You're not going to believe what I'm about to tell you theoatmeal.com/comics/believe

@caitoz @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan I don't see this type of disciplinary systems as something new and advanced. I think that is something that basically any ruling party in history has employed.

@caitoz @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan We can remember how many protests happened (also enabled by specific interests), during Covid-19. No amount of "propaganda", censorship, fact checking, smearing was effective. People felt lockdowns affecting them, while imperialism is something westerners can more easily ignore.

@caitoz @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan Even silly things, such as NAFO. People get a Wikipedia page and positive press about their actions, and they are already more likely to associate with the group, be part of a just fight. I don't see all this things as very advanced. It's all qute straightforward and crude.

@caitoz @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan I'm not saying that it's easy to fight propaganda. It's not. But not because it's so advanced and sophisticated, but because the empire has a lot of resources and a monopoly on violence. The difficulty comes from motivating people who don't see themselves as affected to fight it.

@Dreznicagoat @caitoz @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan The difficulty isn't in motivating people to fight it who don't see themselves as affected to fight it, it comes from the fact this propaganda only exists because it's repeating to people what they've already decided to believe.

@uncle_authority @Dreznicagoat @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan I myself know for a fact that I used to believe western propaganda not because I wanted to but because I was tricked. And I didn't stop believing it because my material conditions got worse, I stopped believing it because I finally got the time to research and learn the truth.

@caitoz @Dreznicagoat @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan Right. You actively decided to believe something else. Other people decide the opposite and go drop crocodile tears over Yeonmi Park performances at Rothbardapalooza or wherever.

@caitoz @Dreznicagoat @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan For me just actually observing how westerners, at least in the states, take in information about China and the DPRK disproves the "unthinking sheeple" narratives. They go out of their way to deliberately filter anything that doesn't fit the narrative they prefer.

@uncle_authority @Dreznicagoat @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan I see that as more due to the fact that all people everywhere are psychologically predisposed toward protecting their worldview, whatever it is, because that's how our brains are wired.

@GonnaCj @uncle_authority @Dreznicagoat @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan You're arguing with a basic fact that researchers have discovered about human psychology as though it's just my philosophical opinion or something. That people have a tendency doesn't mean it can't be overridden by material conditions or other circumstances at times.

@GonnaCj @uncle_authority @Dreznicagoat @smellbeard @bidetmarxman @RodericDay @__ulaan Why do you suppose the Syrian government and other empire-targeted governments restrict western media and information distribution? For fun?