Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. -- Hermann Goering, Hitler's Reich Marshall

One of the oldest and most powerful frameworks for psychological warfare can be found in the Hegelian dialectic. The Hegelian dialectic is about controlling both sides of an argument or problem so as to control the overall perception of the issue sought to be controlled. These days, it is more commonly referred to as the problem-reaction-solution (PRS) paradigm.

Indexoftheweb has a very nice article on the Hegelian dialectic/problem-reaction-solution paradigm. Here's the bullet points they offer:

1) The government creates or exploits a problem blaming it on others
2) The people react by asking the government for help willing to give up their rights
3) The government offers the solution that was planned long before the crisis

Many people cite 9/11 as a classic example of the PRS paradigm, and statements such as those made by ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern suggesting the government manufactured fake terrorism help to reinforce such notions.

How Does This Apply To Your Business?

PRS has been with us for a long time; in the history of war, it is one of the oldest tricks in the book. As such, it is not far-fetched to expect PRS to find its way to the business wars that take place online. With that in mind, consider the following questions to help you understand PRS in the context of your business:

1. Is anyone trying to sell you a solution to a problem they manufactured? Consider, for instance, Google's recent worm debacle; Google accidentally sent out a worm, and then followed up with an apology -- and a link to its antivirus software. I'd be quite surprised if this was a genuine case of PRS -- there is no evidence to suggest that -- but it is a convenient example of how PRS could manifest online.

2. While I don't recommend anyone manufacture their own PRS paradigm, contemplating how you could do this can be an interesting exercise, and can help you understand tactics your competitors may try. For instance, MySpace has deleted user accounts that were deemed "objectionable" in an effort to calm fears about the network's safety for users. A legitimate action and honest action on the part of MySpace? Sure, probably. Though the potential for PRS is clear.

3. Last but certainly not least is the potential for widgets and the mashup web to be a source of PRS. To use MySpace as an example again, MySpace wants to block YouTube videos -- but its users won't allow it. This is the kind of situation that screams PRS: MySpace wants to deliver a solution that involves blocking YouTube videos. What kind of problem can MySpace create to causes its users to demand such a solution?

Other Posts in This Series

Mockingbird Marketing: Controlling Perception by Controlling Media
Problem Reaction Solution
Disinformation: Using the Truth to Tell Lies
Additional Resources for Exploring Black Op Marketing