For those who are paying attention, watching the events unfolding around the world can be overwhelming. Endless wars, rapidly encroaching healthcare dictatorship, tech companies censoring and de-platforming anyone who speaks out of line… the scale and extent of the problems we face are immense. There is however a way to fight back.
The Big Tech Censorship Revolt
To organize any effective resistance communication is crucial. Social media platforms are no longer neutral venues where information can be freely exchanged. Dissenting opinions on the most important issues of our time are no longer tolerated. It has become impossible to predict who will be silenced next. As such, more and more people are now migrating away from big tech towards a new generation of apps such as Telegram and Odysee (LBRY). You can help tip the scales by setting up accounts on these platforms, joining channels and groups, and inviting your friends.
Below are a list of activist channels and groups to get you started.
Anti-war Telegram Group
WeAreChange Telegram Channel
WeAreChange Telegram Group
WeAreChange Odysee Channel
StormCloudsGathering Telegram Channel
OpenSourceTheNews Telegram Group (SCG)
StormCloudsGathering Odysee Channel (everything from Youtube plus bonus content)
TheFreeThoughtProject Telegram Channel
TheFreeThoughtProject Telegram Group
Derrick Broze’s Daily News
G3 News
It can also be useful to engage in a hybrid strategy where one promotes content on big tech platforms indirectly. To share information that contradicts the official narrative on a sensitive topic you can make a post on social media that directs people to a website or app containing embedded content rather than expressing the controversial position in the post itself. For example you can mention COVID-19 in a video and reference another video on Odysee that covers the topic in a way that would get you banned on Youtube.
Digital actvism can be augmented through street activism by distributing posters, stickers, or business cards with QR codes that link to specific content. These links can be set to land on any web page or video. To amplify the effect distribute the pdfs for these posters and stickers to your groups and channels so that they can participate.
Crowd Psychology
Crowd psychology is a weapon. For generations that weapon has been used against us. Time to pick it up and return fire.
Now before jumping into the fray it’s important to take some time to observe and reflect. Though it is very easy to make use of the basic principles of crowd psychology and see results, a single miscalculation can lead to serious injury, death or imprisonment.
It’s also important to ensure that your activities do not contribute to the spread of disinformation or hate. This implies holding to strict standards of evidence (even though this is often unnecessary with crowds), and avoiding narratives that contribute to political, ethnic, or religious divisions.
In a world that is hurtling towards economic crisis and social upheaval it is crucial that that we build alliances that transcend the left right paradigm and promote a positive course of action rather than merely attacking the problem. A focus on local resilience (local production, organization and exchange) provides a set unifying objectives that transcend partisanship. This can start with as something as simple as encouraging people to grow their own food.
Homework
Below are list of books and documentaries to get you started. Please note that the we do not agree with or endorse all of the positions put forth by the authors. We can, however, confirm that the strategies and tactics they describe are effective.
- “The Crowd” by Gustave Le Bon (available for free as pdf)
- “The Psychology of Revolutions” by Gustave Le Bon (free pdf)
- “From Dictatorship to Democracy” by Gene Sharp (free pdf)
Century of the Self
Documentarian Adam Curtis examines the career of Edward Bernays, the father of public relations. It’s important to note that though the film makes the claim that Bernays based his approach on the work of his uncle, Sigmund Freud, in reality Bernays studied the work of Le Bon as well. His approach is best described as a hybrid of crowd psychology and individual psychology applied using real world theatrics.
Does the USA Sponsor Revolutions?
This documentary by Journeyman Pictures exposes the blueprint that has been used to overthrow governments around the world. This approach combines the theatrical approach developed by Edward Bernays with a set of guidelines designed to set the stage for regime change. Non-violent tactics are used to win the hearts and minds of the public, while provoking the regime, and building rapport with the police and military.
