InfoWars versus InfoEvolution

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posted by Matt | January 5, 2012

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The social media generation is the most memetically-susceptible generation in human history. We are like the Native American tribes, except instead of smallpox-laden blankets we are being corrupted by conspiracy theory memes for which we have no antibodies. The prime vector for this infestation is Alex Jones/Infowars.com which uses news aggregation to create a plotline about an impending New World Order plotting to implement mass extinction and a global police state. To create this fiction, Infowars links to multiple news articles that, if non-existent connections are invented to tie them together, support this NWO storyline. For example military research into non-lethal crowd control (real), plus FEMA emergency housing funding (real), equals NWO plot to herd crowds of Americans into concentration camps (fiction). As previously stated this infection into our communal consciousness is widespread. Go to any city in the US and you are likely to see Infowars.com stickers plastered on street signs.
As a community promoting a positive vision of the future, what can our response be to this viral infestation? We must develop an antibody. I believe we can use the same tactic of memetic illustration through news aggregation to spread a vision of impending positive change and the defeat of the Old World Order, or World Order. News articles revealing scienctific progress, progress in psychedelic medicine, global social movements, and so on, can be used to tell a (ostensibly true) story about the impending dawn of human progress. This is the only way to bring positivity back into an increasingly paranoid and desparate youth culture.

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masculine versus feminine:

star0 — Jan 05, 2012

Here's an observation that could explain some of the appeal of media like infowars.com: conspiracy groups are more ``masculine'', whereas spiritual evolution groups are more ``feminine'' (and that includes all the ``monkey boys'' who promote psychedelics -- hardly masculine). Men -- young men, especially -- look up to Alex Jones, because he looks like their high school football coach. He's a dude. He has a dick. And he has a deep, gravely voice. These people don't listen to female leaders or effete male leaders.

One possible antidote, then, to conspiracy media is strong male figureheads to promote anti-conspiricism. Someone like Joe Rogan would work, except that he's kind of hit or miss as far as rejecting conspiracies (he seems to believe the moon landing was staged and has doubts about 9/11).

RE: Masculine VS Feminine

Matt — Jan 05, 2012

star0: I agree in one sense - Infowars' violent "Mad Max" vision of the future appeals to the stereotypical Young Male in exactly the same way that post-apocalyptic comic book pulp fiction does. In fact the only real difference is the method of illustration (pen and ink versus news aggregation collage and commentary). And demographics of internet use may support their memetic viability, although I think the actual demographics are somewhat fluid in that most everyone, male or female, has internet access these days. I suspect young males spend more time plugged in, in general, than young females, but I could be wrong.

I am cognizant of Joe Rogan, he flirted with McKenna-ist futurism for a brief period but ultimately regressed to the Infowars storyline of immanent societal collapse and dystopian future. He is a personal friend of Alex Jones, but I think the reality of the situation is that, as an entertainer, he naturally gravitates towards the most compelling and entertaining storyline available. And as of right now, Infowars has a monopoly on that type of entertainment.

It is up to us to create an equally compelling storyline that promotes a positive vision rather than a dystopian one. We can't create alpha-male (or alpha-female) leaders to promote our cause, but we can create a storyline that will attract them. Personally I'm more of a monkey-type.

I tend to agree but still visit the site

Revtradus — Jan 08, 2012

I agree that we see a major issue with interpretation of information at infowars. However, you have to give the man his dues on information. While he spins things into a world domination scenario to deny what he's done is very hard, he saw the writing on the wall about police state style law, is heavily against fluoridation of water and has called out politicians on their corrupt behavior and provides a massive number of links to valuable information that we will not see the main stream media reporting the site has uses.

I think the biggest trick and this goes for all media not just infowars is to think for yourself, we do not have to accept his views but can use the information provided to form our own opinions. We also have to recognize that many pressing issues are forming today the MSM just passes over in favor of useless entertainment news and sports scores. We have also seen the MSM and Other forms of media but mainly the MSM true goal is making money not providing the true information. We have seen FOX MSN CNN and others flat out lying by manipulation of the facts to better their own agenda of money making. The most recent case of this is the complete misreporting of the NDAA bill "agenda unknown on this one", if it wasn't for drudge and infowars I doubt people would had even realized this bill is an indefinite detention bill empowering the president with dictator like powers. This too is a failing of people to see beyond their penis and hairdo's.

