What’s so insidious about russia’s psiop over the last few decades is that all they’ve done is gently nudge the dial. They’ve sown distrust of traditional media and of democratic institutions, they’ve polarised discourse to that communities that mostly rubbed alongside one another reasonably well now are so idealogically opposed to each other that the middle ground has evaporated.
And if you think “haha stupid MAGAs” falling for propaganda, I got news for you buddy, you’ve fallen for it too.
And if you think “haha stupid MAGAs” falling for propaganda, I got news for you buddy, you’ve fallen for it too.
Good thing you’re immune, though. Now tell me more about how all of the West’s problems are actually because of a vast conspiracy theory of evil foreigners.
You’ve fallen for propaganda that convinces you that there is an external enemy to worry about instead of actually looking at the situation critically. Right-wing organizations drive right-wing talking points.
They’ve sown distrust of traditional media and of democratic institutions
Pretty sure they did that to themselves. I didn’t need Russia feeding me propaganda to see through the bullshit, and many others reached that conclusion on their own. The Fairness Doctrine being repealed is one big reason why traditional media failed. Russia didn’t do that.
they’ve polarised discourse to that communities that mostly rubbed alongside one another reasonably well now are so idealogically opposed to each other that the middle ground has evaporated.
Right-wingers and liberals alike have polarized discourse. Leftists aren’t innocent either, especially MLs (many of whom seem to be biased towards Russia), but there are plenty of leftists I have interacted with or witnessed that are exceedingly fair, empathetic, and human.
Liberals blame anybody to the left of them for not falling in line, constantly mock or berate them for demanding better, and do absolutely nothing meaningful to improve their preferred party or seriously advocate for greatly improving the human condition in America. As for the right, we all know what they do.
middle ground has evaporated.
Politics and governance shouldn’t be a game of tug of war where the Republicans have a monster truck pulling their side and Democrats are pretending to hold the rope on their side. It shouldn’t be a tug of war game at all - that is what breeds polarization. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that a two-party system and biased, partisan “news” (that is literally entertainment) results in polarization.
This is all kinda my point. It’s not like Putin is just broadcasting stuff at the West. Wherever there’s discussions happening online, Russia helps amplify divisive messages and the algorithms do the rest.
Sure the talking points come from bad actors in the West but Russia are and have been quietly manipulating all the conversation around all of it. And yes they do it to conversations on the left and the right.
Saying I am propagandized with zero evidence or good faith argumentation does not prove your point - the ball is in your court to prove that I am propagandized.
Wherever there’s discussions happening online, Russia helps amplify divisive messages and the algorithms do the rest.
Social media is largely US-owned and controlled. The algorithms could literally not exist, instead there be chronological or random ordering of posts and comments + auditable, fair moderation. Forums had their issues, but they were more fair platforms for discourse. Voting systems could literally not count for anything significant and not weight posts and comments over others.
Social media of the type that you are mainly referring to (where discussions happen in earnest) are a niche. Russia is not largely pushing right-wing talking points and polarization in a general sense - advertisers, right-wing organizations, liberal organizations, and social media companies are. And it isn’t a secret or a conspiracy - social media companies create and control their platforms (including their algorithms) and partisan politics and media are constantly fanning the flame.
The demise of this FCC rule has been cited as a contributing factor in the rising level of party polarization in the United States.[5][6]
Party or political polarization in the US is not primarily driven by Russia. It’s our system and we can take responsibility for it instead of blaming Russia for everything.
What’s so insidious about russia’s psiop over the last few decades is that all they’ve done is gently nudge the dial. They’ve sown distrust of traditional media and of democratic institutions, they’ve polarised discourse to that communities that mostly rubbed alongside one another reasonably well now are so idealogically opposed to each other that the middle ground has evaporated.
And if you think “haha stupid MAGAs” falling for propaganda, I got news for you buddy, you’ve fallen for it too.
Good thing you’re immune, though. Now tell me more about how all of the West’s problems are actually because of a vast conspiracy theory of evil foreigners.
You’ve fallen for propaganda that convinces you that there is an external enemy to worry about instead of actually looking at the situation critically. Right-wing organizations drive right-wing talking points.
Pretty sure they did that to themselves. I didn’t need Russia feeding me propaganda to see through the bullshit, and many others reached that conclusion on their own. The Fairness Doctrine being repealed is one big reason why traditional media failed. Russia didn’t do that.
Right-wingers and liberals alike have polarized discourse. Leftists aren’t innocent either, especially MLs (many of whom seem to be biased towards Russia), but there are plenty of leftists I have interacted with or witnessed that are exceedingly fair, empathetic, and human.
Liberals blame anybody to the left of them for not falling in line, constantly mock or berate them for demanding better, and do absolutely nothing meaningful to improve their preferred party or seriously advocate for greatly improving the human condition in America. As for the right, we all know what they do.
Politics and governance shouldn’t be a game of tug of war where the Republicans have a monster truck pulling their side and Democrats are pretending to hold the rope on their side. It shouldn’t be a tug of war game at all - that is what breeds polarization. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that a two-party system and biased, partisan “news” (that is literally entertainment) results in polarization.
This is all kinda my point. It’s not like Putin is just broadcasting stuff at the West. Wherever there’s discussions happening online, Russia helps amplify divisive messages and the algorithms do the rest.
Sure the talking points come from bad actors in the West but Russia are and have been quietly manipulating all the conversation around all of it. And yes they do it to conversations on the left and the right.
Saying I am propagandized with zero evidence or good faith argumentation does not prove your point - the ball is in your court to prove that I am propagandized.
Social media is largely US-owned and controlled. The algorithms could literally not exist, instead there be chronological or random ordering of posts and comments + auditable, fair moderation. Forums had their issues, but they were more fair platforms for discourse. Voting systems could literally not count for anything significant and not weight posts and comments over others.
Social media of the type that you are mainly referring to (where discussions happen in earnest) are a niche. Russia is not largely pushing right-wing talking points and polarization in a general sense - advertisers, right-wing organizations, liberal organizations, and social media companies are. And it isn’t a secret or a conspiracy - social media companies create and control their platforms (including their algorithms) and partisan politics and media are constantly fanning the flame.
From Wikipedia on the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine:
Party or political polarization in the US is not primarily driven by Russia. It’s our system and we can take responsibility for it instead of blaming Russia for everything.