Psych-Ops: Fear Mongering, Foreign and Domestic

Without, Within: As in "foreign and domestic" and as in the "enemy outside our walls, at our gate, the enemy within". The enemy, antagonist which range from the more obvious, conspicuously announced ("I'm going to kick your...") to the ones you'd least expect, the ones that have lived and loved among us. Not just the ones traditionally referred to as "moles" in spy-craft lingo, but those we have otherwise trusted and end up betraying us, as in close friends and family. Even our parents, our "blood relatives"! or even the one we selected as a life partner. Attempts, whether overt and conspicuous, or more covert, subtle, nuanced, "under the radar", to invoke fear, even terror, other "forms of manipulation which causes fear by using exaggerated rumors of impending danger..." (i.e., "Fearmongering") Tactics which have been around as long as there have been dyads ("it takes two...") and larger groups subject to the basest of human passions, including love and...WAR!. Utilized by world 'leaders' to keep their own citizens 'scared straight' or make citizens of another country 'scared silly' (e.g. as put forth by V.P. 2/24/22 "If other countries interfere here...lead to such consequences that you have never experienced..."), sometimes explicit and others leaving us to our own imaginations. For some it seems foreign to their normal persona, whereas others it seems to come... 

Natur(ally)? Philosophers have been preoccupied with examining the nature of "man" since ancient Greece, whether they are more given to make love or driven to conflict (including, of course, where the passion of love is present). The thin line that exists, as one can give way to another, and the tactics associated with both, with some common denominators. What is considered fair, unfair, terms of engagement. Fair?! In the presence of love, let alone WAR?! Or, starting as far back as 1578, stated poetically even, in a "didactic romance" (?), stated...

Euphue-mistically: "The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war" (well, close to what the author, John Lily, was conveying to us in "Euphues: The Anatomy of Wyt"), paraphrased and extrapolated by other commentators forward as "Behavior under such conditions do not follow the rules of behavior (e.g. "Geneva Convention") and those normally considered unfair"...even to the point of seeming "Insane!" (the latter being applied multiple times by multiple spokespersons over multiple days regarding the actions of a singular individual, yesterday and so far today)..."to justify behavior that could be considered unsavory, unethical, or unfair" All too familiar now. Even practiced by those we have come to rely on as having integrity, credibility, in bringing us the news of the day, to inform us of what's really happening in and around our communities. Such as in a span of just 45 minutes yesterday morning, involving three different "correspondents" interviewing three people ("stakeholders") just following the "exercises" of the Russian army near the border, and literally a few minutes before the invasion of their country began: (Interviewer to citizen: "You must be scared knowing what's about to happen here" (Local citizen): "Actually I'm pretty calm as we have been through something like this before and we anticipated it" (Inter. #2): "Are you experiencing a degree of fear...?" (Reservist): "Well, we are not in denial, but we can't just give up to this tyrant; we have to try and protect and defend our country" (#3): "I see you are wearing armor and look prepared militarily, but what about mentally, are you scared?" (Soldier on the border): "Of course we are, as we have already seen a loss of many lives, up to about 20 of our comrades and friends..." (3#): "Wow, that's a lot of loss, a lot to overcome..." (Soldier): "Yeah, but..." At which time they were cut off by #3. Fearmongering swirling all around, in our faces, filling our ears...it's as if we are...

"Surrounded!" "And, if you don't lay down your arms we will..." A dire warning issued to the belligerent, brave Ukranian soldiers holding fast on Snake (also known as Zmiinyi) Island by those on the overbearing Russian warship, an attempt to invoke fear, trembling...surrender...to which a notable defender summarily replied with a salute of defiance known the world over ("Go...yourself!"). The counterresponse to which was a bombardment in which 13 valiant Ukranian defenders perished. Fearmongering from outside our walls and even within. Keep your eyes and ears directed accordingly. Be prepared and try not to be scared by the mongers out there.   

Much more to come on Psych-Ops, there and here.