How would you defeat an idea?

originally posted by: DanDanDat

originally posted by: Nothin
a reply to: DanDanDat

Hi Triple-D. Thanks for the thought-exercise.

Are you interested in describing what an 'idea' is, as compared to a concept, belief, opinion, etc ?

Also: why the interest in "defeating" ?

I was thinking an "idea" could be any of those things; concept, belief, opinion ... or likely all of them at the same time.

There clearly has to be some emotional capital behind the idea. "I like the color red" is an idea; but not one that really needs to be defeated for any good or ill reason.

"All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is an idea with emotional (and even physical) capital. It might be "the truth" or it might not be. There might be "a better idea". But still its an idea with much weight and support behind it ... how can it be defeated ... assuming that was one's goal?

Ok. So you are wondering how to attack, dismantle, defeat, an ideology ?
Is that about it ?

Why would an ideology need to be 'defeated' ?

To be replaced with another, more 'righteous' one ?

Depends on what it is and why you want to defeat it. If it's a bad idea, it will eventually defeat itself.

Take ownership of the idea. Then slowly mold it into something completely unrecognizable.

Infiltrate. Obfuscate. Obliterate.

a reply to: DanDanDat

But is the moral always true? Can an idea be defeated? I ask all the wannabe despots here on ATS ... How would you go about defeating an idea?

The same way you refute science - and it is the only way.

How do you refute science? With better science.

How do you defeat an idea? With a better idea.

a reply to: DanDanDat

The easiest way would be to create a propaganda news network that spews disinfo and misinfo 24/7 into peoples homes. Fill the screen with flashing images, colors that elicit the preferred emotional response in your target audience (a lot of red, orange, and gold) and make sure to constantly hammer in the point that everyone else but you are biased.

Do this for 20 years daily using your programming to capitalize on viewers hate and fear of anything different, and bingo. You have a misinformed, fearful audience that you can exploit in any way you choose.

The easiest way to kill an idea is to inoculate people against it. That way when they are exposed to it it’s instantly discounted.

Hi Fox News! (Small wave to OAN)

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: DanDanDat

You take the truth and twist it with something very close to the truth but just slightly different. You change the language so that old words have new meanings and no one using the same word mean the same things. If we cannot communicate, we cannot transmit the idea.

It's happening now all around us.

That was the thought I had when I was watching the TV show that prompted me to start the OP.

That perversion of the original idea is the best way to defeat it. "Freedom" and "Liberty" for example; if you make a critical mass of people see these concepts as something other than what most of us think they are today you can then start taking them away ... and that mass of people won't even know you're taking them away so long as you give them your new meaning of the concepts.

Give them "safty" in place of "freedom" and call that "safty" "freedom".

originally posted by: Nothin

originally posted by: DanDanDat

originally posted by: Nothin
a reply to: DanDanDat

Hi Triple-D. Thanks for the thought-exercise.

Are you interested in describing what an 'idea' is, as compared to a concept, belief, opinion, etc ?

Also: why the interest in "defeating" ?

I was thinking an "idea" could be any of those things; concept, belief, opinion ... or likely all of them at the same time.

There clearly has to be some emotional capital behind the idea. "I like the color red" is an idea; but not one that really needs to be defeated for any good or ill reason.

"All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is an idea with emotional (and even physical) capital. It might be "the truth" or it might not be. There might be "a better idea". But still its an idea with much weight and support behind it ... how can it be defeated ... assuming that was one's goal?

Ok. So you are wondering how to attack, dismantle, defeat, an ideology ?
Is that about it ?

Why would an ideology need to be 'defeated' ?

To be replaced with another, more 'righteous' one ?

Sure

with fire

burn the idea - every one who has been exposed

cleanse with fire

kill EVERYONE

you make people so desperate that they are willing to do anything to escape their misery, then you make yourself the escape they were looking for, at that point eventually people will forget that idea that made them miserable and become fanatical in their opposition of the idea.

humans are selfish at their core and ideas only hold appeal as long as they are living well enough to think about things in great detail.

Burn the books shut off the Net....no more ideas.