Keeping an Eye on Mr. Sunstein: The Government Official who Called for "Infiltration" of ATS

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/cf231774203b.jpg[/atsimg]

Who is Cass Sunstein?

According to Wikipedia:

Cass R. Sunstein (born September 21, 1954) is an American legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who currently is the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration. For 27 years, Sunstein taught at the University of Chicago Law School,[1] where he continues to teach as the Harry Kalven Visiting Professor. Sunstein is currently Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where he is on leave while working in the Obama administration.

And here is a link to his taxpayer-funded government treehouse: the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at Whitehouse.gov


NOTE: I have nothing personal against Mr. Sunstein. I am sure he is just doing his job, although his pronouncements do contain the disconcerting lilt of the true believer....and and it just so happens he might seriously threaten our beloved ATS.

But let's let Mr. Sunstein speak for himself. The following is from Conspiracy Theories: Harvard University Law School Public Law & Legal Theory Research Paper Series・University of Chicago Law School Public Law & Legal Theory Research Paper Series　Paper No. 199　and　University of Chicago Law School Law & Economics Research Paper Series　Paper No. 387 by CASS R. SUNSTEIN and ADRIAN VERMEULE:

From the Abstract:
"Many millions of people hold conspiracy theories...Those who subscribe to conspiracy theories may create serious risks, including risks of violence, and the existence of such theories raises significant challenges for policy and law. The first challenge is to understand the mechanisms by which conspiracy theories prosper; the second challenge is to understand how such theories might be undermined. Such theories typically spread as a result of identifiable cognitive blunders, operating in conjunction with informational and reputational influences. A distinctive feature of conspiracy theories is their self-sealing quality. Conspiracy theorists are not likely to be persuaded by an attempt to dispel their theories; they may even characterize that very attempt as further proof of the conspiracy. Because those who hold conspiracy theories typically suffer from a “crippled epistemology,” in accordance with which it is rational to hold such theories, the best response consists in cognitive infiltration..."

The source can be downloaded (as of this writing) in PDF form from here.


Hmmm. "Cognative infiltration" of "extremist groups" (very loosely defined here) and a lot of talk about conspiracy web sites. Are you worried yet?

Of course, Mr. Sunstien's antics will be familiar to many reading this, and he has been discussed on ATS before. But I always felt the Sunstein threads didn't get enough play on ATS, so to let ATS tell the story, I present a collection of Sunstein threads, mostly from last year. Apologies if I've missed anyone's thread; please feel free to add links.

This thread is intended to consolidate some of this older discourse, and also to serve as a reminder that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. Keep your eyes on Mr. Sunstein...there is a good chance he's keeping his eyes on you.

One more point...a lot of people have tried to make this into an Obama versus Republicans thing. It is true that Mr. Sunstein works out of the White House, for Obama. But ask yourself this: Do you really think the same thing wouldn't be going on in one way or another under McCain, if he had won? Its often a futile plea, but I implore you all to put away partisan hackery and focus on the bigger picture. Fortunately, this being ATS, I know most of you are capable of that.


Recommended ATS Reads (feel free to add any I've missed):


Conspiracy Theorists vs. Sunstein: Propaganda, Misdirection and False Flags


Obama proposes covert agents to monitor ATS, among other indepenent websites





Sunstein Wants To Ban Guns, Free Speech


Obama staffer wants 'cognitive infiltration' of 9/11 conspiracy groups


Obama Czar Wants Mandatory Government Propaganda On Political Websites

So he thinks because we don't shut up and believe everything we're told that there's something wrong with us. Brilliant.

Isnt he a little late..? say lke.. 6 years late?

infiltrated - check
derail - check

Want to ban guns and free speech Mr. Sunstein?

Kiss my American white butt.

Want to "dispell" conspiracy theories, Mr. Sunstein?

Prove them wrong, without lying or hiding information.


Oh wait, you can't do those things because our gov't won't release the proper information



Good luck with that.
You'll have better luck trying to grow back your hair.

It's easy to see how a life-long academic might be a little bit myopic about their subject of study; add in a high powered government job he needs to justify and we're left with this dangerous anti-free speech nonsense.



Plus he looks like this guy:

reply to post by silent thunder


Sorry, but what this guy Sunstein is saying is utterly BS, dangerous and Fascist in nature.

Conspiracy beliefs lead to violence...whattt?

Wow, I think what we are doing is really working and they are worried about us, good!

What do they expect if people like Mr G.W Bush go telling us about their New World Order and we read about Masons who say their God is Lucifer the fallen angel! I think that is just bound to create some whispers among us.

Tough, get on with it Mr Sunstein, we are here and we aint going away. What you gonna do give us all lobotomies for our measured criticism of the establishment you represent? Cognitive infiltration, wow!

There are conspiracy theorists around, in the many millions, because there are conspiracies in government that are affecting us all and we got something to say about it.

They'll just have to tolerate that discomfort the way we have to tolerate their silly globalist agenda that is never going to work!

Ugh, thanks for the reminder of why no one in their right mind should trust the government.

And I find it interesting how I'm reminded of a certain thread of mine. I mean, Sunstein? Hmm.....what kind of name is that again?

reply to post by silent thunder


Oh, I LOVED this:

"...Because those who hold conspiracy theories typically suffer from a “crippled epistemology,” in accordance with which it is rational to hold such theories, the best response consists in cognitive infiltration..."

