As I reflect upon my research project on the New World Order conspiracy, I can’t help but wonder if my work has been influenced by manipulative forces such as media disinformation, PSY-OPS, and collusion between commercial and intelligence operatives. As I dive down various rabbit holes, I have found many specific examples of media disinformation being spewed. However, this may be explained by ignorance, biases, or plenty of other factors. However, what I find most interesting is the idea of PSY-OPS and governmental figures’ involvement in this conspiracy theory.
If you are not aware, the New World Order conspiracy follows the belief of a secret cabal, made up of influential figures, that pushes their agenda to rule the world. With this, I believe that the PSY-OPS is not involved in this conspiracy. My reasoning behind this is that this conspiracy theory is far beyond the scope of governments. This secret cabal is more influential and secretive than any government around the world would understand. So, this is why I believe governments have little influence with this idea of a New World Order.
*I do believe that the government does push their own agenda for selfish reasons, not for one world order.*
After watching the United States Army PsyWar recruiting video, one can infer that America is the superior country when it comes to psychological warfare. However, the “Ghosts in the Machine” video is more than just an experiment in suspense and horror. It’s a tool against a threat that has gone largely unnoticed by American leadership. The United States is currently in the midst of an unconventional war that is being waged in the hearts and minds of its people, a war that aims to destroy the nation’s will to defend itself and undermine democratic values.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is behind this psychological warfare, which is part of its unrestricted hybrid warfare campaign. According to a recent report by the Washington-based Hudson Institute, cognitive operations are a significant part of the CCP’s tactics to subvert U.S. security. These operations employ psychological warfare to control the enemy’s cognitive thinking and decision-making. As the primary propaganda organ of the Chinese military, the ultimate objective of cognitive operations is to manipulate a country’s values, national spirit, ethos, ideologies, cultural traditions, and historical beliefs to make it abandon its theoretical understanding, social system, and development path, and achieve strategic goals without having to fight. In other words, it’s a military campaign that seeks to convince Americans to abandon their way of life without a fight. So, as American citizens are fed this idea of superiority, the Chinese government is making strides in the dark.
According to a report by the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, the CCP’s psychological warfare is a long-standing government strategy that exploits foreign media to deliver Chinese propaganda. Its objective is to destabilize and interfere with the political processes of the United States by offering a “sugar-coated pill,” something that is easy to swallow but lethal to consume. This often comes in the form of anti-American propaganda disguised as domestic information and proliferated online.
The roots of the CCP’s psychological warfare go deep, and their influence can be seen across Western media. Twitter bots, sponsored newspaper articles, and state-sponsored misinformation are just a few of the ways in which the CCP’s tendrils have spread. The war over the narrative of China’s rise and the PLA’s intentions against the United States is ongoing, and it has been going on for decades.
I find the term “psyopcracy”, coined by Cathy Vogan to describe the rule by psyops or psychological operations, concerning, to say the least. The purpose of the United States psychological operations is to influence audiences’ emotions, motives, and objective reasoning, ultimately reinforcing behavior perceived to be favorable to U.S. objectives. William Casey, the C.I.A. director under Ronald Reagan, said, “We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.” As a result, American people are constantly subject to psychological operations disguised as “the news.” Because of this, American citizens are unable to decipher what is real and what is fake.
As we have seen, U.S. intelligence officials have been known to feed journalists disinformation to create a false narrative that misleads the public and covers up what is genuinely taking place. As time passes, the constant reinforcement of these lies becomes entrenched in the public’s minds and, ultimately, becomes accepted as unquestionable truth. However, there are instances when psyops don’t involve inserting false information but rather omitting what is true. This leaves people with the false impression that they have the correct information while, in reality, they are being manipulated.
