Stories shape how people feel, remember, and act. That’s why disinformation campaigns weaponize storytelling—not just to mislead, but to emotionally manipulate.

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Neil Sadler’s 2025 paper in Communication Theory reframes disinformation through a “hermeneutic realist” lens:
“Stories disclose realities rather than simply reflect them.” This means even accurate content can be ethically or referentially problematic if it’s woven into a misleading narrative arc. Disinformation isn’t just what’s said — it’s how it’s framed, sequenced, and felt source.


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1. What Is Narrative Sabotage?
It’s not just lying — it’s rewriting the emotional arc of a story to manipulate belief and behavior.


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“Stories disclose realities rather than simply reflect them.” This means even accurate content can be ethically or referentially problematic if it’s woven into a misleading narrative arc. Disinformation isn’t just what’s said — it’s how it’s framed, sequenced, and felt source.

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Psychological Impact of Repeated Shutdown Threats on Public Trust. Erosion of Institutional Trust


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Spectacle: Televised hearings, viral outrage clips, meme politics.The Cost
The more power operates through Silence, Strategy, and Spectacle,
The less democracy depends on truth, and the more it depends on attention


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The Paradox of Power
Governments often wear two hats:
Instigators of disinformation, using propaganda to consolidate control
Regulators of disinformation, passing laws that claim to fight falsehoods but often muzzle dissent, as explored at Perry World House, create a feedback loop: disinformation justifies censorship, and censorship conceals disinformation.



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AI isn’t just used to debunk conspiracies. It’s increasingly being used to create them, amplify them, and make them feel real

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Beliefs & Concerns. 
AI (or platforms using AI) suppresses or censors certain viewpoints
The belief: AI models or content-moderation algorithms will “silence” dissenting perspectives, especially on politically sensitive topics, by refusing to show them, downranking them, or labeling them as disallowed.

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Distortion isn’t a side effect—it’s the product. The Algorithmic Engine
Social platforms are built to maximize time-on-site, not accuracy. Their core metric? Engagement—likes, shares, comments, watch time.


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