Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve been absolutely glued to the Telegram screen, watching the videos of surrendering troops, trophy hauls and the smoking floating carcass of the sunken Moskva. More than that though, I’ve been watching carefully the propaganda being generated by the Russian side and I’m not sure how I feel about it. But, I guess having some propaganda for your side is better than having none, which was the case in the beginning of the special operation turned full-fledged war.
RT's propaganda game peaked in the Occupy Wall Street era, when they platformed old left economic dissidents, anti-war activists, and 9/11 truthers, all of whom were considered edgy at the time and were in fact systematically silenced by regime media. They really should have pivoted to right wing populist nationalism after 2015, but maybe a strategic decision was made that doing so would have played into the hands of the globohomo narrative that nationalists were all Russian agents? Or maybe it's add simple as you say, the Armenian lady's personal distaste for right wing politics.
Considering that Russia made zero effort to reach out to their natural allies in the West, the fact that there's so much sympathy for the Russian cause is rather remarkable. Then again, the right is used to making its own propaganda with Photoshop and MS Paint. Maybe that's enough. Sclerotic boomer bureaucracies would just get in the way.
Your title made me laugh, it conveys a serious message in a oddly humorous way. Though I am no fan of propaganda, I see the affect the heavy handed censoring and outright lies in the west, that is even more intense than the infamous Middle East terror wars, having an inordinate influence on the people here. If the counter narrative is not up to the task, I fear the mob will be begging for war soon. As you say, appeal to the “ demographic of semi-senile Russian-language studies professors at the local liberal arts colleges in America” is probably not going to do the job. Probably what is needed is a shot gun approach, the west will again say, see the Russian’s are are attacking our nonexistent democracy, but a few pellets may divert the anger of a highly propagandized mob. I’m not sure Russia even has the allocated resources or developed internal expertise for such a tactic.
Still need to set up a crypto account. I just started reading (began at Unz), and enjoy your ideas/writing.
RT's propaganda game peaked in the Occupy Wall Street era, when they platformed old left economic dissidents, anti-war activists, and 9/11 truthers, all of whom were considered edgy at the time and were in fact systematically silenced by regime media. They really should have pivoted to right wing populist nationalism after 2015, but maybe a strategic decision was made that doing so would have played into the hands of the globohomo narrative that nationalists were all Russian agents? Or maybe it's add simple as you say, the Armenian lady's personal distaste for right wing politics.
Considering that Russia made zero effort to reach out to their natural allies in the West, the fact that there's so much sympathy for the Russian cause is rather remarkable. Then again, the right is used to making its own propaganda with Photoshop and MS Paint. Maybe that's enough. Sclerotic boomer bureaucracies would just get in the way.
Your title made me laugh, it conveys a serious message in a oddly humorous way. Though I am no fan of propaganda, I see the affect the heavy handed censoring and outright lies in the west, that is even more intense than the infamous Middle East terror wars, having an inordinate influence on the people here. If the counter narrative is not up to the task, I fear the mob will be begging for war soon. As you say, appeal to the “ demographic of semi-senile Russian-language studies professors at the local liberal arts colleges in America” is probably not going to do the job. Probably what is needed is a shot gun approach, the west will again say, see the Russian’s are are attacking our nonexistent democracy, but a few pellets may divert the anger of a highly propagandized mob. I’m not sure Russia even has the allocated resources or developed internal expertise for such a tactic.
I stand with Russia. STOP THE NATO WAR MACHINE.