For example, in Vietnam, the American people were led to believe that the United States was winning the war when, in fact, we were losing. Since then, several false stories have been implanted into people’s minds to start and maintain a war (Iraq). In the case of Ukraine, people have been misled into believing that an unprovoked Russian madman began the war last February, deliberately ignoring the fact that the war began in 2014 after a U.S.-backed coup in Kiev led Russian speakers in Donbass to declare independence, after which the coup government militarily attacked them. Several other facts have been removed from the story, such as Russia’s proposed treaties with the U.S. and NATO last December, which would have prevented Russia’s intervention in the Ukrainian civil war. However, none of these events are ever covered in the news. Unless you are an active critical thinker and uncoverer, many citizens will never hear about events like these.
It is essential to understand that many people are subject to psyops, which makes it challenging to tell the truth. Telling the truth becomes a formidable task since you become the one who is “out of step, and you are the one that seems to be mad.”
After reading about the Pentagon’s Psyops, I am highly critical of the Pentagon’s use of Twitter to promote its message in the Middle East. This raises serious concerns about the potential collusion between the U.S. government and social media platforms, threatening the integrity of information disseminated through these channels. Was it just Twitter that engaged in these collisions? What about other tech giants like Facebook and Google?
The fact that Twitter granted the Pentagon’s accounts similar privileges to verified accounts is problematic and highlights the platform’s lack of transparency and accountability in dealing with government propaganda. While Twitter has taken some steps to address inauthentic activity, it is clear that these measures are insufficient to prevent government entities from utilizing the platform to spread their messages. Just because one is a government identity, this should not give one the right to have more dynamic privileges than the average user. And if these government workers do receive extra privileges, this information should be known.
Overall, this situation underscores the need for greater regulation of social media platforms and increased transparency in government communications. The public must be able to trust the information they receive, and social media companies must be held accountable for their role in disseminating false information. It is imperative that we remain watchful in identifying and combatting these threats to the integrity of our internet.
In the world of The Tempest, Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, is marooned on an island with his daughter Miranda and the spirit Ariel. On the island, Prospero uses magic to control and manipulate the other characters, including the drunken butler Stephano and the King of Naples, Alonso. As the play progresses, the themes of power, freedom, and control come to the forefront.
In the second act, Ariel pleads with Prospero to set him free, saying “If I do prove her haggard, thou shalt fly away / And like an empty eagle, sing and say / ‘I am thy Ariel; come, I will shade thee / From the heat o’ the sun and hold thee by the book, / That thou mayst be my queen.'” (Shakespeare 2.1). The power dynamic between Prospero and Ariel, with Prospero holding control over Ariel, and Prospero keeping him captive through his magic highlights this theme of ultimate power. Prospero and Ariel’s relationship reflects the relationship between technology and its users, as explored by Shoshana Zuboff in her book “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism.” In it, Zuboff argues that tech companies have a similar hold over individuals, using their data and attention to manipulate them for their own benefit; they want to create “behavioral futures markets” (Zuboff 15). For example, Zuboff says that Google and Facebook have taken advantage of the abundance of personal data available online and use it to create sophisticated algorithms that track individuals’ behavior and predict their desires. The gathered information is then used to influence their thoughts, feelings, and actions, turning individuals into passive receivers of commercial messages.
Furthermore, the themes of freedom and control are explored through the character of Caliban, who rebels against Prospero’s rule and yearns for independence. In relation to Mattias Desmet in “The Psychology of Totalitarianism,” Caliban’s struggle for freedom can be seen as a metaphor for the tension between the individual and the state and the conflict between the individual and the technologies they use. Desmet states, “The Enlightenment tradition had promised people autonomy and freedom, but, in a way, it brought people greater (feelings of) dependence and powerlessness than ever before” (Desmet 40). The idea of the struggle for autonomy and independence is analyzed in relation to power structures and the human desire to break free from constraints. Desmet argues that this tension is reflected in the relationship between Caliban and Prospero in The Tempest. Just as Caliban desires to be free from Prospero’s control and assert his own independence, individuals today may also desire to be free from the control of technology and the companies that control it. This desire stems from the growing sense that technology is becoming a dominant power structure, manipulating individuals for its own benefit and undermining their autonomy. From the wise words of George Orwell’s 1984, “[Caliban] loves Big Brother” (Orwell 319).
