Thanks for your insights, Peter, and I have no disagreement, especially regarding the depression. You are correct though, “a third of our country” are in a death cult” and powerless to extricate themselves from it.
I have a few words a bit more caustic than, “oy” for those folks. ;)
The Democratic "Establishment" and its DNC have been weak, clueless and incompetent for decades. The evidence is everywhere, in plain sight. Start with the Supreme Court. A new group needs to supplant the current Democrats in charge, and get a better crop.
Norman, these are perfectly accurate statements but the obstacle that we must overcome for functioning and competent DNC, is to convince them that they must retire right this minute. In my opinion, the largest donors have the most leverage. Now, to get them to exercise that leverage for the good of the nation, not the party. I have long said that if we do what's right, moral and American, the politics will work out the way we wish.
The Democratic brand is so broken and distasteful to independents and Republicans who've left their party, that any campaign must be about restoring the republic, not the party. The other major problem is that the far-left and the socialist wing of the left, are off-putting to both mainstream Democrats and all others wishing to banish the Republican administration.
Asking people in power to quit is a big ask. Maybe there's another way. I agree with you as to the "Democratic Socialists" and those claiming the "far left" moniker. I battled with them constantly on my radio show. We even called them "The Progressive Purity Police" and gave them a sound effect. There's a broad middle that will agree on a lot of the basics. So, getting people, plans and money together to launch an effort to make the Democratic Party the party of the broad middle is a huge job, but the Democratic oligarchs will come along if they see success and that they'll be left behind. Don't need them all. Besides, one of the planks of any effort should be to tax the rich fairly. How many rich people are going to go along with that? We're talking about an immense task. Shame that we got here. Lots to discuss to see if there's a path....
Paul, I love how you led with data for your reading audience, much like I do in my work. Now how do we turn this into NW prose to shake decent people in this country.
I suggest we spin their brand against them in some way…Making Death Great Again…since it is a death cult. Show them pictures of old and poverty stricken dying here at home and worldwide. Then flash the numbers and sources for people.
Making Disease Great Again since cuts to Medicaid and USAID and CDC will lead to that. Remind people of what happened during COVID. Flash the number of dead and estimated costs of long COVID.
Making Concentration Camps Great Again…showing pictures of the inhumanity and showing side by side photos of Nazi Concentration Camps. Flash the Holocaust numbers and then “???? How many here?”
These are but some examples. The Lincoln Project would be great at this!
The Ds are too squeamish about doing things like that for fear of offending somebody! Yes! I want to offend people….shock them into seeing the reality of what is and not some fantasy land the Ds want to portray!
Thank you for understanding the work that goes into preparing engagement with data, mixed with reason.
As to your examples, yes, I believe that the Lincoln Project would do well with your suggestions. These would boost energy with all who oppose this regime in DC. As for Narrative Warfare, it is most effective when it triggers some part of the subconscious identity of audiences. Overt attacks will not likely make much difference to those that voted Republican and all because their internal narratives will not respond to the attacks but actually make them more set in their ways.
Narrative Warfare requires us to know how to slowly alter the identities of audiences, just like FOX took over thirty years, to turn Republicans into immoral fake-patriot zombies.
NW is both yin and yang. Both the overt as you've suggested and the subtle remolding of their identity are critical to success. You're correct about the party being too, "squeamish" and living in a "fantasy land." They are still bringing plastic picnic knives to the gunfight!
I am intrigued with the how of your NW argument. Finding the subtle triggering of subconscious mind to shift their identity is a feat as well as doing its slowly yet consistently is another feat. In the case of what we face in the US, how long do you reckon it would take?
This is a great question and there are more variables than even I can imagine. With the tools, resources and dissemination, I've accomplished the triggering of select audiences in as little as 3-4 months. Still, in order to sustain an evolving identity process, I would say roughly 2-4 years, so long as those resources were available. Only massive checkbooks can provide such resources and then the question becomes, will they tolerate such operations based exclusively on ethical applications. Remember, it took FOX News and the Republican Party, often in conjunction with Russian operations, roughly 30 years to turn the party into fascist zombies. The majority of FOX watchers will never be "rescued" simply because they are too far gone.
Paul, thank you for the extended and informative response. To wrap it in a pretty bow….it is a long game and requires patience, persistence, and money…lots of money. We are past the point of the long game at the moment. Still we should play it, but we need to reach those that are not so brainwashed who voted for the orange menace.
But this is going to be a slog and not a fun one.
Unfortunately in my line of work I do not get that kind of time…one, and if we are lucky, two shots at it in about 30-60 days. In other contexts, maybe a year of monthly chances.
Thanks Paul. Yes, it will be a difficult and often painful "slog." Washington and the Revolutionary Army, slogged, mostly unsuccessfully for years before success. That's what patriots with moral spines of braided steel do. You're one of those guys and I come from a long line of these patriots.
Yep. It’s depressing as fuck. Seems like a good third of our country is in a death cult.
Oy.
