The Cognitive Crucible

US Army Major Michael Zequeira discusses the impact of social media on military recruiting, including the rise of misinformation and its effects on recruiting trends. The research explores how social media speed enables foreign adversaries to manipulate narratives, and the implications of social media on mental health and recruitment goals. The episode also covers TikTok divestiture, social media use in military operations, and book recommendations on Russian disinformation and military leadership.

Dr. Wayne “Mike” Hall discusses the declining intellect in America and stresses the moral imperative of improving learning and mentoring. He covers topics such as incorporating information in war, non-linearity in systems, and the importance of unity of effort. Mike encourages a focus on intellectual growth to address modern challenges in national security and warfare.

Hatteras Hoops discusses Human Domain Security, rethinking humans as cybersecurity assets, GDPR regulations in Europe vs Privacy Laws in America, managing security challenges in cybersecurity, their past career transition, empirical evidence and future disruptive technologies, and book recommendations for human domain security and leadership.

Dr. Josh 'Bugsy' Segal explores the 'American Maginot Line' and the lack of funding for the cognitive war in the US. Topics include disinformation threats, open source intelligence, and challenges in addressing misinformation. The podcast delves into Brand Management, naval ship challenges, and countering disinformation in public diplomacy sectors.

US Air Force Captain Jose Davis discusses leveraging AI in the Information Environment, showcasing case studies on disinformation combat and AI impact. He highlights the importance of AI integration for national security and the evolving arms race in AI techniques. The podcast covers topics like graphic warning labels, inoculation theory against disinformation, AI tools for social media analysis, and AI advancements in the military context.

Army Majors Vincent Michel and Josh Keller from the Command and General Staff College Information Advantage Scholar Program share insights on narrative space in games and targeting non-lethal effects on satellite communication. They discuss perception, cognition, WWII's Pacific Theatre, and challenges in targeting satellite equipment. Emphasizing the importance of information in modern warfare, they delve into developing space courses for warfighters in the G9 Information Warfare Directorate.

Todd Wilcox, Founder of Patriot Defense, discusses political polarization, OSINT in national security, PAI vs. CAI, data privacy regulations, and future threats in national security. The conversation explores the impact of divisive rhetoric, challenges in OSINT acceptance, potential of data integration, outdated military strategies, talent management, and the need for strict regulations in controlling artificial general intelligence (AGI) influence.

Dr. Joanna Siekiera discusses China's global integration from a legal perspective, highlighting the country's strategic tactics, including vessel deployment and international law misuse. The podcast also explores Europe's varied perceptions of China, contrasting economic partnerships with security concerns. Reflective closure encourages students to research actions' underlying reasons for a deeper understanding.

Dr. Randy Rosin explores reflexive control in Soviet influence strategies, emphasizing indirect approaches and conveying decision-making processes. Topics include propaganda universe, Russian cyber ops, Vygotsky's influence, and reflexive control's past, present, and future. Strategic planning, manipulation tactics in Georgia and Ukraine, and understanding adversaries' inner worlds are discussed.

Rod Korba discusses Vygotsky's inner speech theory, focusing on how internal words differ from external speech in forming personal meanings. Inner speech serves as a tool for conceptual thinking and mediating public and private thoughts, shaping identity and cognitive functions.