“Weaponizing Information – Controlling Hearts and Minds
In A Digital Age of Pandemic”
William Jackson, M.Ed
Weaponizing digital information is a 21st century threat thatshould be considered as a political and even religious processthat aligns political sides, radical viewpoints, extreme ideologies
and even influences religious doctrines.
The seat of the President or if we are talking global that of PrimeMinisters is not the only powerhouse position that needs to bewatched, the service positions need to be given attention to.Political offices like the Senate and House seats are very importantbecause they are where laws are brought forth and voted into
power.
Not long ago the Catholic church held power globally, through themisuse of scripture, doctrine and radicalism they enforced lawsand statues that even today influence the thinking of millionsof people. The potential to influence the thinking of generationsof people is still evident when witnessing worship services thathave nothing to do with praise and worship of our Lord andSavior Jesus Christ. They praying to idols and symbols andmaking sacrifices in accommodation is still being done even
though in scripture the worship to idols is prohibited by our God.
The ear of the political machines are in offices of the Senate,House of Representative and other lower offices because theears, eyes and hearts are captured first and then attentionsare given to the President for considerations and passing ofnew legislative agendas and works. Just as importantly wheremonies are going to support causes and conditions for change
in the future.
The past attacks that have happened on the steps, hallways,rooms and hidden areas of the Capitol Building are anexample of how words have impact and the manipulationof language that has control of the hearts, minds and actionsof men and women. There is a difference between freedom ofspeech, representation and sharing of ideologies that are
separate and unequal.
The use of Social Media strategies and applying words,phrases, images, sound bytes and videos to create perceptions,mis-directions, subterfuge and even perceptions of mis-trustand elitism. These strategies are used to capture the hearts
and minds of men, women, boys and girls. I have been
teaching over 30 years and it does not amaze me to hearstudents in elementary school regurgitating words heardfrom family members about politics, freedom of speechand religious doctrines. I do not engage them indiscussion since these are outside of my educationaldirections, but many times I’m disturbed hearing ofthe separation of the races, the colonial ideas related
to Black, Brown and Indigenous people even in the 21st
century.
The power of the digital voice is being heard globallythe frightening reality is it emphasis the destructionof people that will not follow, nor bow down to the pastleadership. As has been said before in multiple waysracism is nothing new, it has found a new platform torise and become more vocal. The disturbing issue isthat there is no compromise, there is no unity, there
is no humanitarian concepts of building community.
How can people call themselves followers of Christwhen they seek to destroy the will of the people, theopportunity to choose their walk with Christ as true
Christians and convey words of division and destruction.
Weaponizing information is not new, but the use ofSocial Media has grown since it’s successful applicationduring past administrations in the early 2000’s that didspeak of unity, collaboration, the value of diversity andinclusion. The digital platforms being used made peoplefeel part of the bigger picture, they felt they belonged,they felt important and needed. The past administrationunfortunately used keywords, phrases, perceptions,mis-directions, building visions of a life of chaos, moraldestruction of those that are Black, Brown and Indigenous.The false pretenses of unity, acceptance, democratic rule
and rule of law.
Throughout history Presidents, Secretaries of State andothers have used and misused information as weapons toinfluence and move the masses. The past administrationsplatform of using microblogging of Twitter as its keysource shows the power of the written and spoken word.The Obama administration was positive, productive,builders of dreams for the disenfranchised, those inpoverty, the elderly and importantly youth, teens andyoung adults. The past administration provided falseviews of unity, collaboration, cooperative growth and
building of communities and societies of equality.
The use of religious scriptures was erroneously usedand even applied to misdirect its meaning and used
to lead people the wrong way.
The direction of the previous administration directionwas the tearing apart of this nation and separationfrom the world based on deceptions, blame andfalse accusations against people in poverty and onlyseeking a better life for their children like millions
of American want.
This past administration has applied at a higherlevel of disruption, division, separation and evencontaining racial over/under tones and innuendo toinspire racism and hate. Instead of having aunifying goal it has become separate, divisiveand inflammatory with its’ language usage and whom
it is directed too.
So smooth was this blanket of mis-direction was thatmany in ministry bought into these deadly visionsof trust and obedience. Even their eyes were takenaway from our true Lord and Savior Jesus Christ tofollow a man that does not even know the scripturesand even seemed not to be able to speak them.
The 21st century of using media besides televisionand radio allows for the carpet bombing of Facebook,Twitter and other social sites to overwhelm peopleinto submission or pacification to follow the masses.When constantly bombarded by political adds that aregeared to specific groups of people there comes asaturation point where the mind gives up and surrendersto the powers that be and is placed in a concentration
camp of prisoners to a political party.
Just like thousands of Hispanics, Mexicans and otherin “camps” in the United States where children aretorn from parents and parents are deported back todeath, danger and darkness. These tactics were usedin Nazi Germany and sadly still being use in ademocratic society. No one really knows what agendaor re-education program or medical experiments were
done on women, boys and girls.
People are learning that algorithms can bemanipulated, profiles can be analyzed,connections can be linked to send similarsources to create a dynamic and digital path soeveryone with similar mind-sets are lead downa rabbit hole of submission and unquestionableobedience to a man instead of Christ. People arebeing exposed to so much information eitherwillingly or unwillingly they are becoming shell
shocked by the massive carpet bombing of content.
