Hey Anons (1/5)
The term PSYOP is thrown around a lot on this board, and while I understand how it could be seen in that manner and find it slightly flattering, it is misused far too often.
After over a decade as PSYOP and Information Operations Planner, I thought I might help clear a few things up, and perhaps tell you a few things that may be new to you. During my time I have overseen, planned, and implemented programs that were disseminated over millions of people. This will be a rather lengthy post, but I will try to at least make it worth your while. Further, I cannot address every bit of the process or nuance in here, I am not looking to write a book.
First, let us call it for what it really is, propaganda. I know the PSYOP community frowns upon the use of this term, but these days precise language is important. Also, I would like to note that I do not use the word propaganda in a derogatory sense, rather I use it in a morally neutral one. I will be using the terms propaganda to discuss the general use/idea of information warfare, and PSYOP as it relates to American actors who fill this role or American doctrine. PSYOP uses propaganda.
One of the great misconceptions about propaganda is that it works on short time scales. I assure you any propaganda that is successful, requires ~15-20 years for any meaningful change to occur. Now, before some very sharp anon (and there are some quite sharp anons here, it’s a good thing) points out that advertisers can get us to part with our hard earned cash quite easily without the need of such a length of time, let me address that. You are very correct, we have all gotten bit by that one, however, the underlying consumerism that they exploit has been around for the necessary time frame, it didn’t happen overnight.
Pavlov’s dog once trained, all you have to do is ring the bell.