Edward Bernays, Freud's nephew, used mass psychology to create modern propaganda. His legacy is a world of media manipulation and polarization. If he were alive now, perhaps his solution would be to reverse his own invention. Imagine an agency that uses his same techniques, but to sell skepticism and empathy. A massive counter-propaganda to make critical thinking a desirable social habit.
The technological stack of counter-propaganda 🛠️
This agency would operate with current tools. It would use AI engines to analyze viral narratives and detect biases in real time. It would deploy bots on social networks, not to spread disinformation, but to sow critical questions with links to primary sources. It would develop gamification in apps, rewarding cross-verification of news. The infrastructure would be similar to a political campaign, but the product would be a mental algorithm of systematic doubt.
Your favorite influencer tells you: "What if you're wrong?" 🎬
Imagine the ads. A famous TikToker, instead of selling you a supplement, analyzes a WhatsApp chain with a giant Source? on screen. Memes don't ridicule the opponent, but those who share without reading. Unboxings would be of Wikipedia articles with verified references. Social pressure would no longer be about having the latest gadget, but about having the best list of identified cognitive biases. The fashion would be to wear t-shirts with slogans like Citation Needed.