Mae

To face down Networked Insurgency, any counterinsurgency initiative must apply the same tools as used by Insurgency, with an ethical, empathic core of messaging, avoiding moral and binary traps.

Targeting any and all signal mechanisms capable of shaping collective perception.

To face down Networked Insurgency, any counterinsurgency approach must accept the cost of sidestepping the use cases and damage done by Insurgency chaotic actors.

This in order to rigidly establish collective perception of identifiable shared master enemies.

To face down Networked Insurgency, any counterinsurgency framework must induce a big picture perspective, reinforcing socio-cultural traits of cohesion.

In spite of fault lines pressured by the insurgency.

When push comes to shove, Networked Insurgency functions as an application of cultural engineering more so than as an operational application of tools and tactics.

This is the reason why any segmented, bottom up, counterinsurgency application is bound to fail.

Networked Insurgency relies on continuous input of behavioural data on target profiles, for example population, but also organisational behaviour, in order to optimise core competencies (linguistics, theatre craft, influence).

Networked Insurgency relies on culturally and socially induced influence on signal mechanisms.
Social circles. Policy Institutes. PR. Lobby. Media. In that order.
This is the reason message deconfliction at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of is so critical.

A core dilemma of counterinsurgency facing networked insurgency is not how to identify and neutralize insurgents, who generally hide amongst population, many in plain sight.
But how to identify and present architects of insurgency as root causes, and identifiable threats.

Networked Insurgency is a distributed yet highly organized movement, applying traditional and non-traditional methods in a form of long duration conflict to subvert any and all force dynamics present, in order to overthrow a constituted government without risk to its architects.

Introductory Chapter freely available here: http://www.johanfarkas.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Post-Truth-Fake-News-and-Democracy-Chapter-1.pdf

‘Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy’ Published by Routledge. Available as paperback, hardback and e-book  Also available on Kindle. -> -> Read the introduction chapter <- <- Description: Western societies are under siege, …

Homework. https://www.johanfarkas.com/book/

Homework. https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/political-mythologies/articles/the-return-of-the-king

“If It Sounds Like Sci-Fi, It Probably Is” | Journal by getAbstract Linguistics professor Emily Bender separates fact from the hype surrounding Large Language Model AI.

Homework. https://journal.getabstract.com/en/2023/08/03/if-it-sounds-like-sci-fi-it-probably-is/

The authoritarian playbook of power:

Keep them poor
Keep them guilty
Keep them angry
Keep them divided
Keep them chasing
Keep them believing
Keep them uninformed
Keep their women unable

Set narrative, control timing, add direction.

It’s not about their behaviour.
They depend on influencing ours.

Origin Stories: Plantations, Computers, and Industrial Control The proto-Taylorist methods of worker control Charles Babbage encoded into his calculating engines have origins in plantation management.

Homework. https://logicmag.io/supa-dupa-skies/origin-stories-plantations-computers-and-industrial-control/

Racist Mass Violence Isn’t Incidental To White Conservatism—It Is Its Defining Feature From the White League Coup of 1874 to the January 6 Insurrection, white conservatives have repeatedly used direct violence in attempts to seize power.

Homework. https://drwilliamhorne.substack.com/p/racist-mass-violence-isnt-incidental

The Twin Insurgency - The American Interest The postmodern state is under siege from plutocrats and criminals who unknowingly compound each other’s insidiousness.

Homework. https://www.the-american-interest.com/2014/06/15/the-twin-insurgency/

Homework. https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/political-mythologies/articles/the-return-of-the-king

Homework. https://logicmag.io/supa-dupa-skies/origin-stories-plantations-computers-and-industrial-control/

Hello World - for the time being, find me on Twitter @ MMBrussell, who knows what’ll happen here but if there’s two lessons from history on such matters it’s these:

1. Never cede ground to authoritarians.
2. Never get trapped in silos by authoritarians.