In the end, The Tempest offers a nuanced exploration of the relationship between power, freedom, and control, themes that are still relevant today as technology continues to shape our world. Prospero’s use of magic to control and manipulate others can be seen as a parallel to the ways in which tech companies use data to control and manipulate their users. Meanwhile, Caliban’s struggle for freedom highlights the need for individuals to assert control over technology, rather than allowing it to control them.
The ship is in the midst of a storm; the crew and passengers desperately cling on as the waves crash against the vessel. The King of Naples and his entourage are on board, their lives are at the mercy of the tempest. So, The Tempest is a commentary on the relationship between technology and freedom, as it shows that while technology can bring great benefits and power, it also has its limitations and can limit our freedom. Similar to Shoshana Zuboff’s work on the surveillance economy, she argues that technology can both enhance and restrict our freedom, depending on how it is used.
In Act I, Scene 2, Prospero explains to Miranda how he came to be the ruler of the island. In this scene, Prospero describes how he used his magic to subdue Caliban and Ariel, who were originally the rulers of the island, and how he now uses his power over them to maintain control. Prospero’s mastery over Caliban and Ariel can be seen as a parallel for the power and control that technology companies have over the information and data of individuals. Just as Prospero uses his magic to manipulate and control Caliban and Ariel, technology companies use algorithms and data analysis to manipulate and control their users. In The Psychology of Totalitarianism by Mattias Desmet, he argued: “that the “individual soul” in the masses is completely taken over by the “group soul” (85). Caliban and Ariel are seen as a group soul, not being able to make individual decisions. Through Prospero’s rule, he has completely taken away Caliban and Ariel’s ability to rationally think and critically challenge.
Thomas Kuhn’s idea of a “paradigm” refers to the shared set of beliefs, values, and assumptions that underlie scientific research and experimentation (2:30). Furthermore, Kuhn argues that scientific control and manipulation may not always reflect objective reality or truth because it is a product of cultural and individual subjectivity. The dominant beliefs, values, and assumptions (paradigms) that underlie a scientific paradigm shape how research is conducted, the questions that are asked, and the conclusions that are drawn. In The Tempest, Prospero’s use of magic is not solely driven by an objective pursuit of truth and reality. Instead, his magic is shaped by his own individual perspectives, experiences, and biases. Specifically, Prospero uses his magic for revenge against his brother, Antonio, who has wronged him.
This idea of scientific research and experimentation shaped by experiences and biases is not just limited to the scientific community. Modern technology companies embody this idea perfectly. The use of technology by companies- like Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and Prospero- is shaped by the values, goals, and motivations of the individuals and organizations behind it. Using Google as the prime example, Zuboff states “Google invented and perfected surveillance capitalism in much the same way that a century ago General Motors invented and perfected managerial capitalism” (15). How Google operates treats personal data as a commodity that is bought and sold over a marketplace. This ideology exploits individuals’ personal information and creates the “behavioral surplus” (48) that Zuboff talks about.
Page 94 Desmet: “The narrowing of the field of attention also extends to the emotional field: Victims of the pandemic response measures have elicited remarkably little empathy. For these victims, there are no daily statistics, no case descriptions, and no testimonials from relatives covered in the media. Also, consider a virologist’s statement that a boy who died at a so-called lockdown party deserved “zero pity.” 30 These victims fall outside the circle of light, both cognitively and emotionally.”
Page 120 Zuboff: “The six declarations laid the foundation for the wider project of surveillance capitalism and its original sin of dispossession. They must be defended at any cost because each declaration builds on the one before it. If one falls, they all fall: 1. We claim human experience as raw material free for the taking. On the basis of this claim, we can ignore considerations of individuals’ rights, interests, awareness, or comprehension. 2. On the basis of our claim, we assert the right to take an individual’s experience for translation into behavioral data. 3. Our right to take, based on our claim of free raw material, confers the right to own the behavioral data derived from human experience. 4. Our rights to take and to own confer the right to know what the data disclose. 5. Our rights to take, to own, and to know confer the right to decide how we use our knowledge. 6. Our rights to take, to own, to know, and to decide confer our rights to the conditions that preserve our rights to take, to own, to know, and to decide.”