We can not win a war of ideology with Bombs and Violence. The simple fact is the more you evoke violence towards and idea the greater resolve people have in that idea.

One last note: It is no longer conspiracy theory when the facts back the case being made. It is then news.

Things that are considered conspiracy theory that are actually facts.

The CIA has been cought running drugs from mexico to the US repeatedly. This is a fact reported on 100's of news sites.

The CIA has been cought taking weapons into mexico and E-mails show it was to undermine the 2nd amendment. Research Fast and Furious.

The CIA has been cought laundering drug money repeatedly, Iran Contra and recently just prior to the exposed Fast and Furious scandal.

It is a fact that our president is engaged in far worse crimes against the people and constitution then Nixon was.

It is a fact that NDAA does name citizens and our President promises to not use the power. See his signing statement. In addition it is a fact as stated by the drafters of the bill that it was the white house that wanted citizen protection removed from the bill. Then they lied about wanting to VETO it because they asked for it in the first place.

It is fact that the 9/11 buildings came down at the speed of gravity and they are the only 3 super structures to ever collapse like that due to fire.

If is a fact that the US military is using Depleted Uranium considered a WMD in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It is a fact the our government created and supported Al Quida, Saddam Hussain and other dictators to only over through them militarily.

I don't point these out to support Jones or anyone else. I put them out because these are some of the main reasons we need a Paradigm shift, an entire new system based in Empathy, Love and Understanding. Where reason and true justice is brought to our world. I support your goals and will do my best to help you. But we must be responsible for the things we have aloud to come to bare on us. We as a society have aloud change based in violence, fear and hate to prevail. That is our fault, we as a society have not been involved and only a small portion of people have even voted. We have as a whole ignored the obvious for selfish reasons of being comfortable and not having to be involved. We have as a society embraced fear as a motivating factor.

The War on Drugs
The War on Terror
The War on Diabetes and so on. Why must we embrace violence as a solution to issues. This isn't just a change in thought but a change in action. The need to feed the world consciousness with good, love and kindness. We need to not fear people because of their color or religion. We need not fear our government as there are far more of us then them. We need not fear anything unless we choose to.

We have ignored the facts that the real cause is our apathy and over tolerance of violence and hate. If we are going to enact change we must first change the thoughts of the masses and embrace people who will lead us to a new society. Those who are not in government for power but in government to eliminate the need for government as we know it.

Church of Quantum Consciousness

"One last note: It is no

Matt — Jan 08, 2012

"One last note: It is no longer conspiracy theory when the facts back the case being made. It is then news."

I am not sure you fully appreciate what Infowars is. I can apply the analogy I've been using to your statement about facts, in order to clarify:

"It is no longer a photo-collage when un-doctored photographs back the image being made"

In other words, I can create a story about the world. I can then take a series of photographs from around the world and arrange them in such a way, with added commentary, so they support my story. Even though the photographs are images of real events, it doesn't follow that the story they tell must also be real in any given combination. I am beginning to wonder if it isn't necessary for me to actually do this photo-essay exercise in order to show how this works.

Infowars is a storyline. Even though the "images" which tell the story are real, the connection between the images is not based on any objective reality, rather they are intentionally juxtaposed to tell a specific story. When you start with a storyline and set out to collect information that makes your story seem real, that isn't "news" or investigative journalism. It is memetic fiction.

Journalism is the act of setting out to collect information and then telling the story which that information reveals, not setting out to tell a story and gathering information by convenience to the story.

News aggregation always involves some level of fiction dictated by the person who decides which stories to include and which to exclude based on either a desire to create a pre-existing plotline, as in the case of Infowars, or based on corporate interests and biases, as in the case of corporate media in the US.

