Summary of context:
1. Question & Scrutinize
2. Cast Doubt & Ridicule
3. Tarnish their Reputation
4. Insinuate & Predict their reactions
5. Instigate findings
6. Expose their Hypocrisy
7. Keep drumming their Mistakes & Gaffes
Using the above political and psychological strategies for radicals and activists, it can be used against a dishonest tyrannical government in the name of justice and our empowerment to take back our country. Bullshit Politician shall explain how political strategists used some of the above to their advantage, and in this context we can use these techniques to see with more clarity and defeat the deceptive ‘masters’.
1. Question & Scrutinize their work
Question the fundamental principle behind the purpose of everything – processes, systems, philosophies, and beliefs, and when you scrutinize deeper you might discover their oversights and blunders that contradict our common virtues. A questioning public that can think critically and capable of deep thinking is intimidating to the government as minds of millions will often triumph those of a few.
Scrutinize their work to keep them on their toes allowing them to have little respite, prevent them from thinking of ways to implement apparatus to keep you on your toes!
2. Cast Doubt & Ridicule
Spare no effort to leave behind insinuating comments on articles concerning national affairs and political news, as other readers viewing the same story have tendency to form opinions and ideas from the comments. By casting doubt over the PAP, one raises the public distrust in them and hence subconsciously influence them into doubting their sincerity. Doubt is a potent weapon, and by spreading skepticism about the PAP, it leaves them in a state of quandary. Even if they deny the rumors, there is still left over ‘crumbs’ of suspicion left in people’s minds. If they fail to address the rumors, this makes people even more suspicious.
“There is an adage; Silence means affirmation.”
Succeeding doubt is Ridicule – A subtle form of attack. Ridiculing them pokes holes in their reputation; a declining reputation is a serious drawback as it will impact how people view them, thus detrimental to their goodwill. Reputation can make or break an entity – A bad reputation eventually erodes every aspect of the foundation of their power. The whole idea behind Doubt & Ridicule is to attack their reputation, their basis of power (See #3. Tarnish their reputation)
Having brought to awareness, you will see such subtle attacks in political cartoons or comics, and memes. You can draw political cartoons with familiar caricatures of political figures or write sarcastic satires – the purpose is to entertain whilst the same; Ridicule. By making them an object of ridicule and disgust, naturally people will learn to disrespect them as enemy of society.
Examples some of the local political cartoons:
3. Tarnish their Reputation
If you look at the PAP, in the past they have good reputation as leaders – almost every success and goodwill is attributed to them. Whereas today their reputation turned bad, all sorts of failure is attributed to them and people tend to be more wary and suspicious as a result. Furthermore a bad reputation is very hard to recover. If one have a history of dishonesty, people will tend to remain skeptical despite best of intentions.
On the contrary, a good reputation increases your presence and goodwill, exaggerates one’s strengths without actually spending much effort. A good reputation can protect you, inversely a bad reputation works against you. An example is small friendly gesture by Worker’s Party is praised lavishly.
The PAP have a history of putting forth ‘poison the well’ or smear attacks on opposition members and used against the very people themselves so there is should not be any hard feelings or remorse.
4. Insinuate & Predict their reactions
The ability to insinuate and predict their reactions or actions requires observation of the past by which how the PAP handle situations. The rigidness of their behavior unwittingly makes themselves very familiar and predictable; it is almost impossible to respect or fear someone whom we all can predict. In such manner, we can use this to our advantage to insinuate and predict them. Successive anticipation will thus make people feel superior to the person whose actions they can predict and ridicule. The habitual rigid practice, once effective, now ironically looks comical and makes themlose respect. As a result of losing respect, even the weakest enemy will grow bold, and boldness is dangerous thus power will not accrue to someone who inspire such emotions. Ultimately a repeated show of the same inept to change their ways, theyelicit boredom which dampens their influential power in the long run.
Writing commentary article or a satire is a good way to apply ‘Insinuate & Predict’.
5. Instigate findings
This is a risky business which can raise some serious red flags. Find out what are some of the restrictions and what not to get involved in; examples are seditious instigation.
You can see the mainstream media instigating news to garner greater viewership which can later be used for other purpose ala profit making or political attacks. Do not be surprise the PAP themselves would be using the same techniques; examples like the Hawker Center Saga, Yaw Hougang MP saga, etc.
To instigate is to stir emotional issues to draw public attention, highlight their failures and subsequently influence the readers into viewing them in a negative spotlight. This way it questions the capability of the government, and successful attacks supported by evidence cripples their already bad reputation.
6. Expose their Hypocrisy
People often look at others at face value which can be deceiving – People mistake sincerity for honesty. Do not trust their first appearance as you do not know their real intentions. Appearing honest is a great disguise for all kinds of deception which can be employed later in politics. For a political entity to gain your trust one can either do what is right, or express false adulation and act otherwise. You must trust your own senses and intuition, rather than told what to think and feel (Social psychological studies shows downward comparison make you feel better, thus greatly utilized by the mainstream media).
