I was going to start with reasons to be grateful, because as you know, one of the four aspects of the model in the Disinfolklore analytical method for noticing how information, or what I call Disinfolklore or Infolklore, affects us and changes us is through our moods. Moods, attitudes, intentions, and motivations are the aspects of our consciousness, our identities, our beingness, which are impacted. A good piece of Disinfolklore will affect all four: moods, intentions, motivations, and attitudes. Attitudes and moods are more long-term elements. Moods can be immediate as well, but in terms of feeling happy or sad over a six-month period, Disinfolklore and Infolklore can affect us greatly.
When I talk about Infolklore, I mean what Mockers, for instance, talks about. Mockers and Genesis Man’s partnership, for me anyway, on a day like today, buoyed me up, transformed my mood, and made me happy. I love the way Mockers tells the stories. The same story, which is Disinfolklore when published on Telegram by the Rushists, can be Infolklore when told with Mockers’ mocking tone, drawing attention to elements we all recognize since February 24th, 2022, and for some of us, longer.
News isn’t necessarily Infolklore or Disinfolklore. My self-appointed job, part of my contribution to helping us navigate the current age, is to characterize some of it as Disinfolklore, some as Infolklore, and communicate how I do this in my head using evolving criteria. News that affects our attitude, intentions, or motivations is definitely in the realm of folklore or Disinfolklore.
Reasons to be grateful today, given everything going on. Ukraine is, technically speaking, handing Russia’s asses to them. Imagining everything going on, whether it’s Venezuela, Greenland, or America, we think of having this ogre in the back of our minds with the Wagner, a storied mythological force that can do anything. We think of Russia having its four million tanks, the entire product of the Soviet Union, and imagine everything else. We, and hopefully the mainstream, are beginning to see that Ukraine is handing Russia’s ass to it. Whatever happens from this moment forth, much of that mythos and materiel is gone, making it laughable when Russia is put in the same category as China, the United States, or the European Union militarily.
People’s algorithms, their data-resistant and susceptible archetypes, are changing, updating in real time according to these themes and stories, whether they are Disinfolklore or Infolklore. Kupiansk, for instance, was announced as taken, but Ukraine retook it and got rid of most of the Russists inside. That’s embarrassing. Putler and Pokrosk are under pressure, but seem to be holding. We see videos of Russia’s annihilation there.
These story elements have the capacity, when amplified, to transform archetypal identities in people’s minds. Ukraine handing Russia’s ass back every day is wonderful, given the information space and our world leaders. Russian Arctic incompetence is absolutely wonderful. Mockers today discussed a deal between the United States, Russia, and China to divide up the world, promoted by Russian propagandists. But really, the guys around Donald are not charity people. If they sense weakness, they pounce. There’s no free lunch. If you can hold your own and pretend you’re rich enough in the club, you’re in. But if your Arctic seaports are falling apart, even Donald will reconsider dividing the world.
We’re not scared of Russia anymore. After February 24th, 2022, we’re not scared. We have Ukraine’s strength and power. The $800 billion euros commitment to Ukraine up to 2030 is incredible. Russian air defense is now mainstream rubbish. Venezuela and Caracas saw the Epstein Act of Congress emerge, a miracle. Every redaction is a breach of law. Chuck Schumer’s finest moment. German, UK, and French leadership is strong. We could have terrible leaders, but now we have a proper German leader. Ukraine will soon have its Gripens, its Griffins. Infowars are devastating Russia, like Putla’s palace. Stories are entering the mainstream, on the radar of those interested in geopolitics.
Russia can’t take advantage of this. Mental routines play out. Putin must be happy, but who cares? Think about how annoyed they are without power. That brings joy. If they had waited for the full-scale invasion, they could have had everything. Now they’ve lost everything. Russia could be at its greatest strength, but Ukraine handed their asses to them.