I am interested in intentionally creating this kind of fiction in order to bring attention to how it's being used to influence society. I agree with the Reverend "if we are going to enact change we must first change the thoughts of the masses," however - my goal is to draw attention to the methods being used to make us think a certain way, not to change our thoughts.

I understand

Revtradus — Jan 09, 2012

I do understand what you are saying, I was just pointing out that it isn't conspiracy theory in the sense that the individual stories are being called conspiracy theory buy those in MSM media. This of course is based in the contest to get viewership, the MSM wants everyone to think it hunky dory and Alex is exploding the ideas and stories in the opposite direction. I understand the NWO conspiracy theory that he is trying to portray, I put that aside myself, I view each story on it's own merit is what I'm saying. I also understand that most people just follow like sheep, even when the intent is good and well grounded they don't do their own research. These are prevalent stories that because MSM wont cover them for some reason they give us only sources like drudge, democracy today, RT and infowars to find that information.

I just want to insure I am on the same page because I"m pretty sure I understand what you are saying though I may be a bit foggy on the goals?

For instance while the MSM was telling us NDAA didn't apply to Americans, those Senators On the floor of the senate who wrote it, were in the process of explaining how it does. This was labeled by the MSM that Alex Jones was engaged in his usually conspiracy theories, then in the end, guess what even Obama in his signing statement admitted he now had those powers to use against americans but wouldn't use them.

Another instance is in the case of fluoride, while alex jones puts his spin of NWO mind control on the case of fluoride, his is providing links to the science and groups opposed to fluoride because it's harmful. I'm just saying if you are a free thinker and relize that these spins go on from all media you can fish the information out. My issue is the MSM is not providing sources of information. They just state things and expect you to believe it. Drudge, infowars, RT, DT and others are providing the links to the government documents, science and others. Like their spin or not at least they are directing to some open information to make that decision yourself.

I have reviewed many many documents on his site, I see the spin in some but at the same time I can see where he is getting his opinions, the information he has provided is so vast I can not respond here nor could I. I will say this though, when he shows you in Rockafellers book where he makes statements that he's guilty of manipulating government to help install a centralized power you have to step back a moment and review this information. When you see the documents from the CIA in the late 80's where they admit to financing and forming al quida you can see why when they blame al quida you may want to question that. When you listen to the engineers speak of Oklahoma city, 9/11 and other attacks and they tell you that in the debris of those buildings it was found that other explosives were present we need to question why that wasn't reported. I'm only saying until you drop the label and investigate these things for yourself you are only regurgitating someone other then your own beliefs.

I'm only saying that when you broad label the site as conspiracy theory you diminish the information that is good there. we must have faith that people will make their own decisions, it is this fear that someone may come to a conclusion we don't like that makes us place broad statements on others that in their own right are our own manipulations.

I believe via the statements of engineers and witnesses that the government report on 9/11 does not contain all the facts. I want to know why? This instantly gets me a broad label as a truth-er conspiracy theorist. I'm not saying our government was involved but only that I want a better investigation that explains the anomalies in their report. Considering this event was used by Bush to undermine vast portions of the Bill of Rights via the Patriot Act I think we deserve those answers. The buildings all fell directly down at the speed of gravity or terminal velocity, this means all three buildings had a collapse that no other high rises have ever experienced outside of a controlled demolition. Like it or not these are the facts. Fire does not weaken entire structures and far more severe fires and explosions have not brought down buildings of much lesser construction. I want to know why?

In the case of Oklahoma city, we see there are documents exchanged with in the Clinton administration stating they needed an event to undermine the constitutionalists movement that was going on. Witnesses from the scene who talk about government officials being at the site in mass days before. Then engineers in the field of explosives do not agree with the damage assessment in the governments official report or the blast patterns as in 9/11 they again find compact high explosive residue is found in the buildings rubble. Again, I can see where he gets his opinion, it is just based on information that the MSM isn't covering.

I can go on and on, so to discount the site entirely on someones opinion that the entire site is filled with nothing but conspiracy theory I must disagree with that assessment based on the evidence presented in just the form of government documents and expert analysis, Not Alex Jone's opinions.

