Richard Golian

1995-born. Charles University alum. Head of Performance at Mixit. 10+ years in marketing and data.

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Darkness: Manipulation, Disinformation, and the Darker Side of Power — Richard Golian

Darkness: Manipulation, Disinformation, and the Darker Side of Power

Some of the most important developments of our time are discussed surprisingly little. Here I write about media manipulation, information warfare, political disinformation, and the darker dynamics shaping modern societies. #manipulation

10 articles

Manipulation of Attention Through Outrage, Anger and Fear. How Politics Manipulates

It happens every day. It is happening right now.

How We Are Manipulated Without Knowing It — And Why It Works

Manipulation without the feeling of being manipulated is the most effective kind.
28 February 2026 1 087

Robert Fico Forgets When and How the Second World War Began

How can we expect to come to terms with history or learn from it if we do that?
7 May 2025 1 658

AI-Powered Investigations: The Future of Exposing Crime

The more I think about it, the more I realize what a fundamental issue this is.
16 March 2025 2 383

Fear is Useful: AI and Robotics as a Threat to Our Freedom and Security

You might say I am being too pessimistic, that I am fearmongering. Fear is useful.
15 March 2025 2 524

The Future World: Unprecedented Inequalities, Chaos, Uncertainty—and Beyond, I See Nothing

No matter how I look at the future, I see very few answers and far too many questions and problems.
25 February 2025 2 721

AI as a Threat to the Global Financial System — Why This Should Concern Everyone

It is real, growing, and potentially devastating.
21 February 2025 1 913

Sharing Sensitive Data with AI: Why Most People Don't Realise the Risk

This is a serious issue, and it is high time we start acting responsibly.
1 February 2025 1 891

How Robert Fico Divides Slovak Society — and Why It Tears Families Apart

The result is a fractured society where even family gatherings often become battlegrounds for ideological clashes.
25 January 2025 1 633

Stock Market Optimism and Media Manipulation — How Financial News Misleads Investors

Yesterday, I witnessed a glaring example of media misinformation while watching a Slovak TV channel.
3 January 2025 1 852
The most effective manipulation is the kind you never notice. These articles examine how disinformation spreads, how media and political systems exploit emotional triggers, and why outrage is more profitable than truth. Written from personal experience with political marketing and data analysis, they explore the darker patterns of power that shape public opinion — and what you can do once you start seeing them.

Common questions about this topic?

How are people manipulated without knowing it?
The most effective manipulation is invisible. It works through emotional triggers — fear, outrage, tribal identity — delivered through algorithms that maximize engagement. When you feel strongly about something you just read online, that is often the manipulation at work.
What is disinformation and how does it spread?
Disinformation is deliberately false information created to deceive. It spreads through social media algorithms that reward emotional content, through repetition that creates familiarity, and through trusted contacts who share it unknowingly. The line between misinformation and disinformation is often blurred.