#173 John Gentry on Active Measures, Reflexive Control, and Useful Idiots

Nov 7, 2023

In this discussion, John Gentry shares his expertise on influence strategies shaped by the former Soviet Union. He explains concepts like reflexive control and the role of 'useful idiots' in shaping public discourse. Gentry highlights how historical Soviet tactics still infiltrate contemporary politics, emphasizing the psychological manipulation of cultural vulnerabilities. The conversation also tackles the erosion of trust in institutions and its implications, along with vulnerabilities in educational settings that make individuals susceptible to influence.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

The Enduring Legacy of Soviet Influence Operations

02:41 • 2min

Understanding Active Measures and Reflexive Control

05:04 • 4min

Espionage and Cultural Manipulation

09:05 • 24min

Erosion of Trust in Institutions: Historical Context and Current Impacts

32:52 • 3min

Understanding Vulnerabilities to Malign Influence

36:18 • 9min

Exploring Diaspora and Allegiance in the Context of Chinese Heritage

45:26 • 3min

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association.

During this episode, Dr. John Gentry discusses long-term influence strategies employed by the former Soviet Union, which remain ongoing today. The conversation covers a wide range of related topics including reflexive control, useful idiots, institutions, diaspora, plus more.

Research Question: John Gentry suggests that an interested student examine vulnerabilities that attackers identify, what causes them, and how to ameliorate them. For starters, he describes three general categories: ideology, gullibility, and interests (for example: financial).

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
- #76 Yuval Levin on the Constitution & Institutions
Influence Operations of China, Russia, and the Soviet Union: A Comparison – Nipp
John A. Gentry, Information Operations against the United States: Defensive Actions are Needed, No. 556, June 12, 2023 – Nipp
Russia and China expected to renew their espionage vigour by Dries Putter and Sascha-Dominik Bachmann
Russia and China Expected to Renew their Espionage Vigour
The Red Atlas: How the Soviet Union Secretly Mapped the World by John Davies, Alexander Kent, and James Risen
Neutering the CIA: Why US Intelligence versus Trump Has Long-Term Consequences by John Gentry

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio:

Dr. John A. Gentry is an adjunct professor with the School of Defense and Strategic Studies, Missouri State University. He writes regularly on intelligence topics and security issues more generally. Dr. Gentry has an economics background and received a Ph.D. in political science from the George Washington University. His most recently published book is Neutering the CIA: Why US Intelligence versus Trump Has Long-Term Consequences.

About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

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