"You know you are a human being": How to counter Putin's cognitive warfare

You have finally found your place. For the first time in history." He quoted the planetary slogan: "Community. Identity. Stability.".

Aldous Huxley, "Brave New World"

Cognitive warfare, in particular in the context of the Russian threat, is mentioned more and more often. This is natural – today it is not enough to talk only about fakes and disinformation narratives. But what exactly is it and how to describe it in simple words?

We are constantly engaged in cognitive interaction and even "war", if this word can be used in relation to, for example, a dispute. Even convincing a child to do something useful when he or she does not want to is also a cognitive influence. Examples from ordinary everyday life can be endless .

The difference here is in the goal and in the scale. Russia's cognitive warfare is global in nature, although it contains points of special focus. Its goals are destructive.

In short, Putin is trying to force Ukraine to surrender and the West to accept it.

And we can identify the core in us that is under attack. To answer the key question – how and with what to counter Putin in this cognitive war.

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