Dehumanization, Memes, and the Bullsh*t Factory: How French Far-Right Media Pulls a Fast One on Ukraine

5 min readDec 27, 2024

Welcome to the carnival of crazy, folks, where French far-right media spin tales faster than a hamster on espresso. If you think modern propaganda’s all about sophistication and subtlety, think again. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s got more manipulation per square inch than a used car salesman at closing time. So buckle up, because this ride through dehumanization, memes, and outright cognitive chaos is about to get bumpy.

1. Dehumanization Tactics: Turning People into Punchlines

Dehumanization is the bread and butter of propaganda — makes it easier to hate people when they’re not people anymore. Here’s how the French far-right does it:

A. Selective Framing and Language Choices:

Linguistic Anchoring: Call Ukrainians “economic migrants,” “NATO’s puppets,” or “actors in a Western circus,” and voila! You’ve reduced a war-torn nation to a punchline. Words matter, and these jokers know it.
Category Fallacy: They lump refugees into one big group of “foreigners stealing our baguettes and berets.” Only 42% of French folks are cool with welcoming Ukrainian refugees, and it’s not because they’re feeling generous.

B. Visual Manipulation and Selective Imagery:

Image Amplification Loops: Find a photo of a Ukrainian soldier with a weird symbol? Plaster it everywhere, scream “extremist,” and let the Internet do the rest. It’s the propaganda equivalent of yelling “fire” in a crowded theater.
Technological Tricks: AI video editing, fake metadata — if it confuses you, it’s good enough for them. Confirmation bias does the rest of the heavy lifting.

C. Algorithmic Amplification:

Social media platforms like Twitter (or “X,” if you’re feeling fancy) prioritize anger-inducing garbage. Russian-linked websites, about 193 of them, are feeding the beast, and it’s working.

2. Memetic Warfare: Propaganda Goes Viral

Who needs long, boring manifestos when you can whip up a meme? It’s quick, it’s dirty, and it sticks in your brain like a bad jingle.

A. Exploit Cognitive Heuristics:

Availability Heuristic: Repeat after me: Ukraine = corruption. Say it enough times in memes, and people start believing it. That’s why 34% of French citizens think Russia’s winning, and only 20% believe in Ukraine.
Framing Effects: Show some cartoon of European leaders kissing Ukraine’s boots while French citizens starve — it’s propaganda gold.

B. Leverage Humor as a Gateway:

Laughter lowers your guard, and suddenly you’re agreeing with far-right talking points because the joke was just “too good.” It’s sneaky as hell.

C. Disseminate Widely with Technology:

Bots and Automation: The memes don’t share themselves. Automated bots pump them out like sausage at a factory.
Cross-Platform Blitz: Start on Telegram, slide into TikTok, and land on Instagram. Everywhere you look, the same garbage.

3. Cognitive Dissonance Engineering: Confuse, Contradict, Conquer

Want to mess with someone’s head? Hit them with so many mixed messages they don’t know which way is up.

A. Overload Through Contradictory Narratives:

Ukraine is weak! No, wait, Ukraine’s a dangerous threat! It’s both at once because who cares about logic?

B. Guilt Displacement Mechanisms:

“Why should we help Ukraine? They’re corrupt anyway!” It’s a guilt-free way to turn your back on a humanitarian crisis. Only 60% of French citizens support sanctions on Russia — the other 40% are buying the spin.

C. Domestic Focus Comparisons:

“Why send money to Ukraine when French pensions are crap?” Classic deflection. Blame the foreigners, rinse, repeat.

4. Networked Propaganda and Social Engineering

This isn’t amateur hour. The far-right’s playing a multi-channel, cross-border game, and they’ve got the tools to win.

A. Collaboration Across Borders:

French and European far-right groups share disinformation like recipes at a potluck. Encrypted apps like Telegram keep it all nice and cozy.

B. Emotional Resonance Optimization:

Posts that piss people off get priority. The angrier you are, the more you’ll share — welcome to the Internet.

C. Echo Chamber Reinforcement:

Algorithmic bubbles trap you in a loop of confirmation bias. French-speaking fringe communities online are churning out pro-Kremlin propaganda faster than you can say “bonjour.”

5. Psychological and Technological Synergy

Here’s where it all comes together: manipulation meets machine learning.

A. Targeted Disinformation Campaigns:

Microtargeted ads on Facebook tell you what you want to hear, especially if you’re broke and angry about taxes.

B. Neural Propaganda Models:

AI crafts messages tailored to hit your weak spots. It’s personalized manipulation, and it’s scary as hell.

Conclusion: A Bullsh*t Ecosystem of Influence

French far-right media isn’t just spinning stories; it’s building an entire alternate reality. Dehumanization, memes, algorithms — it’s a toxic cocktail of manipulation that’s reshaping public opinion. And let’s not forget Marine Le Pen’s party winning 93% of France’s communes in 2024. Coincidence? Hardly. If you’re not paying attention, you’re already part of the problem.

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