jay plemons(@jayplemons):Walter Kirn: Everything that happens before the election is a PSYOP. KIRN: “Everything that happens, the polling, the rumors, the word of mouth, the social media posts, the trends, the little anecdotes that get repeated and go viral. Everything is subordinate to that election. And none of it is true in and of itself. It's all instrumental.” “Not only don't I trust the polls, I do trust the polls. I trust them to be nudging people in all the ways that polls can for all the people who can pay for polls.” “The news now is all about behavior modification. It's not about truth.” For the next week, every poll or viral story you see, don't ask if it's true. Ask what it's trying to get you to do.

2026.10.25 18:43

Walter Kirn: Everything that happens before the election is a PSYOP. KIRN: “Everything that happens, the polling, the rumors, the word of mouth, the social media posts, the trends, the little anecdotes that get repeated and go viral. Everything is subordinate to that election. And none of it is true in and of itself. It's all instrumental.” “Not only don't I trust the polls, I do trust the polls. I trust them to be nudging people in all the ways that polls can for all the people who can pay for polls.” “The news now is all about behavior modification. It's not about truth.” For the next week, every poll or viral story you see, don't ask if it's true. Ask what it's trying to get you to do.