Hi, Don.

In the recent information war we’ve been living through, this subject has become unfortunately, and inaccurately, turned into a partisan one.

All “sides” to this thing are manipulating the masses…that's what people don’t get. Everyone is yelling about how brainwashed at the other is without looking at themselves.

People completely underestimate how sophisticated these methods have become, while completely OVERestimating their own ability to objective discern the truth. I am not separating myself from that statement. I’m fully aware of my own vulnerabilities, which is I never allow myself to react to news without first looking up at least two opposing viewpoints.

Anyway, “The Science of Coercion” by Christopher Simpson does a great job of researching the roots of all this. It’s an academic work and fully, credibly cited throughout.

Also, people who doubt how long this has been studied ought to check out “Cybernetics” and other works by Norbert Wiener, one of the most important scientists of his era…published way back in the 50s into 60s, they were already figuring out how to use statistics and technology to control mass psychology, and Wiener pointedly warned later in his career that he realized they’d let the djinn loose on the world.

sorry, man, I don’t mean to ramble or tell you what you already know…this is just truth that I desperately wish more people would take seriously.

Also, always nice to meet a fellow vet. Salute.

Jeff