Citing various responses to Russian disinformation campaigns in Ukraine, this passage explores how Eastern European observers better anticipated America's vulnerability to similar tactics in 2016, highlighting the crucial importance of learning from other nations' experiences with defending democracy.

Reflection Questions:

How has exposure to other cultures and political systems (whether through travel, relationships, or media) shaped your understanding of your own society's strengths and vulnerabilities? In what ways might increasing international perspective strengthen rather than weaken democratic institutions?

Looking at your own media consumption habits, how do you evaluate information sources' ability to identify and counter disinformation? What lessons might we learn from countries that have longer experience dealing with these challenges?

In your own community or country, what blind spots might exist because of a lack of exposure to other nations' struggles with disinformation or democratic backsliding? How might these blind spots be addressed?

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