A Progressive is to Communism what a Capitalist is to Freedom. If you understand this truth, and the implications thereof, you are way ahead of the game in terms of understanding what is going on today. Marxist-Leninist ideology dictates, not suggests but dictates that anything in the service of advancing the collective is to be pursued. Therefore lying, cheating, double-dealing, terror...if necessary, is not only acceptable but absolutely required. The end justifies the means.
Which brings us to an important tool for the American Progressive movement; the sliding scale of truth. One of its widely used manifestations goes like this:
1) A specific lie is advanced as widely and uniformly as possible.
2) Tie the specific lie to a more general lie. For example; a rape occurred at a particular college, therefore there is a "rape culture" on campus.
2) Use every means possible to perpetuate the lie. The longer the credibility of the lie can be maintained the better.
3) Smear anyone who may oppose the lie by any means necessary. Don't be afraid to be creative.
4) When and if the lie is ever found out, then "slide" the truth from the specific to the general. For example; although this particular rape allegation proved to be false, the larger truth of a "rape culture" is absolutely true.
5) Keep a steady stream of lies in the pipeline so the opposition can't focus on one particular lie. The more the better. Opposition resources are divided, the waters are muddied and confusion sets in. In the end all that will be left in the public conscience is the original lie which will be deemed true by default.
I would like to acknowledge the late Dr. Josef Goebbels without whom this post could not have been written.
Goebbels indeed, but most of those who compose the inner workings of today's DNC and CFAP and OFA (what the hell, might as well throw in AP, ABC, CBS, NBC, WaPost, NYT, etc) have in their back pockets, the following heavily used pages from Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky--and if they followed the 10 Commandments any closer than they follow these 12 rules, God himself would make them all saints.
ReplyDeleteRULE 1: “Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.” Power is derived from 2 main sources – money and people. “Have-Nots” must build power from flesh and blood.
RULE 2: “Never go outside the expertise of your people.” It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone.
* RULE 3: “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. (This happens all the time. Watch how many organizations under attack are blind-sided by seemingly irrelevant arguments that they are then forced to address.)
* RULE 4: “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.” If the rule is that every letter gets a reply, send 30,000 letters. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules. (This is a serious rule. The besieged entity’s very credibility and reputation is at stake, because if activists catch it lying or not living up to its commitments, they can continue to chip away at the damage.)
* RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.
* RULE 6: “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.
* RULE 7: “A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.” Don’t become old news.
* RULE 8: “Keep the pressure on. Never let up.” Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new. (Attack, attack, attack from all sides, never giving the reeling organization a chance to rest, regroup, recover and re-strategize.)
* RULE 9: “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist.
* RULE 10: “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.” Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog.
* RULE 11: “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.” Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem.
* RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.
I love some of those rules and use them myself. Especially #5.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of Rule # 5 myself and use it on the CW's Facebook page when a testosterone challenged former teacher pipes in with his insipid bullshit.
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