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>My biggest fear is that state actors will inject information designed to polarize us, and that we'll respond exactly as they want. Are you being facetious wit
by slg 6y ago
>My biggest fear is that state actors will inject information designed to polarize us, and that we'll respond exactly as they want.
Are you being facetious with this? This has been a long documented behavior of Russia. The future you fear is already here.
- xtian 6y agoLong-documented behavior of the US to other countries as well.
- FillardMillmore 6y agoMost modern states with the necessary capabilities spread disinformation to other countries for their own political gain or the political gain of their allies, Russia is far from the only one.
- slg 6y agoFair, but Russia is the most direct example of the specific fears mentioned in spreading disinformation with the goal of polarization as opposed to a different specific goal. When the US spreads propaganda in a foreign country, it is usually to get the people to align with US values as opposed to a goal of destabilization.
- xtian 6y agoThat’s deeply false. The US has engineered and provided support for coups around the world. Does that not count as destabilization?
- slg 6y ago>The US has engineered and provided support for coups around the world With the goal of allies gaining power. That is fundamentally different than Russian's initial goal of simply knocking the US out of their superpower role by causing polarization, internal strife, loss of faith in institutions, and just general chaos. I think people associate Russian disinformation as purely a right wing phenomenon because that is where they have had more success, but there is plenty of Russian disinformation targeted at and supporting the left wing too.
- jakelazaroff 6y ago> With the goal of allies gaining power. That is fundamentally different than Russian's initial goal of simply knocking the US out of their superpower role Why do you think Russia is trying to knock the US out of its superpower of its superpower role? They’re not doing it just to be petty.
- slg 6y agoWho said they were doing it to be petty? They are doing it because we have a hostile relationship, not because they want to eventually be allies. There is a fundamental difference between let's interfere with this country to install a friendly government and let's interfere with this country so it rips itself apart.
- shadowgovt 6y agoI think there can be a difference in goals, but history strongly suggests no country has mastered the difference in outcomes, so regardless of which goal, attempts to do either should be held to the highest suspicion and probably censured by the international community. America learned a bloody and horrible lesson trying to install a friendly government in Afghanistan after Russia diminished their influence in the region.
- xtian 6y agoCan you please explain the difference you’re talking about from the standpoint of a working class citizen of Iran in 1953 or of Chile in 1973?
- slg 6y agoThe people of Iran and Chile were collateral damage of the US. Our government did not care one way or another about them. The people of the US are the primary target of Russia. Their government is actively trying to do us harm. It is indifference versus malice. This isn't a defense of US foreign policy. We have a history of doing awful things. It is simply recognizing differences between the two countries approaches and noting that the fears that initially sparked this tangent match up nearly perfectly with Russia's goals and actions.