Strategic psychology is the study of national and international emotional movements.
With the advent of social media, the ability to share information immediately and widely has become possible. It has disrupted the flow of information so drastically that it allows anyone to control others, regardless of the accuracy of the information being shared. Essentially, the lack of filter on information and the immediacy with which it is delivered creates a recipe of disastrous proportions. Hence, this idea that large groups of people can ebb and flow in a joint emotional experience and that that combined movement has the power to drastically impact national and world events, is incredibly meaningful and must be better understood.
Some expected issues, in order of increasing concern:
- People will be unable to digest the enormous amounts of data and facts from social media. Accordingly, they will become overcome by emotions in reaction to factual or inaccurate information equally.
- This feeling-overload will begin to change the way people view facts. It will skew their ability to differentiate factual data from opinion and will result in people forming opinions based on whatever feels most accurate.
- This confusion will lead to erroneous assumptions, poor decisions, and expected bad outcomes – which will require justification. To take full responsibility for these outcomes would require significant self-awareness and generally speaking, people can’t handle taking too much responsibility for bad outcomes. Instead, they blame others.
- Once the outcomes spread across an entire country, we will see large-scale issues affecting not only those who made poor decisions, but everyone. Expected large-scale impacts could include unrepayable debt, relationship breakdowns, and the distrust of education and the media – all at the national level. Domestic terrorism is also expected to increase in frequency and severity as emotional outlets become constrained, rules of behavior are questioned, and as regulation of these emotions declines.
- Once rules of decent behavior are no longer followed and all information is distrusted, replaced instead with emotion-driven beliefs, the ability of a society to function with structure and safety will rapidly decline.
Without intervention, the destruction of our nation is a significantly possible outcome. We must rise up and support our people.
We *can* stop this before it progresses but it will take a system-level plan for how to affect emotions and information flow at the national level. It will require a sophisticated strategic plan to help our nation, provide the hope we need, and clarify a path to progress. Strategic psychology then is the idea that we can affect emotions in systems of people and delves into the ethical, moral, and scientific obligations associated.
Safety vs freedom. Delicate. Individual freedom is precious. Safety imperative. It’s important for us to realize that a civilized culture can not continue to exist without both. After 9/11 we have faced the choice of giving up our freedom for the sake of safety. This can be a slippery slope if we let ourselves be blinded from its effects by false and ambiguous information. Always be vigilant. Protect both with a balanced approach for the future of all is at stake.
I want clarify. I’m in total agreement with you Jenny. This is a matter I care a great deal about and I’m so glad you have stated your view so clearly.