I wanted to start with the positive, practicing Infolklore, positive trolling with genuine reasons. Reasons to be grateful. In 2018, Russia took two Ukrainian fishing vessels, causing a crisis in the Sea of Azov. I was sent there to establish the OSC’s monitoring model. Ukrainians remember this humiliation. Whatever’s going on in the Atlantic, reasons to be cheerful. Medvedev wanted Americans to kidnap President Zelensky for Russia. Peak Absurdistan. Russians can’t even mount a raid. They want Americans to do what they can’t.
In Eastern Ukraine, Russians used stories to create communities. On the south bank of the Donetsk River, they convinced Ukrainians they were Russians, that the other wanted to kill them, and that Russia was their only protector. Classic coercive control. From micro to macro, the entire system inside Russia-occupied Luhansk was coercive. Crossing into there every day for three years, I collected and analyzed media, what I now call Disinfolklore.
Today, Russia uses Telegram to create community. Community identity is formed through storytelling. This is the method they use in the fake state, Russia-occupied Luhansk People’s Republic. The modern nation-state was created after Herder’s 1777 plea to unite German tribes behind stories. Identity is a function of stories. Understand this, and you’ll understand how Russian Disinfolklore undermines and recreates identity.
In Ireland, the Celtic literary revival led to a unified identity. MAGA creates community and stories with similar structures: grievance, fear, others coming over the river. Druidy Dawn’s Disinfolklore universe leads us to this. I had a horrific vision, inspired by Epstein survivors’ analysis, of enslavement and extraterritorial islands. Greenland isn’t just about data centers or a sovereign state. It may be more akin to Auschwitz than Shangri-La.
Europe’s leaders made strong statements yesterday. The Danish military wasn’t joking six months ago. Whatever’s going on in the background, it’s worse than what the Russists did in Luhansk, Donetsk, and Crimea. That should inspire us to campaign hard. Our moods, intentions, attitudes, and motivations are affected by these stories. Disinfolklore depresses us, but Volia Radio, especially presenters like Wendy and James, is our response.
Studying international law, much of the content comes from South America in the 19th century, on borders, extradition, and rendition. The Monroe Doctrine, as Scouts Green explained, is a new character in our information space. The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot, originally called “He Do the Police in Different Voices,” is a cacophony of voices, like our information space today. Lies create wastelands, as we’re seeing in Russia.
We must assimilate these stories as part of a Disinfolklore universe. Avoid going with the flow of trolls. The Monroe Doctrine, an ogre, not a friendly giant. They’re trying to destroy international law’s supremacy. If Russia could take Pokrovsk, maybe the tripartite split would work, but they can’t. The people around Donald are hard-nosed.
Medvedev’s suggestion that America seize Zelensky is absurd. If America goes in, they won’t give Russia Ukraine. They’re not charity people. Russia is desperate, with no exit strategy. They’re going to archetype Europe as weak, but discerning consumers of Infolklore see what’s actually happening. Objectively speaking, this is extraordinary stuff.
I’m sorry to hear about your daughter, Ethical. We all know people who have fallen into the Palestine thing. It’s designed for its purpose. Cults require continuing dialogue to help people find their way out. Ukraine is doing its business, trading land for peace. There’s no peace until Russia leaves all of Ukraine.
The main danger is a Minsk situation, a frozen conflict. Ukraine’s gamble that Russians wouldn’t accept a ceasefire worked. President Zelensky managed to change the archetypal identity of Ukraine. It drives me nuts that people thought Ukraine wanted this war. Ukraine modeling peace may have to go through stages again, but ultimately, it’s trolling Russia to destruction.
Germany is ready to lead Europe. Europe isn’t weak. Thomas Tyner’s work is brilliant, but hectoring tones demotivate. We need positive motivation. Ukraine received 30% more military aid last year. The escalator is going up. Mertz was part of getting Ukraine that aid. Despite distant folklore drama, the substance is strong. Ukraine is about to benefit from unprecedented support.
If Russians haven’t gotten the hint yet, they will. The budget is on stream. This is extraordinary, impossible to dream of from most of 2022 and 2023. That’s my answer.
