Benjamin Carlson
@bfcarlson
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Ex-editor @TheAtlantic , ex-China journo @AFP . Comms director. Writing is an act of freedom.
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How did Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance blow 5 million minds? The first in a series of studies.
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In 1977, media prophet Marshall McLuhan discussed CIA and FBI surveillance, and then turned it into one of the most mind-bending riffs on identity in the digital age I've ever heard.
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Think about what’s being done to your dopamine levels on a daily basis and then watch this. In 1958, Aldous Huxley predicted a form of dictatorship that would rely not on force, but propaganda—and addiction.
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How do you incubate a mind virus? How do you cause a culture to self-destruct? In 1984, this KGB defector exposed the 4-stages identified by Soviet intelligence as the necessary steps to cause the psychological implosion of American society.
Stage 1: Demoralization (15–20 yrs)
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In 1977, Jorge Luis Borges, one of the most influential 20th c. Spanish-language writers, told William F. Buckley (whose first language was Spanish) his reasons for feeling, age 78, that English was 'far finer' than his native tongue. Right or wrong, I love his savor for language
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Did you know this?
3 minutes before the second plane hit World Trade Center 2, an announcement went out to everyone in the building:
"WTC is secure/safe, please return to your offices."
Many who called 911 were told: shelter in place. Wait to be rescued.
Some people
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In 1974, author Ray Bradbury was asked, “What is space travel going to do for man?” In response, he gave the most mystical, mind-blowing, and strangely moving answer I could have imagined.
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Love or hate her, Ayn Rand was a piercing voice on moral questions that continue to haunt the 21st century. Watch this 1959 clip with Mike Wallace and ask yourself: was she wrong?
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In the last interview of his life (1996), astronomer Carl Sagan gave an uncannily prescient warning of the dangers that arise when you cannot ask skeptical scientific questions of those in authority. Watch and ask yourself: was he right?
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TIL every time you say “he is toast,” you are paying homage to that great linguistic innovator, Bill Murray.
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In 1977, Jorge Luis Borges, one of the most influential 20th c. Spanish-language writers, told William F. Buckley (whose first language was Spanish) his reasons for feeling, age 78, that English was 'far finer' than his native tongue. Right or wrong, I love his savor for language
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How do you incubate a mind virus? How do you cause a culture to self-destruct?
In 1984, this KGB defector exposed the secret 4-stage plan used by Soviet intelligence to wage psychological war on American society.
Stage 1: Demoralization. (15-20 years)
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The feud between Susan Sontag and Camille Paglia captured on camera here in 1993 (on public TV) is so painfully entertaining it's impossible to look away.
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Nobody hated clichés as intensely, and as thoughtfully, as Martin Amis. I particularly like his attack on the trendy catchphrases of 2007. That all of them now sound utterly dead makes his point.
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Listen to why Ray Bradbury, author of 27 novels, didn't believe in college and thought it was "dangerous." Stay for the dazzling monologue on love, hate, creativity, and the irresistible power of feeling over the intellect.
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In the last interview of his life (1996), astronomer Carl Sagan warned of the dangers that come when citizens cannot ask skeptical scientific questions of those in authority. Watch and ask: was he right?
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How do you incubate a mind virus? How do you cause a culture to self-destruct? In 1984, this KGB defector exposed the 4-stages identified by Soviet intelligence as the necessary steps to cause the psychological implosion of American society.
Stage 1: Demoralization (15–20 yrs)
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I can't get over how prophetic this man was. Here's Marshall McLuhan over half a century ago (1966) predicting the world we live in decades before anyone had imagined it.
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The most powerful propaganda technique you've never heard of:
"The Big Lie"
It's been used to manipulate people for decades—and on you, today.
Here's how it works:
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The CIA has run psyops on the American public for years.
In this 1983 clip, ex-agent Frank Snepp explains how the CIA did it in Vietnam.
@Snowden
highlighted a clip of this interview as the most important of 2022.
Here is the full discussion.
1. Spreading Disinformation
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In 1974, author Ray Bradbury was asked, “What is space travel going to do for man?” In response, he gave the most mystical, mind-blowing, and strangely moving answer I could have imagined.
