The Hidden Dagger: Slander and the Matrix

Ever felt you were under attack, yet could not see the enemy?  That is what slander has the capacity to do. It is a weapon that has, so many times, been out in the open for everyone to see and yet has silenced many who would speak truth to power.



do you know the guy Julian Assange? 

Julian Assange was an Australian editor, publisher, and activist who founded the whistleblower website WikiLeaks in 2006. He gained international attention in 2010 when WikiLeaks published a series of classified documents leaked by Chelsea Manning, a former United States Army intelligence analyst. These documents included footage of a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, U.S. military logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and U.S. diplomatic cables.

Assange's actions have been both praised and criticized. Supporters view him as a champion of press freedom, arguing that his work has exposed government corruption and human rights abuses. Critics, however, contend that his actions have put lives at risk and compromised national security.  
Assange faced legal challenges in several countries, including Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He spent several years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to the United States, where he faced charges under the Espionage Act. In 2022, Assange was arrested and detained in the United Kingdom. He eventually reached a plea deal with the U.S. government, pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified national defense information.


The rape allegations against Julian Assange began with Sweden's claims in 2010. He was accused by two Swedish women of sexual assault and rape. Assange brushed off the claims, saying the encounters were consensual.
In 2010, the Swedish authorities issued an international arrest warrant against Assange. However, he evaded the arrest and spent many years in asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012. The Swedish authorities finally dropped the sexual assault case due to lack of evidence but kept open the rape case.
Although these allegations against Assange appeared in almost every media outlet, he suffered much reputational damage. It is equally important to bear in mind that he was never found guilty of any offense associated with such allegations. The case remains a subject of debate and controversy.


The moment he shed some light on war crimes, he was hit with a devastating accusation: rape. Newspapers from all over the world took to the headlines, tarnishing his reputation before any investigation could actually take place.

This is a typical example of how libel works. It's subtle, yet a mighty way to discredit someone—like a huge-poison dart aimed at destroying a life.


Why Slander?

You wonder why people in power have to resort to this sort of thing. The answer's quite simple, really: it's easier. It's messy and time-consuming to put someone in jail. It requires evidence, a fair trial. Slander is quick and dirty.


The Power of Sexual Accusations

Sexual crimes are particularly useful smear tactics. There are no more heinous types of offenses, and people will tend to believe them no matter what. It makes no difference that there isn't any evidence. Once the accusation is made, the damage is done.


The Matrix's Master Plan

This is a clear indication that slanderers want to silence their enemies—to be in a world where everybody is mortally afraid to speak out, where one shapes what public opinion will be.

They sometimes even get to the point where they hope for someone to take matters into their own hands and commit an act of violence against the targeted individual so that they are able to distance themselves from it, yet at the same time get the result they set out to achieve.


How to Fight Back

If you are on the receiving end of slander, chances are it will feel like you have no way to win. There are things you can do, however, to protect yourself.

* Keep Record: Keep count of all defamatory statements made about you. This would come in handy in case of a lawsuit.

* Get Legal Advice: Consult a lawyer who will help bring clarity regarding rights and options.

* Get Allies: Surround yourself with people who truly believe in you.

* Keep Your Chin up: Don't let the libel define you. Stay focused on your truth.


Why Awareness Matters

The most important thing is to be aware of the tactics people working to silence you are using. Once you know how character assassination works, you can protect yourself—and others—much better.


Let's Start a Conversation

Have you ever been a victim or witnessed slander? How did it make you feel, or how has it impacted your friend or loved one? Kindly share in the comment section below. Let's all join in exposing these unseen daggers and making our world a fairer place.


Remember: Knowledge is power. The more we learn about this vice, the better positioned we shall be to fight it.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bengaluru Blues

Image
  The horns continued to honk, a dull hum beneath the cacophony of squealing brakes and incessant "beep beep" of auto-rickshaws. Rajesh reclined against the worn seat of his auto, the sun beating hot upon the thin plastic canopy. His leg pained, a throbbing ache that refused to abate. It had been broken in a hit-and-run at the Silk Board junction, and it was healing slowly, too slowly. He observed the crowded Hosur Road in Bengaluru. Buses emitted black smoke, inching through traffic like giant, lumbering brutes. Motorcycles, with two or three riders, sped by, their horns contributing to the cacophony. Peddlers wandered between the stationary cars, hollering, "Sir, Madam, idli, dosa!" above the din. It was a chaos of frustration, a cacophony of impatience, and Rajesh, trapped there as a witness, had a bitter taste in his mouth. He was once a programmer, a coder. He had ambitions of having his own company, of creating the next hot app. He even had a notion, something...
Read more

The Cubbon Tale- Short Story

Image
  The sun let loose its warming rays over the lush decor of Cubbon Park. Tall boughs of a majestic Banyan had reached out on the ground forming an umbrella as tentacles offered a canopy sheltering families spreading out their baskets to have a picnic there. Cheers and laughter among the children playing badminton and football fill up the ambient peace. A little girl, Sonia, was playing with a shuttlecock. She let it fall beside a tree trunk and then ran after it, ponytail bouncing with every step. When she picked up the shuttlecock, she heard strange moaning sounds behind the tree. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she peeped behind the tree. What she saw wrinkled her forehead in worry. A couple, young one, embracing each other passionately, locked mouths, hands exploring each other's bodies. The girl figured they might need help, thinking the moaning was painful. She hastened back to her mother and pulled at her hand. "Mommy, Mommy! Those people need help!". Her m...
Read more

The Cubbon Tale - Ashwin Alex (Short Story) Reflection

A Tale of Generations  The short story, "Cubbon Tales - Look Closer," reads like a seemingly simple tale about a child's curiosity and a mother's dilemma to explain something that is essentially a complex social norm. Yet, beneath all this lies an intense commentary on the changing values of generations and the friction caused when old meets new.  The Clash of Cultures: The story is based on the act of public kissing, which is considered inappropriate by the older generation but harmless by the younger generation. Sonia is the protagonist who seems to be confused regarding her mother's reaction to the couple's show of affection. She portrays innocent curiosity that reflects a generation less held in shackles of tradition and more open to expressing emotions freely. The story reveals how the emphasis of the older generation on social norms is against the desire for self-expression and authenticity by the younger generation.   The Power of Observation and Ques...
Read more