As with Chapter 1 (which we read last week), it is quite apparent that Robert Kennedy believes that Dr. Fauci has been a harmful leader throughout the pandemic. In Chapter 11, Kennedy’s main point is that Fauci has put politics and finances over trying to release “real” science that would benefit the country as a whole.
We have seen the same actions, as Fauci’s, in the past few decades. For example, just like Covid-19, fear-mongering has always been a big malicious action in the medical field. In 2005, Neil Ferguson, a doctor during the swine flu, predicted over 150 million deaths worldwide. As one might expect, this caused widespread panic and stress. However, as it turned out, only a few hundred people died of the swine flu. What people don’t see is the “behind-the-scene” transactions occurring from this fear-mongering.
Concluding Chapter 11, there are countless more examples of Anthony Fauci supposedly placing his economic status over the lives of millions of Americas. Whether you believe this or not, there is evidence on both sides.
The conspiracy theory regarding 5G cell towers and COVID-19 states two ideas: that the rollout of 5G technology played a role in the spread of the virus and that Covid-19 has the ability to travel through radio waves. For the first aspect, proponents of this theory believe that the high-frequency radio waves emitted by 5G towers weaken the immune system, making people more susceptible to illness, including COVID-19.
As a computer scientist and technology fanatic, I can confirm that this conspiracy is false. Specifically, 5G technology uses higher frequency radio waves to transmit data, but these waves are not dangerous to human health. The radio waves used in 5G are non-ionizing, meaning they do not have enough energy to break chemical bonds or cause harm to human cells. However, I have never truly done research to refute my technological beliefs.
After spending an hour trying to find any sort of information supporting this conspiracy theory, I came to the conclusion that there are NO articles in support. This is because this conspiracy is so unbelievable that it did not gain much traction on the internet. However, I do find it quite interesting how this conspiracy spread like wildfire even though it is so unbelievable.
When trying to find information on how it spread, there is a common consensus that many people are ignorant. 5G Cellular- and technology in general- is a very hard concept for non-technical people to grasp. Therefore, people are easy to make/accept radical claims about these advanced topics that they know little about. Especially since this theory came out during the beginning of the pandemic, people grasped on to ANY theory that explained what was going on.
The interview, administered by Jan Jekielek, is all about what has been causing these sudden heart problems in recent months. Dr. Peter McCullough and Dr. Aseem Malhotra try to put the theory into perspective that the COVID-19 vaccine might be the leading cause of these adverse heart problems.
As a disclaimer, I am a firm believer in the hypothesis that mild Covid-19 is the root of these heart problems; however, I went into this interview with an open mind.
Dr. McCullough and Dr. Malhorta definitely mentioned multiple statements that made sense. The most influential argument Dr. McCullough had was about his reasoning behind mild Covid and the vaccine. He said that Covid-19 definitely negatively affects one’s heart; there is no question about that. However, when you introduce more and more spike proteins (vaccines and boosters), this will increase the negative effects on one’s heart. The other segment I enjoyed was when they talked about “until proven otherwise.” They used this term in the context that many people in their field automatically disagree with a hypothesis. However, until something is proven, you can’t rule a hypothesis out (like vaccines and myocarditis).
When researching these two cardiovascular doctors, the results are quite similar. Whether you look at either of their names on Google or DuckDuckGo, there are countless articles and statements regarding their “misinformed” view on the Covid-19 vaccine. Specifically, 4/5 of the top searches on Google for Dr. Peter McCullough gave negative backlash. Although this may be search engine optimization, it seems as if the medical community denounces these doctors.
