Reflexive Control: TER as Military Doctrine

The core Russia military doctrine of Cross Domain Coercion depends on what Russian military theorists call Reflexive Control. Using Reflexive Control Russia convinces its enemies (whether states or individuals) to act of their own volition voluntarily in ways which benefit Russia. The idea is to understand your enemy’s reflexes — say, that your enemy gets angry very easily. Then you purposely trigger your enemy — you provoke them to become angry. Then, when because of their passion, your enemy behaves in a certain predictable manner according to their reflexes. Russia then swoops in to punish that mistake.

Source: (III) Trigger, Experience, Reaction

However, reflexive control works both ways and we will see in later chapters how Ukraine uses its knowledge of Russia’s reflexes to troll it into acting in ways that benefit Ukraine.

Source: (III) Trigger, Experience, Reaction

Reflexive Control is TER weaponised as military doctrine. Russia maps your reflexes (your personality, your triggers), designs a meme to exploit them, and waits for the predictable reaction. But reflexive control works both ways — Ukraine trolled Russia into concentrating on Donetsk fields while Ukraine struck deep into Kursk.

See also: War Magic for reflexive control as military doctrine.

← Previous: “Don’t Poke the Bear”: The Most Powerful Disinfolklore | Back to Tool 5: Trigger, Experience, Reaction | Next: “Our Souls”: What Is at Stake →