
DEEPER UNDERSTANDING - the automatic state, the wet dream of the few
If you want authoritarianism, it has to go smoothly. Automatically. And its best "machines" are those who comply first.
1. Its cogs are the corrupted rulers,
2. its pieces (consumers) - the propaganda,
3. its oil - the supporters
Why is the propaganda the consumer and not the people? Because here is a principle of manipulation I found through introspection: what consumes your energy, consumes YOU in fact. It eats your life :) YOU are the dinner. The propaganda propelled draws attention: be it compliance and (blind or not) belief, or anger, it is still attention being drawn. Attention is the greatest currency, because it's also the only one that doesn't come back. What you consume, including information shall consume you back.
"Hate me, love me, but don't ignore me". - don't take this word for word :) As manipulation goes, true ignorance means acceptance, because you cannot hate or love something without accepting it first. And in this case, the virus is in your mind already, because you gave it attention and accepted its meaning by giving it importance. The subterfuges are many. Learn your enemy. Focus on you. The only principle in war is that there is no enemy. Enemy is within, a virus you create through meaning.