https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2012/7/21/1112509/-The-Gentleperson-s-Guide-to-Forum-Spies

I'm sure we're all familiar with the information above. It's been automated and weaponized for ages. It barely requires any human input anymore.

There's plenty of different types of online personas it creates too. The user who posts cat videos but sometimes dabbles in politics. The hard core lefty who gradually becomes a righty. The hard core righty who gradually becomes a lefty. "People" who post real information consistently, and then start filtering in the propaganda. And, the reverse.

It used to all be done manually. Teams of people. Some of which still function. Many in fact. But the AI has put a lot of people out of a job, or, into another one.

"ChatGPT" is a silly drop in the public bucket. We don't even have the term "discourse weapons" in the public lexicon yet. Or "data weapons". Or "Information weapons". And there's a good chance we never will. Not even TikTok is being labeled that way, even by the US legislators who want to ban it. Wonder why.

Most everything you read, watch, or hear online, is a trick. Including this. And Infact, be wary of people who tell you something like that. "Don't take my word for it, do your own research" is just a lovely little tactic to build trust and prevent someone from looking into something.

There's a place in your center. A quiet place. You can visit it if you cultivate good men and women in your life, and build strong bonds and relationships. You can cultivate a light of truth with that genuinely positive energy. It takes time, and growth. But when you find that light in the center, I guarantee you, the blinders will fall off. At least, the first set will. There are many. But bit by bit, you'll arrive at a place where you can see truth behind any lie, regardless of what it is.

It's a process. If you think you're fully there, you're not. You will never be "fully" there. And when the first bliders fall off, you'll think you are. And when the second ones fall off, you'll realize how far you still have to go.

Everything is layers. Be willing to get rid of the ones you no longer need, and look through the layers around you to see what's there. And always assume that your opponent is smarter than you are. Learn from them, stop playing their game, and make them play yours.

Make them, play your game.