RT is Russian State TV For Non-Russian Audiences Fact
RT, which originally stood for Russia Today, is Russian State TV designed for non-Russian audiences.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is the art of social influence, or the science of influencing individuals, groups, and systems, typically through indirect means.
This can describe shaping opinion and influence on an interpersonal, small group, national, or even world-wide level, or it can be a statement on “hacking” using social means.
From a broad lens, social engineering is simply the use of social psychology, marketing, and other social influence tools to impact behavior and “bypass psychological and physical firewalls”. So, in its most mundane sense, it is something simple like a morale boosting speech or advertising. The morality of social engineering relies just as much on the morality and transparency of the tactics, as it does the message.
Terms like social engineering and propaganda get a bad reputation, but they are both simply calculated tactics to influence individual and social behavior. In this way, a politician’s speech, or a company’s press release or advert, is a form of social engineering and propaganda. Social engineering describes the tactics used, while propaganda describes a medium used to transfer the ideology behind the content.
In the world of cryptography and technology (an area of life that at times appropriated this term), social engineering simply describes a way of get around the need for brute force attacks by bypassing social firewalls rather than digital ones.
For instance, it would be easier to get into your spouses Facebook page by distracting them away from their computer with a convenient self-initiated phone call to their mom, rather than trying to guess their password. Your tactics were engineered with methods based in the social sciences, rather than technological ones, thus, this is a form of “social” “engineering”.
The show “Mr. Robot
Factoids tagged with "Social Engineering"
Russia Interfered with the 2016 U.S. Election Fact
There is a high degree of certainty that Russia ordered an influence campaign in 2016 to undermine public faith in the US democratic process and the sway the election.
People Tend to Act Out of Perceived Self Interest Fact
It isn’t true that everyone acts out of self interest, but generally people tend to act in accord with their perceived self interest and “moral sentiments.”
Hitler Was a Left-wing Socialist Liberal Myth
Hitler was a National Socialist (NAZI). National Socialism is a type of fascism. Although National Socialism had some socialist and left-wing planks, it is a unique authoritarian, militant, and nationalist ideology separate from socialism or liberalism that is generally considered “far-right.”
Fake News is Real Fact
“Fake news” is news meant to influence rather than provide pure information. It is real and as old as the printing press. However, only some of what is labeled as “fake news” is actually “fake.”
Lenin and Stalin are Real Names Myth
Neither Lenin or Stalin are real names. Vladimir Lenin was born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, and Joseph Stalin was born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili.
Saul Alinsky Was a Satanist Myth
Saul Alinsky wasn’t a satanist, nor did he dedicate Rules for Radicals to Lucifer. Alinsky simply used Lucifer as a literary device to teach community organizing.
Niccolò Machiavelli is the Father of Modern Political Science Fact
Niccolò Machiavelli can be considered the father of modern political science, and his book The Prince one of the first works of modern political philosophy (if not just modern philosophy).
Saul Alinsky is the Father of Modern Community Organizing Fact
Saul Alinsky, the American community organizer and author of Rules for Radicals, can be considered the father of modern community organizing.
Carl Sagan Assembled the First Physical Message Sent into Space Fact
Carl Sagan and NASA gained popularity when the longtime space program scientist created the Pioneer plaque and the Voyager Golden Record to be sent to space.
There are Different Types of Bullshit (BS) Fact
There are different types of bullshit (BS). BS can be a lie, a half-truth, or truth. The goal of BS is influence, truth and lies are simply the tools of the bulls**tter.
Game Theory is the Science of Strategy Fact
Game theory is “the science of strategy,” a branch of mathematics that studies the strategy, rules, and statistics of decision making games and applies it to other fields.
Humans are Quick to Adapt to Change Fact
Humans are generally quick to adapt to change, despite being resistant to it, this is true biologically, socially, and culturally.
Edward Bernays Was the Father of Public Relations Fact
Edward Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud, can be considered the father of public relations and propaganda. Bernays literally wrote the book on propaganda, public relations, and manipulating public opinion.
On Average, People Naturally Obey Authority Fact
The Milgram experiment on obedience to authority figures (and related studies) show that, on average and under the right conditions, people will obey authority figures despite moral objections.
People Can be Truly Unbiased Myth
People can’t be truly unbiased; we are hardwired with bias and create bias constantly as part of the natural neurological process of learning.
Blog Posts tagged with "Social Engineering"
Types of Conflict Theories
We explain Marx’s conflict theory and other conflict theories to show how tension between social, political, material, and other forces manifest.
Commodity Fetishism, Consumerism, the Society of the Spectacle, Alienation, and More
We define terms related to “the society of the spectacle” like commodity fetishism, consumerism, “proletarianization,” and alienation.
Types of Propaganda, Propaganda Techniques, and Propaganda Strategies
We present a list of types of propaganda, propaganda techniques, and propaganda strategies used to manipulate public opinion in the modern day.
Propaganda, Digital Democracy, and the Fifth and Sixth Estate
If the fifth estate is bloggers and alt-media, then the sixth estate is the people, their comments, and social media. We discuss propaganda and “digital democracy” in the fifth and sixth estate.
Political Emotion and Emotional Attachments to Political Ideas
Political emotion is a term that describes emotional attachments and responses to political ideas and responses to political ideas based on emotion.
What is Criminal Virtue?
Criminal virtue is a concept eluded to in Machiavelli’s the Prince. It describes calculated “criminal acts” that can help one get ahead in politics.
National Populism and Deconstruction
Steve Bannon eluded to a “National Populist” “Deconstruction” agenda in a recent speech. We take a look at the historic meaning of those terms.
The Vast-Right Wing Conspiracy (and the Left-wing Equivalent)
We explain the “vast-right wing conspiracy” (or right-wing strategy) that Hillary talked about in the 90s (and the left-wing equivalent).
What is an Alternative Fact?
Alternative facts describe inconsistent sets of information submitted as plausible evidence for competing sides of a case/debate/argument.
The Problem With Unsubstantiated Information and Plausible Deniability
The problem with unsubstantiated information is that it is unverified as true, and often leaked by sources with plausible deniability, which is confusing.
Confirmation Bias, Ideological Bubbles, Reference Frames, and Filters
We explain how experience and social interactions shape our frame of reference and create ideological bubbles, and how this creates confirmation bias and “bubble filters” that reinforce these bubbles.
Civil Religion
“Civil Religion” is the civic “religion” of a nation. It doesn’t describe the theological religion of a nation, but rather a quasi-religious shared identity built around national symbolism and customs.
Why Do Dictators Have Mustaches?
Villains tend to have mustaches, not because facial hair is evil, but because despots style themselves after other despots.
The Origin of Politically Correct
The exact origin of the term politically correct isn’t known, although the earliest usage we could find was from 1793 Supreme Court Case Chisholm v. Georgia.
The Bed of Nails Principle
The bed of nails principle states that while laying on one nail is enough to puncture a person’s skin, laying on many distributed nails isn’t.
What Does “Politically Correct” Mean?
Political Correctness (politically correct or PC), describes how much tolerance, sensitivity, censorship, and freedom of expression “is correct” in a given setting.
Arete Explained
Areté roughly means “moral virtue”. It refers to an innate “excellence” or “essence” in all things, and the striving toward that potential or purpose.
Conspiracy Theories Explained
Conspiracy theories are sets of one more speculative hypotheses, backed by fallacious reasoning, that suppose a conspiracy.