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In 1958, psychoanalyst and philosopher Eric Fromm was asked why he believed the United States of 1958 was the best society the world had ever seen. He explains why—and gives a warning for how the US could destroy itself. See if you agree with him on the fatal flaw of modern work
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85% of KGB action was not spying, but ideological warfare. The aim was to change Americans’ perception of reality so that “no one is able to come to sensible conclusions.” This loss of reality then weakens the family, community, country — and the self.
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In this 1980s interview, journalist Louis Wolf and ex-CIA agent John Stockwell expose CIA media operations with an unforgettable phrase: "It goes beyond your wildest imagination the extent to which the CIA has gone to manipulate public opinion."
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In 1977, media prophet Marshall McLuhan discussed CIA and FBI surveillance, and then spun it into one of the most mind-bending comments on identity in the digital age I've ever heard.
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What can an unfree society teach you about freedom?
In 6+ years living in China as a journalist, I was informed on, spied on, tailed when traveling.
This is nothing compared to what Chinese go through if targeted.
Here are 14 lessons—and warnings—that many need to hear:
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How to handle a bank run, a guide. Fascinating tactics from an owner who halted a run on his bank exploiting shrewd intuitions about human psychology.
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I can't stop watching this moment in 1967 when Marshall McLuhan uncannily predicted exactly what it's like living in a world of social media
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Stage 2: Destabilization (2–5 years)
Once a society is demoralized, its weakness and unwillingness to defend itself is exploited to undermine the military, economy & foreign affairs.
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In this 1980s interview, journalist Louis Wolf and ex-CIA agent John Stockwell expose CIA media operations with an unforgettable phrase: "It goes beyond your wildest imagination the extent to which the CIA has gone to manipulate public opinion."
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In the last interview of his life (1996), astronomer Carl Sagan gave an eerily prescient warning of the dangers that come when you cannot ask skeptical scientific questions of those in authority. Watch and ask yourself: was he right?
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I don't know who needs to hear this, but these are 14 hallmarks of totalitarianism:
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Dear leaders, what is preventing you from speaking like this?
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Stage 3–4: Crisis & Normalization (6 weeks)
A weakened society is easily brought to crisis, causing a “violent change of power, structure, and economy.” A benevolent dictator who makes grandiose promises could then be installed to bring things back to “normal.”
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In 1984, KGB defector Bezmenov warned the demoralization of the US was nearly complete After the final crisis, all those who helped in subversion will have no further use, he adds. “They will be lined up against the wall and shot.”
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In 2017, the World Economic Forum put Xi Jinping on a pedestal as the champion of economic order.
As a China economics correspondent, it was my job to cover it.
I tried to change the script, and was overruled. That's the day I decided to leave journalism.
The story:
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Kurt Vonnegut's theory of story shapes theory is the most delightful rejected master's thesis I know. All the great tales of the world can be graphed, he says, revealing the inner life of a society. Watch, enjoy, and consider what shape the stories of 2023 might make.
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Will Durant, philosopher and historian, gives a delightfully tart lesson to a glib reporter, and then gives an aquatic analogy on our human limits that is surprisingly profound.
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“A person who was demoralized is unable to assess true information. The facts tell nothing to him. … When a military boot crushes his balls, then he will understand. But not before that.”
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@tomharari
Once a parent you feel this even more keenly. Nobody will truly care for your child but you.
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In 1958, legendary interviewer Mike Wallace asked America's most influential theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr: "What is your personal attitude toward atheists?" His answer is both surprising and thought-provoking, whatever your belief.
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Bezmenov died in 1993 in obscurity in Canada, where he lived under the assumed name Tomas Schuman. He considered himself a prophet but felt his warnings were ignored. In an era of daily psychological war, his lessons have more to teach us today than ever.
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A few days ago I asked readers what important matter they changed their minds on.
This one is mine: Snowden.
I was a reporter in Hong Kong when he fled there. I helped search for him. I believed what was said of him: he endangered lives.
Now I see: in many ways, he was right.
Many have yet to realize that history has discredited the old propaganda. It has been nearly *ten years* since I revealed the system of global mass surveillance, and not one person has died.
On the other hand, courts since ruled the *gov* broke the law!
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Here is how the CIA planted fake news stories, according to a former agent speaking in 1983.
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Here's the link to the full report. Excerpts below.
One person on the stairs who heard the announcement "felt angry to hear this announcement, because I felt we were in danger."
