The enemy within. Apparently Russian propaganda is being accepted by people outside of Russia. Putin’s influence is even creating more divisions in other countries including the US. ”Several Telegram users, who cited the comments, said they trusted Russian propaganda over independent American journalists, or their own democratically elected officials. “Can’t believe anything our government says!” one poster wrote.” [yahoo.com]
Yep, count my sister in the group that says "ya, can't believe a thing Biden's administration says".
Or to be correct some people simply don't want to believe something coming from someone not of their own mindset. Someone once told me they did practice critical thinking. Problem was his kind of 'critical thinking' was to criticize others thinking.
. . . more that one way
"Using a New Cyber Tool, Westerners Have Been Texting Russians About the War in Ukraine
These are very dangerous times when people cannot distinguish between fact and fiction or trust what they see and hear, especially from their own governments. It’s a time when Independent investigate journalism is more important than ever, and is why Putin has closed down any and all news outlets except his own Russian trusted state mouthpieces. Trump, during his term in office, did a good job of rubbishing journalists who questioned the Trump/Fox version of events, silencing their voices at press briefings by branding them liars and peddlers of false news. All of his supporters, which was almost half of the US population believed the Trump/Fox line and still do. There are people here on this site who are Trump supporters, and who still parrot the Trump line which is remarkably similar to the Putin line. Then there are the ones who call themselves libertarians who hate any sort of government control or laws of any kind which impinge on their personal liberty. They disbelieve everything official and prefer alternative facts because it suits their narrative of belief that the state is out to get them. These times we live in when deliberate misinformation is used as a weapon are extremely dangerous, and when proliferation of false information via Social media can become so pernicious that it ultimately leaves people unable to distinguish reality from propaganda.
WMD - Words of Mass Deception.
@FrayedBear Which words…not mine I trust?
@Marionville only if the cap fits Marge!
I wrote the comment however meaning government words & mealy mouthed embedded journalism.
@FrayedBear I’m only teasing…I knew what you meant!
I am curious how the moves by Putin will wake some people up. I have been watching news reports of young people in Russia who have other means of getting news and also asking if the state news is so controlled what is being hidden. I think this will be a turning point for us and the role of autocrats will get a lot more scrutiny. It seems so many of the Oligarchs in Russia produce nothing but additional pathways for money for themselves and once people are aware of this they will rebel.
@JackPedigo Sounds like the Bush's, Cheney & a raft of American Oligarchs.
@FrayedBear Of course and tRUmp and his enablers proved we are not immune from this problem.
@JackPedigo you put them there!