In the Age of Cognitive Warfare
Freedom to Know or Freedom to Be Fooled?
How the West is Winning Minds
We love our freedom of information, don’t we? It’s built on the belief that we, the citizens, are sharp enough, to tell the truth from the fluff. The media, in turn, are supposed to be our trusted messengers, bound by their sacred duty to tell it like it is. But here’s where things get messy: what happens when some sneaky, shadowy news outlets don’t play by the rules? Well, we can’t just kick them out of the sandbox — that’s an easy way to censorship and tyranny. No, we tolerate the nonsense while teaching ourselves to spot the BS. It’s hard, but it’s the price of Western democracy.
The power of Western societies was all about the might of their armies. Guess what? It’s not our military might that sends shivers down the spines of antagonist powers; it’s our way of life, complete with all the liberties and privileges that make our societies so enviable. It’s about the people, the demos, buying into the idea of freedom and justice enough to stand up and fight for it, in peace and war. It‘s the freedom to know.
