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'What you resist persists':
A thread about agent provocateurs, gaslighting, bad faith accusations, psychological projection and victim blaming.
A controversial left wing analysis from my personal experience as an activist and M.E. sufferer:
A thread about agent provocateurs, gaslighting, bad faith accusations, psychological projection and victim blaming.
A controversial left wing analysis from my personal experience as an activist and M.E. sufferer:
1. Agent provocateurs are a big problem on social media. They work by either attacking a prolific individual within a community they regard as an enemy of their belief system/ employment or make derogatory comments about a whole community.
2. To attack a prolific individual they will make an accusation of an extremely hurtful and denigrating nature. They will then use the outraged responses as proof that both the individual and the community that they represent are abusive.
3. Particularly cynical agent provocateurs will make an accusation that by nature will put any individual on the defensive, for example an accusation of racism. They will then characterise anyone who supports this individual as condoning and supporting racism.
4. Untrue accusations are levelled that are particularly egregious and hurtful to the community who are victimised - for example, with the M.E. community, that a treatment despised by the community for causing marked deterioration and permanent disability is the best treatment.
5. Those who have been most harmed, those most vulnerable, will then understandably react with a great deal of upset and others in the community will defend them. This will then be characterised as a 'pile on' by a 'mob'.
6. This serves two parallel purposes; firstly the agent provocateur and more importantly their target supporters feel justified in their hostility towards their perceived enemy. Secondly, the instigator of argument has an evidence of personal 'attacks' proving they are the victim
7. If such an instigator already occupies a powerful position, it is likely their narrative (including their psychological projection of hostility and abuse on to a target community) will be both echoed and amplified by the mainstream media, by virtue of their position.
8. Any attempts to unmask or reveal the ideology or paid influences at work will take place on the margins (for example the close relationship between government, psychiatry and insurance companies in denial of illness) and will not gain the same coverage and credence as the lies
9. This means in any subsequent 'debate' the sides are not equal; the marginalised do not have powerful positions, media influence and are not armed with political strategy. They are trying to defend themselves, sometimes in a life/death battle to survive!
10. So what is the solution? 'What you resist persists' is a paradox that contains a truth. Be careful who you engage with; avoid reacting to bad faith accusations; educate yourself about those who malign you & why. Mainly target your interventions to those you can help & educate
11. This will not be read by many people but I have shared it as I think it is important (I could do with taking my own advice sometimes of responding wisely and not reacting) It's difficult in this combative and artificial social media world! Solidarity with all oppressed ppl 