Got that, Guys? We suffer. Oh yes. And it's from "crippled epistemology." Hmmm... What was epistemology again...?

From: www.merriam-webster.com...

epis·te·mol·o·gy
noun \i-ˌpis-tə-ˈmä-lə-jē\
Definition of EPISTEMOLOGY
: the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity

We are crippled in Our theory/study of knowledge. Never mind witnesses, analysis, logic, and gross discrepancies. It's OUR failure.

[sigh]

Originally posted by TrueInstinct
So he thinks because we don't shut up and believe everything we're told that there's something wrong with us. Brilliant.

Elitist: So you are one of the awakened ones eh?...You anti-nwo terrorist! Your terrorizing us global elite lying sociopaths. Stop it.

Given the man's history, I still can't believe that he was given the authority that he has. It's very disturbing.

To gain further insight into his brain, one should read his book "Nudge Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness ". Tactics described in this book are currently being used by many within the walls of the White House. A little nudge here and there and we will all eventually comply with the sitting authority in power. They will subconsciously make the decisions for us.



to Cass

In 2007 who was the "Private Party" that provided this sites owner with a non-disclosed 6 figure sum for partial ownership of AboveTopSecret?

Why would they spend so much since there is no way they could generate revenue from this site??? Bad investment for a Private Party......start thinking who would want partial ownership of such site to.....control who and what is here

reply to post by silent thunder


With luck, we can slow stuff like this down in a year and a half, by getting rid of this subversive admin. But there is still Congress to contend with.

In the long run though, there will always be conspiracy theories, not matter how honest our government is.

this guy is another one of Obama's "Saul Alinsky" fanatics.

en.wikipedia.org...

Saul David Alinsky (January 30, 1909 – June 12, 1972) was an American community organizer and writer. He is generally considered to be the founder of modern community organizing and has been compared in Playboy magazine to Thomas Paine as being "one of the great American leaders of the nonsocialist left."[1]

www.crossroad.to...

Alinsky was a marxist and extreme radical.

many liberal politicians follow Alinsky's "ways" !

be careful....be VERY careful !

Hillary is a BIG fan ... she wrote a senior thesis in college on Alinsky !

rakesprogress.wordpress.com...

Thanks for linking one of my threads, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!

A couple months ago there was a prof. who published a report stating that people who follow or examine CT's are lacking in critical analysis skills: they are less intelligent or more easily manipulated than 'regular' people. CT 'followers' repeatedly fall victim to the greatest flaw in the internet...anyone can post anything at any time...without proper judgement skills these people will believe the wildest theories.

As usual it was picked up immediately by members and discussed thuroughly.

Well...it's back.

It may have taken a few months, but the paper is making the email rounds now (my father tried to ambush me with it last weekend).

'Lacking critical analysis skills'.

Seems to me the problem is the exact opposite; we are applying those skills and seeing through the BS that is being shovelled into the minds of the masses. It is by monitoring this type of site that the cracks in any OS can be discovered (usually months before any other source picks up on it) and countered.

Our strongest weapon is TPTB's greatest defense.

reply to post by [davinci]



I´m sorry but you are wrong. Look at all the threads about Elenin and Ufo videos. Look at all threads about Sunflares ending the world as we know it. I forgot to say, it happend already yesterday...


90 % of the people on ATS fall into category: "Lacking critical analysis skills"

Don´t get me wrong, it does happen that I catch myself changing my sight of view reading through posts of others, and recognizing that I was plain wrong at the first moment.

But you also can compare the 90% of ATS CT´s to the 90% of "normal" people=not CT´s, beliving in normal things, not using their critical analysis skills.

You see Mr. Sunstein ist wrong and right at the same moment. But he´s throwing the spot sadly on CT`s which is a bad move and implicates the assumption that every other human, not beeing a CT is having critical analysis skills. Which is not the case.

Again, conspiracy theorists constantly hurt their own credibility with society because of wild outlandish stances on not just one subject at a time, but many simultaneously. Such rhetoric is perceived by many americans, officials, and even government agencies as being cancerous to the greater nation. In history's past conspiracy theorists have caused many problems for the greater good, to include violence in their sometimes extremist activities.

Yes the larger ATS following is perceived as being potentially "extreme", and also potentially detrimental to the overall well being of the country. ATS members rather then taking such a staunch defensive posture toward this should rather evaluate the social structure of american society, and further how they can modify the way they present their idea's to better be received by that social structure.

This same fear of extremist violence, and threats to the national well being are the same reasons for information regarding some of you're very own arguments being with-held, and kept on a need to know basis.


-regards

It's seems like his agents are already here.

i have been following this scumbags work for some time

before he became a puppet for our crook in chief

cass if you are reading this

eat me you foul mouthed unamerican rodent

you and your ilk should all face charges for crimes against humanity and for being tools of the new world order

screw you and all you stand for

reply to post by Truther9111776


Tell us how you really really feel there Truther

Sigh. Just another liberal elitist who probably as a practical matter could not find his ivory tower ass with both hands and a GPS.


EDIT: Starred and flagged OP!

I know this doesn't matter one bit, but the man looks like a miserable SOB who has never enjoyed a single day of life.