“In hyperreality, there is no longer a difference between reality and its simulacrum. We substitute images for facts, and the worst part is that we mistakenly believe this to be the truth.”
Postmodern statements by Baudrillard still acutely mirror our own era, while the world is experiencing a stark paradox: the louder society proclaims its values, the easier it becomes to rule it with misanthropic cynicism and ostentatious cruelty—phenomena increasingly seen in big business, political circles, and at the level of state leaders. Why, despite humanity’s deep-seated need for virtue, do we so often choose symbols and illusions over genuine integrity? And is there any way to ensure that our desire to “be a good person” does not remain an empty slogan?
An Unfashionable Decency and the Mass “Humanizing” of Evil
We are on such a perceptual footing that, by and large, we can no longer distinguish truth from falsehood. In an endless reality show, the prime benchmarks for attention have become the loudest outcry and the flashiest (often crudest) packaging. As Stella Samuel notes in his op-ed «The Death of Common Decency» ”: once, moral example and respect for one’s opponent were a leader’s hallmarks; now, rudeness and public humiliation have been elevated to the rank of “winner’s virtues.” The audience openly “buys into” such behavior—not always because they like it, but often because there are no equally convincing alternatives.
We vehemently denounce ignorance and crudeness at face value, and each of us longs for a morally healthy society. Yet in the “hyperreality” shaped by the information environment, we grow weak and forget the true value of empathy and respect. Thus, when voting or making other choices, people often stop at whichever image looks stronger.
In our “digital reality,” raw, unvarnished evil is presented so entertainingly and wittily that we unwittingly become its fans. Sam Goldstein, in The Erosion of Societal Values in the Digital Age, writes about the very real gap between declared ideals and actual behavioral patterns. We want a better world, where respect and empathy are the norm; yet at the same time, we spread posts that contain insults and conflict. Everyone, without exception, is “curious” to watch scandalous content or provocative posts. People have ended up mired in polarizations and black-and-white thinking. David Brooks (How America Got Mean», The Atlantic) addsthat these polarizations and binary schemes allow our moods to be manipulated through the simplest emotions: fear, outrage, aggression. It’s simpler that way. It’s easier to live. As a result, even if we claim to support “good,” we become part of a pseudo-responsible culture—reposting or “liking” real cruelty, spurred on by the crowd effect.
Political Elections as an Illusion of Common Sense
People evaluate the same politician in radically different ways, depending on how strongly that politician’s charismatic “wrapping” is presentedThe Trump Values Crisis. This occurs not only in America or Ukraine; in every single country, populists and “strongmen” seduce citizens with promises of “easy fixes.” Yet behind these well-known personas often lurk utter hollowness, blatant abuse of power, or outright sociopathy.
The crux of the matter is that the average person, who advocates for honesty verbally, is guided by other criteria in the actual voting booth—primarily seeking protection from fear. The illusion of security and the feeling of “he’s my leader” nullify any serious breaches of moral principles that we ourselves supposedly champion. Think about whether you’ve been frightened by candidates who crossed your radar. Undoubtedly you have. They frightened you and offered solutions. And if they succeeded in winning, they shaped expectations for a “problem solved” that will never come, but will suffice for the victor’s term in office.
If a society is submerged in an environment dominated by imitations, genuine meanings—such as decency—go unnoticed, buried amid flashy replicas or even copies of copies. However, escape from this cycle begins precisely when we cease being passive consumers (of news, leaders, ideas) and reclaim our capacity for critical thought. Several guidelines can help:
- Consume all content with skepticism
Verify who produces these sensational stories; remember that scandals are always tools of emotional manipulation. Decide on your own criteria for what is evil and don’t give cruelty space in your “feed” simply because it’s “highly rated.” - Stop feeding the “show”
Every cynical speech or demeaning “helpful” story endures because of the audience’s attention. Refusing to react to orchestrated provocations means stripping them of their value as currency. - Remember human empathy
People grow tired of hating; it is psychologically easier to unite around good. By creating new spaces for dialogue, decency ceases to be perceived as naivety. From small neighborhood initiatives to the work of nonprofits—we learn new, sincere forms of interaction, unafraid of mistakes and allowing others to err. - Being willing to stand against the “trendy normal”
A culture of integrity implies personalized choice, so don’t fear appearing dull or unhip next to toxic trends. It’s difficult, but in the long run beneficial for everyone—at a minimum, you won’t become yet another pusher of the ruinous imitation known as “aggression” or “falsehood.”