Thanks for your insights, Peter, and I have no disagreement, especially regarding the depression. You are correct though, “a third of our country” are in a death cult” and powerless to extricate themselves from it.
I have a few words a bit more caustic than, “oy” for those folks. ;)
The Democratic "Establishment" and its DNC have been weak, clueless and incompetent for decades. The evidence is everywhere, in plain sight. Start with the Supreme Court. A new group needs to supplant the current Democrats in charge, and get a better crop.
Norman, these are perfectly accurate statements but the obstacle that we must overcome for functioning and competent DNC, is to convince them that they must retire right this minute. In my opinion, the largest donors have the most leverage. Now, to get them to exercise that leverage for the good of the nation, not the party. I have long said that if we do what's right, moral and American, the politics will work out the way we wish.
The Democratic brand is so broken and distasteful to independents and Republicans who've left their party, that any campaign must be about restoring the republic, not the party. The other major problem is that the far-left and the socialist wing of the left, are off-putting to both mainstream Democrats and all others wishing to banish the Republican administration.
Just my two-cents. Thoughts?
Asking people in power to quit is a big ask. Maybe there's another way. I agree with you as to the "Democratic Socialists" and those claiming the "far left" moniker. I battled with them constantly on my radio show. We even called them "The Progressive Purity Police" and gave them a sound effect. There's a broad middle that will agree on a lot of the basics. So, getting people, plans and money together to launch an effort to make the Democratic Party the party of the broad middle is a huge job, but the Democratic oligarchs will come along if they see success and that they'll be left behind. Don't need them all. Besides, one of the planks of any effort should be to tax the rich fairly. How many rich people are going to go along with that? We're talking about an immense task. Shame that we got here. Lots to discuss to see if there's a path....
Couldn’t agree more.
Paul, I love how you led with data for your reading audience, much like I do in my work. Now how do we turn this into NW prose to shake decent people in this country.
I suggest we spin their brand against them in some way…Making Death Great Again…since it is a death cult. Show them pictures of old and poverty stricken dying here at home and worldwide. Then flash the numbers and sources for people.
Making Disease Great Again since cuts to Medicaid and USAID and CDC will lead to that. Remind people of what happened during COVID. Flash the number of dead and estimated costs of long COVID.
Making Concentration Camps Great Again…showing pictures of the inhumanity and showing side by side photos of Nazi Concentration Camps. Flash the Holocaust numbers and then “???? How many here?”
These are but some examples. The Lincoln Project would be great at this!
The Ds are too squeamish about doing things like that for fear of offending somebody! Yes! I want to offend people….shock them into seeing the reality of what is and not some fantasy land the Ds want to portray!
Thank you for understanding the work that goes into preparing engagement with data, mixed with reason.
As to your examples, yes, I believe that the Lincoln Project would do well with your suggestions. These would boost energy with all who oppose this regime in DC. As for Narrative Warfare, it is most effective when it triggers some part of the subconscious identity of audiences. Overt attacks will not likely make much difference to those that voted Republican and all because their internal narratives will not respond to the attacks but actually make them more set in their ways.
Narrative Warfare requires us to know how to slowly alter the identities of audiences, just like FOX took over thirty years, to turn Republicans into immoral fake-patriot zombies.
NW is both yin and yang. Both the overt as you've suggested and the subtle remolding of their identity are critical to success. You're correct about the party being too, "squeamish" and living in a "fantasy land." They are still bringing plastic picnic knives to the gunfight!
I am intrigued with the how of your NW argument. Finding the subtle triggering of subconscious mind to shift their identity is a feat as well as doing its slowly yet consistently is another feat. In the case of what we face in the US, how long do you reckon it would take?
This is a great question and there are more variables than even I can imagine. With the tools, resources and dissemination, I've accomplished the triggering of select audiences in as little as 3-4 months. Still, in order to sustain an evolving identity process, I would say roughly 2-4 years, so long as those resources were available. Only massive checkbooks can provide such resources and then the question becomes, will they tolerate such operations based exclusively on ethical applications. Remember, it took FOX News and the Republican Party, often in conjunction with Russian operations, roughly 30 years to turn the party into fascist zombies. The majority of FOX watchers will never be "rescued" simply because they are too far gone.
Here's a short story about one such effort on a personal and local level: https://www.truthaboutthreats.com/p/a-personal-story-about-narrative?utm_source=publication-search
Paul, thank you for the extended and informative response. To wrap it in a pretty bow….it is a long game and requires patience, persistence, and money…lots of money. We are past the point of the long game at the moment. Still we should play it, but we need to reach those that are not so brainwashed who voted for the orange menace.
But this is going to be a slog and not a fun one.
Unfortunately in my line of work I do not get that kind of time…one, and if we are lucky, two shots at it in about 30-60 days. In other contexts, maybe a year of monthly chances.
Thanks Paul. Yes, it will be a difficult and often painful "slog." Washington and the Revolutionary Army, slogged, mostly unsuccessfully for years before success. That's what patriots with moral spines of braided steel do. You're one of those guys and I come from a long line of these patriots.
We're in it to win it, nothing less.