Faulty deceptive claims as exemplified: “GST is to help the poor, COE is to help you own cars, Foreigners are here to help create jobs, NS is a privilege for citizens, Pay highest ministerial salary to prevent corruption, Every flat unit HDB sells, they lose money, To succeed S’poreans have to bite the bullets, not one but at least 3 bullets, S’poreans need to ‘reflect’ when foreigners call us dogs, etc”
The psychological weakness of an unaware person which can be manipulated and exploited:
1. Rule of reciprocity – people return a favor to someone whom does you a prior favor (discussed in earlier article – link here)
2. Commitment and Consistency – people do not like to be contradicted and when they have committed to an idea or belief
3. Social proof - people assume the actions of others reflects correct behavior and perceive as acceptable “social norms”
4. Authority – people have the tendency to obey to authority
5. Familiarity – people like what is familiar and reject uncertainty which cause them to suffer mild anxiety
6. Scarcity – people perceive what is desirable due to its rarity and uncommonness
*All of the above is a phenomenon sometimes referred to as herd behavior, often leads to compliance regardless of correctness.
Expose their hypocrisy – it degrades the reputation of the aforementioned. In addition, it empower others – this influence them to make informed decisions. In political games do not judge your opponents by their intentions but by the effects of their actions. One ought to observe with better clarity through their actions and leading outcome rather than what they preach; a liar can lie about everything but their actions will not lie. Believing a politician to work for your interest with no strings attached is dangerous, it could turn out to be a great con artist. The best deceptions are the ones that claims to have your interest at heart, but its actions causes much detriments and confusion. Train your eyes to follow the results of their moves, the outward circumstances, and do not be distracted by anything else.
Deception is a similar behavior in a Prey-Predator situation. The Predator disguises in different ways such as feigning to be harmless like a crocodile using wooden twigs. In order to lure a prey, it disguises itself as tree logs and then snaps the prey when it is within the vicinity of its jaws. An octopus in the ocean camouflaging, changing its skin colors to the underwater terrains, waiting for its prey patiently waiting for an upcoming meal. There is an adage; “All warfare are base on deceptions.”
Crocodile used twigs to disguise as logs, waiting for its prey
6. Keep drumming their Mistakes & Gaffes
Using the same “indoctrination” tactics employed by the mainstream media, drumming and instilling their ideas that is evidently effects of exploiting social influence (see psychological weakness, #6.5). Akin to “Argument from repetition” fallacy – Repeating an argument or a premise over and over again in place of more supporting evidence, until nobody cares to discuss it any more. You see the same silly idea being reiterated in media over and over again, undeniably. The outcomes are Falsehoods repeated long enough, subconsciously becomes familiar and registered in our minds and thus accepted as accepted social beliefs.
Common social beliefs frequently appear in talking points, campaign slogans, and symbols.
Empirical examples are as follow:
“Singaporeans should be grateful…”
“Without the PAP, there will not be Singapore…”
“If PAP loses power, the economy will collapse…”
“Without the PAP, our women will become maids in foreign country…”
“Always comparing Singapore with African countries…”
“Ugly Singaporeans, Singaporeans are lazy, never good enough, not creative, are dafts…”
“Time for the Ugly S’porean to grow up”
Published on Straits Times newspaper
Nip ‘Ugly Singaporean’ habits in the bud
Published on Straits Times newspaper
“Do Singaporeans deserve their wages?”
Published on Straits Times newspaper
Singapore PMET “Pampered, mediocre, expensive, timid”
Published on Straits Times newspaper
The whole purpose of the media disparaging S’poreans and drumming such news repeatedly is to sow public discord through divide and conquer, as well as to indoctrinate and instill falsehoods into your subconscious mind that S’poreans are inferior. The difference in our radical approach of drumming their Mistakes & Gaffes- is to register their mistakes and ill-will into the minds of people to neutralize and introduce conflict to the previously advocated falsehoods/ideas. Exploiting using fear and uncertainty creates a mental barrier that resists new ideas and entraps the weak individual in a perpetual Stockholm syndrome. This is what you call psychological programming of the mind, or a form of mind control. You will laugh at how silly these political manipulations are, but it is used extensively without moral scruples. You should be convinced by now, of who is the “Anti-Singaporean” political party at helm after looking at the above newspaper snippets. Does a truly caring govt disparage its own people, and at the same time in favor of foreigners? or are Singaporeans merely pawns?
(This article is part 1 of 2 – stay tuned for part 2 touching on 7 more points below)
8. Capture their remarks
9. Deny them of Ideas & Solutions
10. Shape public opinions
11. Whistle-blow and Leak embarrassing information
12. Set them up for Baits
13. Guard your Credibility
14. Refrain from threatening them openly
Bullshit Politician
*The author blogs at http://bullshitpolitician.wordpress.com