Using digital targeted systems directed at the mind,the saving of Twitter posts and the potential to usethis information against people should be discussed.Weaponizing information is the threat people need tobe aware of and guard against. Information is kept inthe Library of Congress, housed there for futuregenerations to see how social media was manipulatedand weaponized against many that lack the mentalskills to guard against them.
Library of Congress Has Now Archived 170 Billion Tweets
https://mashable.com/2013/01/05/library-of-congress-twitter/
Programs on Netflix, NPR, CNN and other sources ofinformation are showing how information is beingcreated to influence peoples political, religiousand social consciousness. Words are manipulated tocreate an emotional attachment so when heard
it is instantly designed to create emotional responses.
Conservatism, Progressive, Generational, Nationalism,Multi-cultural, Native, Hispanic, African American,Bible-belt, Republican, Independent, Democrat andothers already create impressions that influence emotionsand subliminal messages of acceptance, rejections, hate,respect, comfort, hate, rebellion, and inspire execution
of those feelings to take action in aggressive manners.
The future is now, the levels of engagement and relevancyof information is vital because the public needs tounderstand how to apply their understanding of appliedand manipulated information and what they will get out
of it. Youth, teens and young adults are learning now
even if they are not aware of it how they should reactto people, situations, circumstances, and images based
on where the content is coming from.
Violent episodes are showing the power of digital media,there is power in the human voice and behaviors. The humanvoice contains the powers of life and death – literally.When parents are told to be careful what they name theirchildren, when families of status and stature look at thenames of their children’s potential affiliations and theinfluence on social status, economic power, politicalinfluence, educational acceptance into elite educationalinstitutions can be influenced by names. Hearing thewords of power and the ability to inspire, manipulate
and in some cases deceive.
Parents look at your children and really consider whyyou named your children what they are named, whatthey are Branded and how they will be Marketed tothe world around them. As a professional educatorthere is great potential in all our students to bringabout change, but parents lay a foundation of eitherthe love for learning, accepting diversity, thinking thatdiversity threatens their and their children’s life.The future can be manipulated, but knowledge ispowerful if only gained and applied correctly.Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Flickr and Tumblr useimages, photos and video to capture the mind, tocreate emotional attachments and project potentialfutures of occurrence and happenstance. This is notnew it has been applied in television ads for beveragesand food, used to set an image for automobiles,applied to social gatherings and where people ofsocia-economic status should live, breed and growold.The movie The Great Hack
https://www.thegreathack.com/
should be required watching by higher educationstudents that are majoring in Political Science, SocialMedia Management and similar curriculums. Even inministry, there should be guidance to using and applyingtechnology to move people as I blog on Church of Christand Social Media sharing my thoughts, ideas and experiences
as a member of the Church of Christ and how technology and
Social Media can be used in ministry:
https://churchofchristandsocialmedia.wordpress.com/
Teaching about applying scriptures, using digitalministry to share the gospel of Christ and howChristians should not be afraid to share their faithonline, but be cautious and aware of their responsibilities
of evangelism and discipleship.
Teacher on Let The Bible Speak TV
https://www.facebook.com/LET-the-BIBLE-SPEAK-TV-109526513806972/
The catalyst for many deceptions, mis-directions, influences,subterfuge and perceptions of others as historically seenacross television is now seen on social media platforms.The power in politics, the influence of religion, the engagementof education and the depth of economic influence to have peoplevote in a direction that they “think” is best for them and theirfamilies, but in reality it may take them some place where
there is no escape and their souls have been sold by their votes.
The old story of the Emperors New Clothes is being playedout in the political kingdoms globally, like lambs to theslaughter people are not questioning the overall picture ofwhere are they are going in 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. What typeof communities will we be in, will they be culturally diverseor will it be separate, unequal, divisive, exclusionary andembrace racism as the norm? History will not be able to tellthe truth because those in political power write the history
books.
Look at Columbus what did he really discover before heinvaded lands that were not lost, but already inhabited,cultivated, and being pioneered. History has many believingthis land of America was lost, savage and a threat to someoneelse’s national security. History continues to repeat itself insimilar ways because humans are stiff necked and many timesdo not learn from their pasts. Everyone can easily lie and theirlies are posted online and will last forever on social
platforms, that are stored on servers globally around the world.
Weaponizing words has a distant echo from Hitler to Castro,Hirohito to Putin, Stalin to Gorbechef and even Trump.Even in these United States of America with Nixon and others,there are echoes of human rights violations against women,children, families of Black, Brown and Indigenous people
that contain the colors and cultures of this nation and the world.
Segregationists and nationalist language, evasive anddivisive overtones to keep cultural and racial groupsseparate and made to blame each other as they are
pawns in a political process of lies and deceptions.
The Churches of Christ have a serious mission not to betainted by politics and false prophets. Not to praise menthat dream of power and dictatorship, but of men thatfollow Christ first in all aspects of ministry and evangelism.If Church of Christ ministries fall into the practice ofpolitical pressures and following none believers they are
taking their congregations, their flocks down dangerous roads.
William is the digital innovator for his brand My Quest To Teach using the hashtag #MyQuestToTeach sharing his journey teaching, mentoring,
community activism and community collaborations.