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If Americans fail to grasp the impending danger, he said, “nothing ever can help the United States.” “You may kiss goodbye to your freedom.”
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Borges, near the end of his life, gives one of the best definitions of a writer's "joyful duty" I've ever heard.
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The creator of the Twilight Zone, Rod Serling, was an early and outspoken critic of censorship. In 1959, he describes with powerful frankness the insidious practice of “pre-censorship” —and its ultimate cause. To what extent is this still true of creators today?
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In the CIA interrogation manual, it lists coercive techniques used to break someone's will. They include:
- Isolation
- Dependence
- Inducing guilt
- Preying on fear
- Disrupting sleep
- Robbing basic dignity
- Depriving of natural light
Sounds like social media addiction.
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Philip K. Dick, scifi visionary, died 41 years ago in a state of ruin. But his predictions of AI, predictive policing, and virtual reality have come uncannily true. In 1977, Dick reflects on his surprising emotion upon discovering he was being harassed by the FBI and CIA.
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As SpaceX tests Starship, the largest rocket ever built, we're one step closer to a future full of hope. Asked in 1974, “What is space travel going to do for man?”, Ray Bradbury gave the most mystical, mind-expanding, and strangely moving answer I could have imagined.
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@walterkirn
@mtaibbi
“Conservative” is no longer an ideological label. It’s a cue to the audience to dismiss a person without consideration.
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Why do bright people convert to a self-destructive ideology?
It's happened before.
One of the best analyses is the 1953 book, Captive Mind.
Ask yourself if any of this familiar:
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In 1966, media futurist Marshall McLuhan envisioned a form of digital research eerily similar to the customized queries now answered by AI. Then he makes a surprising admission about why he studies technological change—with a lesson I think many need to hear.
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Eisenhower's famous farewell address not only coined the term "military industrial complex." He also warned of the dangers to liberties and democracy that come when government and massive corporations form a single bloc with "unwarranted influence" and malign power over society.
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How do you make people join radical movements?
Perhaps the best answer comes from Dostoevsky's forgotten masterpiece, Demons
Sentenced to death for conspiracy, he knew the lure of radicalism—and saw the madness to come
28 insights on how brainwashing really works:
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What is the real story of the Twitter Files? It's a much bigger deal than many realize.
I've spent hours reading the great reporting (now thousands of words in 7+ parts) by
@mtaibbi
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@bariweiss
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@ShellenbergerMD
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Here are 7 crucial takeaways everyone needs to know:
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This 1958 interview with theologian Reinhold Niebuhr is a stunning reminder of the serious, intellectual dialogue that was a staple of midcentury American culture. Here, Niebuhr reflects on the nature of radical human freedom. Where can you find this in 2023?
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In 1977, visionary thinker Marshall McLuhan gave a theory of violence that is startling and chillingly prescient. Watch and ask yourself: what relevance does it have today?
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How can you identify when a movement is verging on terrorism?
In his 2005 book on the psychopathology of terror, ex-FBI agent Joe Navarro defined "violence or the threat of violence intended to exact compliance from a population."
These are 7 warning signs to watch for:
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The fact the sub implosion was kept secret for days while it was the top news story in the world is a testament to both the power of information control, and the failure of reporting.
James Cameron knew Monday & emailed people. How many others knew?
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Two years ago I quit alcohol.
It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
If you’re thinking about quitting, here are 11 things I wish someone had told me long ago:
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This is stunning: A majority of Americans believe life today is worse than it was half a century ago.
What was different — and better— about the lives of people in 1973?
And what is worse about today?
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The purpose of propaganda is not simply to create consensus, but to humiliate those who refuse to accept it.
Nothing is more psychologically painful and destructive of self-respect than to be shamed by lies and helpless to stop them.
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@Culture_Crit
talent grows like a plant. put it in a healthy environment, it thrives. in a desert, it withers.
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Destroying a people's cultural & religious identity, severing them from their history, punishing their defenders, and making them ashamed of who they are, is a brutally effective way to annihilate a threat.
Ever wonder why Hollywood stopped talking about Tibet?
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I spent 10 years as a journalist in the US and China and wrote hundreds of stories in major websites and magazines. People wonder how fake information spreads. Here's how it really happens. 🧵
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@Cernovich
If you can’t enjoy an event without alcohol, you don’t actually find the event enjoyable.
