If the Trojan War were being fought today, the Greeks would not need to hide inside of a big, wooden horse and hope to be dragged inside Troy’s city gates. They’d simply disseminate all kinds of lies on social media and wait for the Trojan people to fight each other. Such is the power of corrosive ideas: They can destroy a civilization before its defenders understand that they are under attack.
Information warfare is the name of the game today. It exists all around us. Soundbites attack us from every phone, computer, tablet, and television screen. Succinct messages ripple through social media platforms until people from opposite sides of the world repeat the same words without knowing why.
The most powerful bits of information are the ones that sound unquestionably true. “Believe all women.” “Black lives matter.” “Build back better.” Their simplicity assists their deception. We certainly shouldn’t distrust women, right? Who wants to argue that black lives mean nothing? Surely nobody wishes to build something worse than it was before. People hear the soundbites, nod their heads, and repeat those words to their friends and neighbors. Some place signs in their yards with those three-word messages, as if they were brilliant expositions of fundamental truths.
Successful information warfare propagates ideas without triggering in those who receive the message any need for reflection. Like the Greeks’ wooden horse, the communication is hollow. It is intended to be just attractive enough that listeners drag the soundbite into their heads but sufficiently harmless in appearance to avoid real scrutiny. Great propaganda does not conquer by force. It seduces. It knocks on the door, smiles, and charms its way into unsuspecting minds. Then it waits — patiently — until the day arrives when it can do the most damage.
Effective propaganda, however, is inherently fragile. Should anyone take the time to reflect on those three-word messages above, their magic spells are broken. Once someone asks, “Don’t some women lie?” people remember that accusations matter less than evidentiary proof. Once a person is shouted down for saying, “All lives matter,” it becomes clear that “diversity” and “equity” have nothing to do with equality and justice. When anyone stops to ask, “What are we building, and why are we building it?” the World Economic Forum’s plans for a “new world order” stand naked and exposed.
In other words, thinking is the enemy of information warfare. Those who engage in its dark arts see independent thinkers as missile shields that must be eliminated. Reason and rational debate remain the most effective defenses against propaganda. People who ask questions build forts for society with their minds. The entrances to those forts are adorned with this sign: Come let us reason together.
Reasoned debate is not scary; on the contrary, it is the path upon which we walk toward enlightenment. It is why people who demand complianceshould never be trusted. Anyone who says, “The science is settled,” or, “Trust the experts,” seeks to deprive the listener not only of his capacity to reason but also of his prospect for salvation. When we forsake the mental gifts that God has given us, we hobble our potential for spiritual growth. Nobody has ever been redeemed for “just following orders.” A good life comes from good choices, and good choices come from faithful contemplation. In this way, attacks on free speech are attacks on our very souls.
When propagandists attack our souls from all directions, it is difficult to know who is waging war against us and why. But there are telltale signs. When groups and governments attempt to “cancel” individuals for their personal beliefs, they are waging war against individual conscience.
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