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Ukrainians Are Taking It Upon Themselves to Take Russian Military Vehicles

nonrandomstring 5y ago
There's so much that doesn't add up about this crisis. Russian soldiers selling their fuel. Russians falling back on Google maps. A 40 mile long stationary convoy that could be flattened by a single high altitude bomb run. Russians abandoning their vehicles. I get the impression that the Russian forces are dilapidated, demoralised and undisciplined. They could be prone to unconventional influence, even traditional leaflet drops. Google markers could be used to convey demoralising messages. Maybe telling then that Putin has gone insane, or that the Rouble has in fact already collapsed and they will not be paid. Something about this situation tells me it's ripe for creative pysops.
- version_five 5y ago
  I know almost nothing about this conflict. But when I don't understand something, especially in a high stakes situation, I don't feel smart and like I'm going to win. I assume I missed something important and I'm in trouble until I can clearly confirm otherwise. I think we should be doing more of this, and less underestimating the worlds second biggest military power. That way, if we're wrong, there is nothing to worry about.
  - jfengel 5y ago
    Even when I do think I understand something, I try to take the Gell-Mann amnesia effect into account. I know how bad science reporting is; I assume they're no better at reporting international events. Whatever I've managed to piece together is going to be highly limited. This is especially disconcerting on the rare occasions that I've been forced to conclude that a world leader is genuinely stupid. World leaders are often wrong, because the world is a complex and difficult place, but they're generally not stupid. Unlike me, they've got experts at their side to answer every question and point out the things they've missed. My view of them is almost certainly limited. This is a situation where I think somebody may have made a serious error in judgment, one he should have known better. That worries me, because stupid people are unpredictable and do other stupid things, often against their own self-interest.

There's so much that doesn't add up about this crisis. Russian soldiers selling their fuel. Russians falling back on Google maps. A 40 mile long stationary convoy that could be flattened by a single high altitude bomb run. Russians abandoning their vehicles. I get the impression that the Russian forces are dilapidated, demoralised and undisciplined. They could be prone to unconventional influence, even traditional leaflet drops. Google markers could be used to convey demoralising messages. Maybe telling then that Putin has gone insane, or that the Rouble has in fact already collapsed and they will not be paid. Something about this situation tells me it's ripe for creative pysops.

version_five 5y ago
I know almost nothing about this conflict. But when I don't understand something, especially in a high stakes situation, I don't feel smart and like I'm going to win. I assume I missed something important and I'm in trouble until I can clearly confirm otherwise. I think we should be doing more of this, and less underestimating the worlds second biggest military power. That way, if we're wrong, there is nothing to worry about.
- jfengel 5y ago
  Even when I do think I understand something, I try to take the Gell-Mann amnesia effect into account. I know how bad science reporting is; I assume they're no better at reporting international events. Whatever I've managed to piece together is going to be highly limited. This is especially disconcerting on the rare occasions that I've been forced to conclude that a world leader is genuinely stupid. World leaders are often wrong, because the world is a complex and difficult place, but they're generally not stupid. Unlike me, they've got experts at their side to answer every question and point out the things they've missed. My view of them is almost certainly limited. This is a situation where I think somebody may have made a serious error in judgment, one he should have known better. That worries me, because stupid people are unpredictable and do other stupid things, often against their own self-interest.