No I do not agree with everything he says but I do agree that there are some serious issues involved here that need brought into the open. How he decides to put it together is based on how he views the evidence. I barely read any articles there in there entirety because I'm thee seeking information, however, I will go to the links and sources and form my own opinions.

One last case is the Gulf Of Tonken, this incident drew us into the Vietnam war. This was a purely staged event, now released documents show the government plan to execute a false flag attack on one of its own ships to draw American support for involvement in the Vietnam Conflict. There are also testimony by the Navy Commanders that executed this plan. This was considered for years to be conspiracy theory posed by people like Alex Jones. The MSM and government did a great job of keeping this under raps for decades. Now that it's exposed it is considered old news not worthy of exploring by the MSM.

So my view after reviewing the evidence which I suggest everyone does for themselves is simple. The government has proven it will use any means necessary to draw the American public support in its desire to be evolved in conflicts throughout the world. They have lied, killed americans and deceived the public on unprecedented scales for 60+ years. Why would this current conflict be any different. To add to this issue we are seeing this current conflict that can not be won, because you can't kill idea's with bombs and guns, has been used to shred the peoples rights to a point that we will need to install a completely new paradigm or live under a tyrannic government based on total control. If the laws they have passed are any indication of their future plans at all, we are in serious trouble here if we don't change this paradigm and the first thing we have to do is accept our roll in this. Our roll has been one of complacency and accepting others views with out taking the time to form our own or admit we are not well informed enough to have a view. There are many topics I have not researched and do not comment on or abstain from.

These things are the reason I whole heartily support your plan to form a media based on a positive outlook for the future, however, to create this positive future we must recognize our mistakes, the things we have aloud to happen to ensure we never allow things to travel down this path again.

I believe that much positive can come of these events. We can use them as examples of what not to allow, while at the same time offer solutions to them. We need a new governance system, the old one is broken beyond repair and we all know that. However, until we accept our individual responsibilities for having aloud this to happen by staying comfortably uninformed we will not become informed.

In my case I believe we must first start by getting control of this president who has committed treason at least two time. It is against the law and considered treason for a president to sit on any foreign counsel or government seat or office while in the presidency. Our current president sat as the head of the UN security counsel. This is a treasonous act that went pretty must unreported. He is now circumventing the senate and appointing people to governmental seats with out senate approval this is also treason. However, we can see how this event can be made to a positive outcome. We can send a message by supporting the move in congress and the senate that is taking place right now to Impeach him on treason charges. Simply write all your senators and congressman and tell them to proceed with this. Send a message that we will not tolerate further abuses of power in Washington. We can change this, but we must drop the defeatist attitude that we are helpless and engage the idea that we are the people who will make a more positive future by being engaged and working towards a completely revamped society not based in main stream government but individual self sufficiency.

Church of Quantum Consciousness

"I can go on and on, so to

Matt — Jan 09, 2012

"I can go on and on, so to discount the site entirely on someones opinion that the entire site is filled with nothing but conspiracy theory I must disagree with that assessment based on the evidence presented."

The evidence is nothing but AP news articles. Every story linked to on Infowars is REAL, but the decisions for which stories are included and which are excluded, and how they are spun, are made with the specific intention of illustrating a plotline about NWO global domination.

Here's an example from today's Infowars front page:

Headline: "Alert: Iran Crisis Headed for World War III"
Infowars' intro: "War in the Middle East now appears imminent "
Content: Daily Mail, Guardian reports on US/Israel War Games

The Infowars headline and introduction are fabricated conclusions which support the overall Infowars storyline. They then link to real, current events news reporting, which seems to support their conclusion, but only in the context of their fake headline and intro - if you were to read a report about War Games in the Guardian you might consider it a political tactic, or a legit readiness exercise, or any number of conclusions totally different from the ones Infowars imposes on the story.

Infowars intentionally imposes negativity on current events, I'm curious what a consistent imposition of positivity would look like.

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