The Core Definition
In Archetypal Disinfolklore, we don’t care too much about the intention (mens rea) of the purveyors of Disinfolklore, or even who the source of the items of Disinfolklore are. Instead, we focus mainly on what’s immanent in the memes, informational units, or stories we hear, see or feel. Sometimes it’s a Russian Disinfolklorist designing a meme to hack our rational thought systems (to bypass our Incoming / Outgoing Troll Radars — Tool Two). Other times it can be our newly indoctrinated MAGA family member or trusted news source conveying the meme into our minds, unconsciously furthering the Disinfolklore Galaxy’s designers’ ends. Often we ourselves are, unknowingly, communicating onwards Disinfolklore which affects the moods, intentions, attitudes and motivations of those whom we’re influencing in precisely the same manner as the originator of the item of Disinfolklore imagined we would. Since the effect is the same — manipulating us or others into mental and physical activities that accord with the Disinfolklore Galaxy’s malignant designs for us and our communities — it’s better that we learn to look for the Mana / energy inside memes and informational units — rather than worrying about the intention immanent within or origin or ultimate source of the specific items of Disinfolklore. So we “Look for the Mana in the Meme!” Our “Look for the Mana in the Meme!” mantra, then, is Tool Three in our analytical arsenal for spotting and then countering potential Disinfolklore trolls.
Source: Pitch: Counter Disinfolklore ~ Controlling War Magic
This is the fundamental shift: from attribution to detection. It does not matter whether the meme came from a Russian troll farm, a MAGA uncle, or your most trusted journalist. What matters is the Mana in it.
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