from many sources, but Russians are past masters stopdiggin Apr 2019 #4
The US has been pretty good at misinformation malaise Apr 2019 #6
Actually, we did it without much finesse WhiteTara Apr 2019 #14
Both are true - more than a few RW newspapers malaise Apr 2019 #15
If their goal is to end WhiteTara Apr 2019 #9
it's impressive how much the Russians were able to accomplish anarch Apr 2019 #5
Yes, we need to use this technique to our own WhiteTara Apr 2019 #11
K&R Gothmog Apr 2019 #7
Recommended. H2O Man Apr 2019 #10
Thanks WhiteTara Apr 2019 #12

brer cat

(24,401 posts)
1. Interesting and informative read.
Wed Apr 24, 2019, 08:42 PM
Apr 2019

With their success in 2016, they will be pushing even harder now.

K&R

mitch96

(13,821 posts)
3. Sounds like the elements of a political pivot
Wed Apr 24, 2019, 09:27 PM
Apr 2019

Using a bit of the original question to not answer it and pivot to control the narrative..
ie "what about the large job losses?"
"I would like to look at the job gains this year and how it helps our economy"
You seem to be answering the question about jobs but pivoted away from losses to gains.
Like the Reflexive control in the above article you have a bit of truth and then move it so as not to answer the question and move it to your advantage. KellyAnn Conway is a master at this..

m


WhiteTara

(29,676 posts)
8. Yes. You can see how they do it
Thu Apr 25, 2019, 10:34 AM
Apr 2019

if you step back and watch. Now we know why they do it and what they hope to accomplish. But if we know too, we can forestall them in their efforts. But we can't let our gaze falter for a second because they are so good at what they do.

stopdiggin

(11,095 posts)
4. misinformation comes from many sources, but Russians are past masters
Thu Apr 25, 2019, 04:31 AM
Apr 2019

We need to educate ourselves in a hurry. But one of the things that is really scary here is that misinformation is becoming increasingly pervasive. And NOT just by state actors. It used to be that misinformation and dirty tricks campaigns were mainly the purview of the political and government entities. Now the floodgates have opened and you have these types of activities coming from corporations, interest groups, religious organizations, extremist groups .. and on and on. Why? 1) because just as the political dirty tricksters kept finding out, it WORKS. We human beings are incredibly vulnerable to influence and suggestion. and 2) It's EASY! With the advent of the internet and a handful of digital tools available to every ten year old, you too can be an influencer! There is a huge, huge upside. (Hey, you might gain control of the most powerful country in the world!) And the downside, is practically nonexistent. What have been the real costs (either personal, financial or reputation wise) to corporate funding of climate change denial? If I'm and activist, an extremist, or even just a corporate huckster, why WOULDN'T I try fake news?

We are literally swimming in information these days. A lot of it unreliable at the very best. And it is going to get exponentially worse as we figure out the advantages to be had by employing "fake news" and false narratives. We are going to have to vet sources in a way that we've never even imagined or considered .. and even that may not provide all the protection we need. Prepare yourself to soon be seeing film clips of people in places that they have never been, and saying things that they have never said. It's not even that hard to do!

Yes, the Russians screwed with us in 2016 .. found out it was incredibly easy, cheap and effective .. and there is no doubt at all that they will be back for another helping in 2020. Why wouldn't they? But you also need to be looking at everything else that comes across your screen (or out of your neighbor's mouth) with a very jaundiced eye.

WhiteTara

(29,676 posts)
14. Actually, we did it without much finesse
Thu Apr 25, 2019, 12:39 PM
Apr 2019

we just killed people. They're pushing us into a box and then will close the lid.

malaise

(267,823 posts)
15. Both are true - more than a few RW newspapers
Thu Apr 25, 2019, 06:33 PM
Apr 2019

and more than a few of the evangelicals in these parts were involved. I lived through this.

anarch

(6,535 posts)
5. it's impressive how much the Russians were able to accomplish
Thu Apr 25, 2019, 07:08 AM
Apr 2019

And very important to understand their methods.

I would suggest that those among us who may have the capability to employ similar tactics (and I don't really mean our own intelligence agencies...I'm sure they are trying, and all, but I suspect they're hopelessly outmatched here, based on tangible results), but if similar methods could be used to disrupt the MAGAts limited thought process enough to make them think twice about voting at all, etc....well, I'd suggest that those on the side of democracy and for the good of the people (not just the .0001% at the top of the economic pyramid) take off the kid gloves and do what we can to fight back.

WhiteTara

(29,676 posts)
11. Yes, we need to use this technique to our own
Thu Apr 25, 2019, 10:38 AM
Apr 2019

advantage, but I don't think that using maskirovka would be the best approach since that would only add to the fog and then truth is distorted in another way.

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