Plan Vanilla
One of the things that the BuildingWhat campaign shows that the truth movement could do is to apply more energy and effort to producing advocacy materials (propaganda, if you wish) that appeals to the mainstream. It would advance our cause immensely if we began to elevate the 9/11 truth discourse out of the rut of the current style of advocacy. Look at the way that different products are sold to people--beer commercials don't necessarily talk about how delicious or intoxicating their product is, they instead often simply try to establish a tone that they hope will resonate with people. 9/11 truth promotional material, in other words, need not be focused on specific issues like free-fall, thermite, etc. Instead we could take a step back and think about what will resonate with the public that has not yet opened its mind to the evidence.
For example, here is some copy I came up with in that spirit...
"With the public's confidence in their politicians and business leaders at an all time low, is it the right time to tolerate excessive secrecy? Would it really surprise anyone if an insurance company executive made a backroom deal with a property owner to sanction a false claim based on arson?
The tools and policies being developed for use by law enforcement in response to the threat of terrorism themselves carry great risk if they fall into the wrong hands. Would it really surprise anyone if inadequate safeguards were discovered to have led to a massive leak of sensitive information?
How do we know?
Who's minding the store?"
Now, this isn't a perfect attempt, just a first draft or brainstorming exercise. My point is that we need to do what successful marketing campaigns do, and that is to find ways to make our points resonate with people, in part by presenting them in a way that account for what we know people to be concerned about--in this case, playing off the general distrust of politicians and of government incompetence as well as to their natural fears over crime, especially crime that goes undetected/unpunished. We must also combine these messages with effective visuals both static and in video form.
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Sounds great
I think it could be pretty effective.
thanks Keenan
I hope to flesh out some of the ideas better, including with graphics... will post asap!
One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest
One flew over the cuckoo's nest.
(Yes on advertising, no on vanilla for me.)
In Ken Kesey's novel (perfectly harmonised by Czech anti establishment director Milos Forman's film) he lists and illustrates the recurrent mechanisms why change/ revolution invariably fails.
1. The undentable self assuredness of nurse Ratched as the face of establishment emits a confidence and arrogance so overwhelming, it is hard to stand against her.(Reminds me of Jon Gold's tactics actually).
People must be very highly motivated, and very confident of their position to even have the nerve to stand up.
2. Distraction. As McMurphy (whose name suggests a minority) tries to stage a protest over seeing the world series on tv, the 'revolution is soon diluted by lack of focus as other issues like cigarettes are promoted by the other patients, and on the fishing trip (in the film, cant remember if its in the book) McMurphy asks one of the 'rebels' to head the boat straight but he cant do it and the boat ends up steering a tight circle, round and round.
3.Dissemination of myths of common good by the nurse, and the suggestion that deviation from the system is against the common good. (Fear of change)
4.Job's worth/ individual security. As McMurphy tries to get help from the night guard , his fear of loosing his job is an obstacle to his support.
5. Electoral fraud. (Self explanatory)
6. Medication. (Force feed the population on a diet of meaningless culture to prevent them from being aware of their manipulation.)
7. Threats, warnings, of drastic consequences if the deviant behaviour is not stopped
8, If all else fails, finally neutralization.
Having shown the mechanisms how revolution invariably fails, Kesey presents his forlorn hope that some day, someone who the establishment consider to be deaf and dumb, may actually be aware, and may rise up to overthrow the 'immovable force' (The marble hydrolysis sink (as a metaphor for the status quo) that McMurphy could not lift himself).
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Not all of this is relevant to this thread, but this analysis is something I have been meaning to post here for a while, as it seems to be very relevant to our cause, so forgive me for spooling.
However the main points that I am trying to make are that I think people are generally afraid of real change,especially if they are not informed. Will they ever be bold enough in the US under corporate propaganda to elect a 3rd party? Let alone risk everything, and favour anarchy and total uncertainty of the future over what they have now by staging meaningful mass civil disobedience.
I believe it is entirely possible that rather than 911 truth catalysing the changes we need, we may actually need change before the establishment allows/incorporates 911 truth.
Either way, the most important factor is motivation, and in particular motivation of masses.
To risk all they know against the self assuredness of our ruling class and dominant propaganda, the people need to get angry, to act!.
Vanilla just wont work to achieve this motivation. Neither will Lihop.
In terms of 911 truth, why not get serious? e.g. post an ad that says:
"On 911, 3000 us citizens were murdered by explosives planted in the towers(FACT) Who planted them?"
" There are only two ways to create a pyroclastic flow, volcanic eruption or explosives.(911 footage) which one caused this, who planted the explosives?
"NY Port authority denied permission to demolish the towers on 5 occasions{If that could be verified)}They had to demolish asbestos ridden towers brick by brick at the cost of X Million/billion)- that was until 911 happened...who planted the explosives?"
I am not an ad man, and offer these as mere examples of how people could be motivated, made angry, made to act .If it is controversial, or causes offence, then great, what better stage to pass on info.(An advertising diamond)
How many people prepared to sign a petition to ask someone else to investigate how Muslims were allowed to attack us on 911 would you trade for someone who has had enough and is prepared to act now to replace the oligarchy?
If your meaning of vanilla was to be 911 neutral, then you may have a point, I am not sure, your experiences would tell you.
In fact, I think it likely that people are more likely to "act" on economic (poverty/ self interest) reasons than others related to esoteric questions of security or rights,which they would think did not apply to them until they got caught in the flypaper themselves.
thanks for the analysis, AA
I guess my point was that everyone out there is potentially on our side, but each person is likely to have their own best "entry point" based on their individual experiences/psychological makeup, etc. Marketers might be approached, for instance, by a company who finds that its product is very popular among adults but not so much among younger people in order to figure out a way to make the product appeal to the latter. Assuming the product is not inherently suited to older people, the marketers might look at various things like the packaging and existing ad campaigns and suggest different approaches that will make young people see the product in a new light--the idea being that their reasons for rejecting the product may well have been irrational and based on a simple perception that is easily gotten around--the idea that however great, this product just isn't for "people like me."
Absolutely, I take your
Absolutely, I take your point, and have equally supported the idea of different approaches to 911 truth for your reasons.
If it is an entry point and it is likely for people to follow up and persue the story all the way to its logical conclusions then fine.
Trouble is advertising generally is just good for making people change brands. Effective propaganda is usually much more shocking ,direct and motivational, making people risk what they have already for an uncertain future.
I could give you a lot of examples but the fake anti-nazi brigade would get their knickers in a twist!
Hour of the Furnaces(1968), from south america is one of the most accomplished socialist works using every cinematic trick in the book to motivate people, and I think Michael Moore is quite effective at propaganda (incorporating satire) tho not so much on 911.