“Biblioteca fictiva”: Library of lies.

“In 2011, Johns Hopkins acquired the Bibliotheca Fictiva — the world’s largest collection of literary forgeries — to study how fabricated texts have shaped history. The archive shows how misinformation long predates the internet, from forged papal decrees to fake Shakespearean annotations. The question now is whether our ability to detect deception can evolve as fast as the tools that create it.” (BigThink, The world’s largest library of lies has good news about fake news)

Library of Lies is meant to serve good. 

Why do some respected university buys lots of fake information? The answer is that the library of lies is bought for researchers. The idea is to research fake information and propaganda. And find similarities of disinformation throughout history. Disinformation and propaganda are not new things. Throughout the entire history. Propaganda played a big role in warfare. So we can say that disinformation is not a new thing. The method and equipment used to deliver disinformation have changed. But the disinformation itself is the tool. That is used for demonizing enemies. Ancient Greeks and Romans. Introduced their enemies as barbarians who just wait to become civilized. They said that their enemies were cannibals, and that justified the wars.

Later, things like religion. Justified colonialism. Colonialism offered big adventures for young men. And that adventure caused genocides and massacres that had not been seen before. The reason for colonialism was simple. New colonies offered financial support for European people. For the same reasons, Jews were persecuted. Religion was an excuse to confiscate Jews' property. 

The motto of disinformation is simple. There is no need to talk about the truth. People don’t need to hear the truth. They must only hear things that they like. This is the key element in the propaganda and disinformation. People are told what they want to hear. They want to see strong leadership because that releases them from responsibility. 

Strong leaders who “force” their henchmen to obey and serve them. When a leader thinks for people, people must not bother themselves with boring things. People who serve and obey emperors must only get bread and circuses. Ruling the government is boring, and that’s why people could deliver even their lives into the hands of rulers. 

The biggest problem in disinformation is this. It affects emotions. Emotional influence makes that kind of information very effective. The motto in this kind of operation is this: it’s the same. That you tell. The only thing that matters is that people believe that information. Disinformation can be true, but the facts are one-sided. They are chosen to support another side of the conflict. If one side in a war advances 100 meters, that’s the big news. The information operator doesn’t mention that the price of advance can be 20000 men. So the operator simply removes things that are not flattering to their own commanders. 

The library of lies offers a glimpse into the things that were told to people. The information used in psychological warfare and motivation has always been the same. “We are good and they are bad” is the message of the propaganda. And to understand today. We must see the past. And without the ability to understand modern days. We cannot affect the future. 

https://bigthink.com/high-culture/the-worlds-largest-library-of-lies-has-good-news-about-fake-news/