Mimetic Warfare

[Joshe]

https://stratcomcoe.org/pdfjs/?file=/publications/download/jeff_gisea.pdf

I don't see this topic get enough attention so I figured I share this. I was too lazy to do the writing, so here's Claude

"I recently came across an article from NATO's Strategic Communications journal titled "It's Time to Embrace Memetic Warfare" by Jeff Giesea. While focused on military applications against terrorist groups like ISIS, it provides a fascinating primer on what memetic warfare actually is:

Memetic warfare is competition over narrative, ideas, and social control in a social-media battlefield.

The article explains how memes and social media can be weaponized to shape public opinion and influence behavior. It describes tactics like creating viral hashtag campaigns, undermining enemy narratives, and using emotionally-resonant content to spread particular viewpoints. While the article argues for these techniques in counter-terrorism, it got me thinking about how these same strategies could be used domestically.

Certain billionaires, like Peter Thiel, are deeply interested in mimetic theory (the study of how ideas spread through imitation) and are simultaneously pouring millions into alternative media platforms and paying contracts to influential content creators who promote very specific worldviews.

Thiel has:

• Studied memetic theory extensively and sought out experts in the field
• Created a network of funded political candidates
• Invested heavily in alternative media platforms
• Paid substantial contracts to right-wing influencers 
• Was a student of Rene Girard, the father of mimetic theory. Thiel idolized Girard and even went to his funeral. 

When someone with virtually unlimited resources develops expertise in how ideas spread virally and then builds an infrastructure to disseminate specific ideas, we should be concerned. This isn't simply advocating for a viewpoint - it's engineering public opinion using sophisticated understanding of social influence while obscuring the full extent of the operation.

Democratic discourse depends on transparency about who is promoting ideas and why. When billionaires create elaborate influence networks based on memetic principles, they're not participating in the marketplace of ideas - they're trying to own and control it."

Who else do you hear talk about memes? Musk. IMO, controlling the public narrative was the whole point of buying Twitter. 

[Leo Gura]

That's media in a nutshell. Fox News has been doing this since the 90s. And all the right-wing political grifters are doing it. Rogan is doing it now.

These people are so deep in their own ideology they can't even tell who is doing the manipulating and who is being manipulated.

Edited March 12 by Leo Gura

[Hardkill]

4 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

That's media in a nutshell. Fox News has been doing this since the 90s. And all the right-wing political grifters are doing it. Rogan is doing it now.

Biden should've pushed harder for regulation of right-wing information during his presidency.

 

Edited March 12 by Hardkill

[Leo Gura]

22 minutes ago, Hardkill said:

Biden should've pushed harder for regulation of right-wing information during his presidency.

 

That won't work.

[Hardkill]

4 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

That won't work.

You don't know until you try. 

Even Obama has said that we need much greater regulation on misinformation more than ever before.

Otherwise, I fear the Democrats may never win back the presidency or the Senate again.

Edited March 12 by Hardkill

[Joshe]

@Hardkill maybe it’s time the Dems step up their memetic warfare game.

I think the Dems need to rebrand. Stop talking so much about social issues and civil rights and focus on Republican devilry. That’s the winning strategy. Every time they talk about someone who isn’t white or straight, they dig their hole deeper. Lol 

[Hardkill]

37 minutes ago, Joshe said:

@Hardkill maybe it’s time the Dems step up their memetic warfare game.

I think the Dems need to rebrand. Stop talking so much about social issues and civil rights and focus on Republican devilry. That’s the winning strategy. Every time they talk about someone who isn’t white or straight, they dig their hole deeper. Lol 

I agree that the Democrats should tone it down on social issues and civil rights, but they can't just be focusing on Republican devilry. That didn't work in 2024. They have to also talk about an economic populist vision for the country in the way that TR or FDR did that works for this day and age.

Have you checked out this new thread of mine?

 

Edited March 12 by Hardkill

[Staples]

Great post @Joshe

Yeah, the incentive from Theil is pretty clear - there's no better way to make your high-risk investments pay off than by manipulating public opinion.

It's a dying game though, the generation that follows us will be clued into how these bastards manipulated a whole civilization. The same way we are 'woke' where our parents were not - our boomer dilemma will be having thought social media was ever good for us.

There was once a time when smoking was cool.

Edited March 12 by Staples

[Leo Gura]

55 minutes ago, Staples said:

the generation that follows us will be clued into how these bastards manipulated a whole civilization.

A shaky assumption.

[Staples]

20 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

A shaky assumption.

I'm manifesting. 🔮💅

[Leo Gura]

8 minutes ago, Staples said:

I'm manifesting. 🔮💅

You're manifesting bastards

[Joshe]

23 hours ago, Hardkill said:

I agree that the Democrats should tone it down on social issues and civil rights, but they can't just be focusing on Republican devilry. That didn't work in 2024. They have to also talk about an economic populist vision for the country in the way that TR or FDR did that works for this day and age.

Yeah, they can't be 100% other side bad. But maybe 70/30 or 80/20. I agree the remaining focus should be a barrage of populism. I'm not sure the best way to balance it but I know getting the balance right is crucial. Maybe stagger smear and populist campaigns. People get tired of hearing the same message over and over and they end up tuning out or dismissing the message, so stagger smear campaigns with populist campaigns and have dynamic campaigns ready for launch to capitalize on Republican blunders. They should also build coalitions with people like MediasTouch, The Lincoln Project, and all other online influencers so they can coordinate messaging to improve campaign effectiveness. You'd think with pockets as deep as the Dems they wouldn't have trouble finding someone to give them good advice.