POLITICAL TECHNOLOGY

A Sample of Brainwashing: How It Works

Zarina Zabrisky
Indivisible Movement
3 min readFeb 17, 2017

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“Enemies of the People” walk of shame in the public restroom of a Moscow railway station. Bottom left: a popular literary scholar. Association between filth and opposition is created by using physiological response to visual props.

“Political technologists” (a profession that does not exist in the US) develop sophisticated techniques based on psychology, history and cultural and linguistics studies. Below is the text copied from a Brighton Beach pro-Trump Facebook group and translated into English. I kept certain stylistic idiosyncrasies to retain the feel of the piece and added comments on the psycholinguistic tools used in this text. I was forced to take the four-year course in spetz-propaganda at LGU (Leningrad State University) as a part of my English language and literature curriculum. (This is the same university that Putin, Medvedev, and Sechin attended earlier.) The military department focused on political technologists’ strategies . We were taught to target the enemy and the local population. To find out more about combat propaganda read Rotten Herrings and Crucified Children by Vladimir Yakovlev.

“Today, America is in danger. There’s a civil war. (Strong start to incite the sense of panic and fear. The choice of visceral words “danger”, “war” cause the immediate emotional and physiological response.)

The leftists use the media and do not shy away from the most dirty methods (the word “dirty” makes the reader feel distaste for the leftist) in their attempt to carry on coup d ‘ état and remove the legitimately elected president. Hatred spills over America (“hatred” adds to the already existing anxiety and animosity.) The situation reminds Germany in the 30’s when the fascists started provocations, (most readers are Russian Jews and “Germany in 30’s” and “fascists” result in deeply rooted fear and disgust) trashed and burned stores, beat people up (strong verbs “trash”, “burn” and “beat up” escalate the physical tension and sense of danger.) It ended with the fascist dictatorship and concentration camps. (Same goes for “concentration camps”)

All the marches and riots are paid and supported by a fascist Soros and those who are mired in theft and corruption (“rotten herring” strategy), as well as Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the Senate who are sitting there for dozens of years and are afraid of losing their warm nests. (invokes anger of the above officials.)

The youth is brainwashed in universities and colleges and remind the Hitlerjugend (again, fear and danger.) Aggressiveness grows with each passing day (escalation of the already thick atmosphere of danger.) From the words they are moving to the deeds: trashing store windows, burning cars, beating opponents, using gas sprays and other tools at hand (repetition.) They say that all methods are good in the fight against the enemy. (belligerent emotions.) And the enemy, of course, is Donald Trump, and those who voted for him.

All decrees, published by the president are met by the strong opposition, judges are starting a real riot, similar to the conspiracy of the left (suspicion and mistrust.)

Today, it’s safe to say that the country is in danger. The libertards clearly have no clue how it will end, because those who are silent today have to work, with no free time to go to marches and rallies. When they say that Soros does not have enough money to pay for the marches of millions of protesters, it’s just rhetoric. He’s got enough to buy the shepherds, and they organize the herd.

Fellow citizens, (sense of closeness, brotherhood) do not be the herd! (call for action.) Don’t let our beautiful country be destroyed! The world has so many well-wishers who dream about it.(leaves the reader on the edge, suspicious of the enemies of the people and ready for action.)

Read more about RUSSIAN CYBERWAR AND PROPAGANDA here.

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Zarina Zabrisky
Indivisible Movement

Zarina Zabrisky is the author of IRON and CUTE TOMBSTONE, EXPLOSION, a poetry book GREEN LIONS, and a novel WE, MONSTERS. More at www.zarinazabrisky.com.