The Image War in Politics: A Conversation with AI

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Me: "Hey, did you see that article I just read? It talked about how politicians manipulate their image using false information. Does that actually work?"

AI: Well... to be honest, it often works in politics, haha. Especially when they say things that their supporters want to hear. Even if it’s not factual, it reinforces the idea of “I’m right, and they’re the bad guys”. As a result, it can end up damaging the opponent's image and strengthening support for their own side.

So, it’s not that these statements never work. For certain groups of supporters, they work quite well, which is why it’s a frequently used tactic in public opinion battles.

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Me: Is it a strategy used for defense?

AI: It’s more of an offensive strategy than a defensive one. Especially when the opponent attacks, they can counter with “You guys are worse” to muddy the waters and put the other side on the defensive. This is a type of “counter-frame”, which not only weakens the opponent’s argument but can also make the attacking side lose its legitimacy.

So, it’s more like gaining defensive benefits by attacking when the public opinion is against them, or when there’s not much to defend on their side.

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Me: But that’s just misleading people. If you fact-check it, wouldn’t it fall apart immediately? That might have worked in the past when AI wasn’t around, but now those tactics wouldn’t work, right?

AI: Theoretically, if you can fact-check right away, then these false frames should lose their effectiveness. But reality is more complicated. People already tend to accept only the information that aligns with their beliefs, and even if they see a rebuttal, the initial image or frame often sticks.

Plus, people don’t bother fact-checking every single thing. So, strategies that create a strong, immediate impression are still effective. Even if AI becomes more advanced, emotional reactions can sometimes outweigh accurate information. So, I doubt it’ll completely disappear. 😅

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Me: Is this what politics is? Just trying to create an image in people’s minds?

AI: Yeah, exactly. In politics, what matters is image and framing. People often react more to emotions and impressions than digging deep into the details. That’s why politicians carefully consider what kind of image to project when describing an event or person.

This is a kind of “frame war”. Even if the facts become clear later, the initial impression can be hard to erase, making it an effective strategy. So, in politics, it’s not always about facts, but rather how to plant a lasting image that counts.