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In 1968, J.R.R Tolkien sat down in his study, pulled a newspaper clipping from his pocket, and revealed to the BBC the "keyspring" that drove his masterwork, The Lord of the Rings.
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The last minutes of this hourlong 1985 lecture on computer science by physicist Richard Feynman are a dazzling masterclass in storytelling—and an amusingly wise (and true) story about the ultimate proof we'll need to know artificial intelligence has become all-too-human.
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Don't miss the moment when Buckley spontaneously offers a suggested Spanish synonym for "he loomed over." The American pundit spoke only Spanish until age 6, and then was educated in French before finally learning English.
Borges' grandmother was English.
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The CIA has long tried to use the media to manipulate the American public.
In this 1983 clip, ex-agent Frank Snepp explains the techniques the CIA used in wartime to mold the narrative at home.
1. Spreading Disinformation
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If you're fascinated by the far-seeing visions of Marshall McLuhan, you'll love this 1968 exchange with novelist Norman Mailer.
In 2 minutes, he redefines violence as a quest for identity, and explains how information overload makes all of us confirmation-bias machines.
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70 yrs ago today, Allen Dulles, launched the CIA's mind control program MKULTRA.
In 1953, Americans were shocked by Soviet/Chinese brainwashing of US soldiers in Korea.
The response: a top-secret, and ultimately twisted, effort to "control human behavior."
This is the story:
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Here’s the real story of how a journalist (me) got the blue check mark:
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In 1958, psychoanalyst and philosopher Eric Fromm was asked why he believed the United States of 1958 was the best society the world had ever seen. He explains why—and gives a warning for how the US could destroy itself. See if you agree with him on the fatal flaw of modern work.
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In 1977, Jorge Luis Borges, one of the greatest 20th c. Spanish-language writers, told William F. Buckley (whose first language was Spanish) his reasons for feeling, age 78, that English was 'far finer' than his native tongue. Right or wrong, I love his savor for language.
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1. Dissent is branded evil
2. Political differences are not tolerated
3. Mass conformity of behaviors & beliefs
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Marshall McLuhan, who died in 1980, was one of the most prophetic thinkers of last century.
When I wrote about him a year ago, I was stunned at the viral response.
The editors at
@TheFP
asked me to go deeper—and my amazement grew.
Here are 6 astonishing things McLuhan got
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None of this is unique to China, of course. In daily life, people I met were warm, dynamic, optimistic. I still miss many things since leaving in 2018.
But the lessons have stayed with me.
Freedom is a fragile thing.
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Denzel Washington gives more practical wisdom in one minute of riffing than any TED talk
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The most effective censorship is first legal, then social, then internal.
Once people have learned to avoid certain topics ("that's too sensitive"), they cease to have anything to say on it.
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People will adapt to oppression sooner than they will rebel.
It's human nature to seek the path of least resistance.
There's a reason that subversives tend to be social misfits.
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Here is J. Robert Oppenheimer recalling the moment the bomb went off and he said those words.
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I went to China's national museum of art today & saw something interesting. At the exhibit for the 40th anniversary of reform & opening, Deng Xiaoping was hardly to be seen. Xi Jinping — and his father — stole the show. (1/ )
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4. Large scale, semi-organized violence is permitted.
5. Power is exerted to prevent the rise of dissent.
6. Power is concentrated in a handful of people and institutions.
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The secret methods the CIA uses to spread propaganda, according to a 1983 exposé by a former agent.
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When you combine a constant stream of highly engineered emotional manipulation with a drip of dopamine hits, you get something that looks like social media.
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This 1992 prediction from media theorist Neil Postman on the dark side of our "convenient" technologies hits very hard.
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If you can limit the words people use, you can limit the thoughts they think.
Since despots can never limit speech completely, they seek ever-more intrusive methods of intervention.
Chat software wouldn't let you send certain words.
Even workarounds were banned.
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I don't know who needs to hear this, but these are 15 markers of totalitarianism:
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7. Whole classes of people are scapegoated or singled out for persecution
8. Public opinion is turned against internal enemies
9. Extra-legal police action against internal enemies is condoned
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5 secrets to raise your news IQ, from an ex-journalist:
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@db_brewster
Impressive. It's easy to think "I'd be just like that, too." But you don't know until you're tested.
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