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Here's another paper by the same author arguing that people who believe wrong things should be covertly manipulated by government agents to induce them to not b

by Torgo 12y ago

Here's another paper by the same author arguing that people who believe wrong things should be covertly manipulated by government agents to induce them to not believe wrong things. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1084585 http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1084585

jrlocke 12y ago
I always try to find redemptive irony in the fact that those most blinded by misleading ideas are themselves disposed to proclaim that it is actually all others others who suffer that affliction.
xnull2guest 12y ago
It's also important to note that Cass Sunstein was hired into the US government after that work, after which both the Smith-Mundt Act was eviscerated and the Air Force as well as other branches of the government developed workflows for 'engaging public opinion'. The undertone of all of this is that there is a propaganda war going on across the internet and through foreign media companies (and sometimes through NGOs and CSOs) between nations - one component of what is now referred to as hybrid war. The US feels that it needs to respond to the activities of other nations and in particular Russia - though Russia and other nations feel they needs to respond to the US (which propagandizes overseas liberally).
meowface 12y ago
At first I thought you were editorializing a little bit; I expected to see conspiracy theories discussed objectively, with theoretical solutions. But you're right, it does seem like they are seriously arguing in favor of eliminating conspiracy theories as a way of protecting society. Some of the suggestions seem reasonable and beneficial, but they seem to have missed the grand irony in suggesting things like "cognitive infiltration of conspiracy theorist communities by government agents" as a way of somehow making conspiracy theorists trust the government before... Nor did they discuss what would happen to their debunking effort if the scheme was somehow leaked or discovered. edit: I am definitely not the first person to notice this irony: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein#.22Conspiracy_Theories.22_and_government_infiltration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein#.22Conspiracy_The...

by Torgo 12y ago

jrlocke 12y ago

I always try to find redemptive irony in the fact that those most blinded by misleading ideas are themselves disposed to proclaim that it is actually all others others who suffer that affliction.

xnull2guest 12y ago

It's also important to note that Cass Sunstein was hired into the US government after that work, after which both the Smith-Mundt Act was eviscerated and the Air Force as well as other branches of the government developed workflows for 'engaging public opinion'. The undertone of all of this is that there is a propaganda war going on across the internet and through foreign media companies (and sometimes through NGOs and CSOs) between nations - one component of what is now referred to as hybrid war. The US feels that it needs to respond to the activities of other nations and in particular Russia - though Russia and other nations feel they needs to respond to the US (which propagandizes overseas liberally).

meowface 12y ago

At first I thought you were editorializing a little bit; I expected to see conspiracy theories discussed objectively, with theoretical solutions. But you're right, it does seem like they are seriously arguing in favor of eliminating conspiracy theories as a way of protecting society. Some of the suggestions seem reasonable and beneficial, but they seem to have missed the grand irony in suggesting things like "cognitive infiltration of conspiracy theorist communities by government agents" as a way of somehow making conspiracy theorists trust the government before... Nor did they discuss what would happen to their debunking effort if the scheme was somehow leaked or discovered. edit: I am definitely not the first person to notice this irony: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein#.22Conspiracy_Theories.22_and_government_infiltration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein#.22Conspiracy_The...