Does reality matter?
Let me to put it to you another way. What matters more: reality or the
perception of reality?
Consider a concrete example. What matters more: what happened on 9/11, or the way people perceive what happened on 9/11?
Take a look at the video below. It's a clip of Alex Jones warning the American people on July 25, 2001 that the government is planning a terrorist attack on its own people, and that they will try to blame it on a patsy "like bin Laden." He urges Americans to call the White House and tell the government to call off the terrorist attack, noting that if Americans do so, they could "save the planet."
What if we listened? Would we have save the world?
The point here is that our beliefs and actions are based on our perceptions. For businesses, this introduces a key dilemma: how do we control our perception so as to cause others to take the actions we want?
This mini-series will take a look at some classic psychological warfare tactics, as utilized by factions with the elements of United States federal government and the corporate-controlled media. In particular, the following psychological warfare tactics will be examined:
1. Control of media outlets. Controlling media outlets to control what information is released.
2. Hegelian dialectic. Looking at how controlling both sides of the argument can result in controlling perception.
3. Disinformation. Using fiction and "diversionary information" to alter perception.
We'll conclude with some resources for further exploring psychological warfare.
Using these three tactics can help to control your public perception and cause others to take the actions you want them to take.
Other Posts in This Series
Mockingbird Marketing: Controlling Perception by Controlling Media
Problem Reaction Solution
Disinformation: Using the Truth to Tell Lies
Additional Resources for Exploring Black Op Marketing