> Put another way, I think being neutral and silent by default is a necessary defense against manipulation. I can sympathize with the sense of confusion, but t

> Put another way, I think being neutral and silent by default is a necessary defense against manipulation. I can sympathize with the sense of confusion, but this is one of the principal purposes of information warfare. When successful it does one of following things: 1. disengages people who would otherwise be opposed; 2. sows doubt and division; 3. makes people believe the propaganda is true. We often fixate on #3, but #1 and #2 are the principal goals of today's information warfare, because they're much easier to achieve. When the other side's population doesn't know what to think, you're in a great position. It's effectively demobilizing the enemy.