A Few russia-Style Practical Examples
Let us apply the ideas above to Russia’s manipulation of media environments. Few doubt these days that their security services skillfully employ human emotions and collective psychological mechanisms to sow discord within societies. It’s not just Ukraine or the U.S. they endlessly try to destabilize; Europe and even Asia are also affected. Moreover, Russian propaganda understands precisely how to “whip up” hostility through emotional topics—anything from justice and warfare to personal tragedies. The problem isn’t just the vast bot farms or hybrid fake campaigns, but the fact that these narratives are quickly picked up and disseminated by real people, turning them into a routine “new normal.” Here are some examples of manipulating the American media sphere by exploiting the hot-button issue of immigration:
Equating threats with “closer” enemies. A typical tactic is to find a source of discontent directly impacting daily life (e.g., economic troubles or local crime) and pit it against “global” challenges. Rhetoric like: “Yes, Russia may be a hostile force, but immigrants are already here—the country is flooded by a wave of illegals!”
Thus, an emotionally close threat takes center stage: people become enraged at those nearby—immigrants or local politicians perceived as being too lenient toward “outsiders,” dividing society into “us” and “them.” Meanwhile, the real source of problems—say, Russia’s geopolitical actions or other forms of interference—remains at the periphery. Unfortunately, Donald Trump’s communications team, having won many points on this strategy, has caused strategic damage to the unity of America’s diverse population.
“I understand both those who defend the borders and those who say ‘open the gates’”. This is the rhetoric of double play: “You can see for yourself: both sides are extreme—one wants a wall, the other wants entirely open borders. Maybe they’re both right at once, or maybe they’re both equally wrong.” Initially, this appears balanced, but it neutralizes any real discussion of responsible immigration policy in the U.S. The paradox is that when all positions are declared “equally questionable” or “equally justified,” voters are left in a state of anomie, not knowing where to find real arguments or whom to trust. Moreover, a person who once believed in the ideals and values of American democracy might suddenly wonder whether to abandon these principles altogether if “everyone is right and no one is right.” Using this tactic, Russia directly undermines America itself, and for Donald Trump’s communications team, countering this discourse on a large scale is evidently quite difficult. Observations indicate that the team deals mostly with other short-term, results-oriented issues, without delving into serious, long-range measures.
Undermining inconvenient groups or active figures. Devaluing those with a clear stance has always been standard propaganda practice. For example, American volunteers helping Ukrainians (or Ukrainian immigrants) may be portrayed as “useful idiots” with “nothing better to do,” or as supporters of “border chaos.” Likewise, politicians who insist on scrutinizing Russian interference in American affairs are belittled—accused of “provoking another Cold War.” This lack of countermeasures (especially from Ukrainian-American organizations, funds, or coalitions) and an inability to systemically track and respond only increase hostility among non-Ukrainian Americans
Russia acts in a subtle, targeted way, exploiting fundamental psychological triggers: fear, outrage, and a penchant for simple answers to complex questions. By introducing narratives about immigrants, “traitorous” politicians, or even the demise of the U.S. economy, its propaganda aims to divide society and redirect hostility inward.
Crucially, we must understand that Russia does not create falsehoods out of thin air—it works with facts already existing in society, then infiltrates them into our basic mechanisms of perception. It uses emotional triggers such as anger, empathy, fear, or guilt to manipulate millions. The worst part is that once these narratives take hold in the information space—diligently fed and monitored—they develop a life of their own, distorting discussions among real people. In the U.S., for instance, inciting mistrust and conflict on religious or racial grounds has also been attempted via bots and fake accounts: specific messages reach the right “bubble” segments of the audience and spread until they become normal and “self-evident.” Time itself helps them proliferate.
Russia is far more successful in the rear than on the battlefield. Critical thinking and a constant “filter” for incoming information are crucial to breaking this vicious cycle. The moment we stop fighting for a place in the sun by humiliating others, the need to build a society in which people can look each other in the eye without fear or contempt reemerges. That is the essence of human virtues—not pompous or abstract, but everyday and tangible. In a world where murderous deceit abounds, what is genuine becomes our most precious treasure.
Author: Lukian Selskyi