Mind Fields: A History of Military PsyOps and the Coming AI War

Joshua McDonald
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Mind Fields is a narrative non-fiction podcast that explores the "Sixth Domain" of warfare: the human mind. This series traces the terrifying evolution of psychological operations (PsyOps) from the ancient world to the digital frontier. Through historical case studies, expert analysis, and declassified documents, Mind Fields reveals how the tools of statecraft—propaganda, subversion, and influence—have been democratized, automated, and weaponized by Artificial Intelligence. It asks the critical question: In a world of deepfakes and generative AI, how do we defend the one thing we can't afford to lose—our grip on reality?

Season 1

  1. The Invisible Front (Ancient Hacks)

    EPISODE 1

    The Invisible Front (Ancient Hacks)

    Based on Chapter 1 Episode Description: Before we had algorithms, we had cats. In the series premiere of Mind Fields, Joshua McDonald travels back 3,000 years to uncover the origins of psychological warfare. Discover how Persian King Cambyses II used religious superstition to paralyze the Egyptian army, how the biblical judge Gideon used sensory overload to simulate a massive force, and how a single whisper broke the Siege of Medina. We explore the "Trinity of PsyOps"—Belief, Perception, and Trust—and reveal why the hardware of the human brain hasn't changed since the Bronze Age. Keywords: military history, sun tzu, ancient warfare, psychology, persia, egypt, gideon, bible history, strategy, mind control, influence

    19 min
  2. The Industrialization of Persuasion (WWII)

    EPISODE 2

    The Industrialization of Persuasion (WWII)

    Based on Chapter 2 Episode Description: When the printing press met the radio, the lie became a weapon of mass destruction. This episode explores the "Golden Age" of analog deception during World War II. We go inside the "Ghost Army," a unit of artists who used inflatable tanks to fool Hitler, and unpack "Operation Mincemeat," the audacious plot to float a dead body with fake documents to change the course of the war. Plus, the seductive, demoralizing power of "Tokyo Rose" and the birth of the "parasocial" relationship in warfare. Keywords: ww2, ghost army, espionage, spycraft, tokyo rose, propaganda, history, winston churchill, deception, military strategy, operation mincemeat

    16 min
  3. The Cold War and the Gray Zone

    EPISODE 3

    The Cold War and the Gray Zone

    Based on Chapter 3 Episode Description: As the Iron Curtain fell, the war for territory became a war for the mind. We dive into the shadowy world of Soviet "Active Measures" and the CIA’s cultural diplomacy. Learn the terrifying true story of "Operation INFEKTION," the KGB campaign that convinced the world the U.S. government created AIDS, and hear how Edward Bernays used PR tactics to engineer a coup in Guatemala without firing a shot. It’s a lesson in "Reflexive Control": making your enemy destroy themselves. Keywords: cold war, kgb, cia, active measures, disinformation, aids conspiracy, guatemala, edward bernays, spy stories, soviet union, history

    16 min
  4. The Digital Bridge

    EPISODE 4

    The Digital Bridge

    Based on Chapter 4 Episode Description: From the jungles of Vietnam to the server farms of Silicon Valley, the cost of influence is collapsing. We listen to the haunting "Ghost Tape No. 10," a supernatural PsyOp used against the Viet Cong. Then, we fast-forward to the digital age, analyzing how ISIS used "Grand Theft Auto" aesthetics to gamify terror, and how Cambridge Analytica turned military-grade psychological targeting against civilian voters. This is the moment the "public square" died and the "feed" took over. Keywords: cambridge analytica, isis, vietnam war, social media, psychological operations, big data, privacy, election interference, facebook, history

    19 min
  5. The Rise of Cognitive Warfare

    EPISODE 5

    The Rise of Cognitive Warfare

    Based on Chapter 5 Episode Description: NATO has declared a new domain of conflict: The Human Mind. In this episode, we define "Cognitive Warfare"—the hacking of the individual to shut down critical thinking. We discuss AlphaGo’s "Move 37" as a metaphor for AI strategy, explain the collapse of the OODA Loop, and introduce the concept of "Reality Apathy." Why do we stop caring when we are overwhelmed with noise? And how does AI exploit our biological "negativity bias" to keep us angry? Keywords: cognitive warfare, nato, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, psychology, ooda loop, future of war, technology, mental health

    15 min
  6. The Manipulation Machine

    EPISODE 6

    The Manipulation Machine

    Based on Chapter 6 Episode Description: What happens when the cost of a lie drops to zero? We explore the explosion of Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). We look at "CounterCloud," a fully autonomous disinformation engine built for less than $400, and discuss the "Chameleon Effect"—AI's ability to tailor a specific lie to your specific personality. We are entering the age of the "Infinite Printing Press," where shared reality dissolves into millions of synthetic silos. Keywords: chatgpt, generative ai, llm, fake news, technology, ai safety, propaganda, social engineering, future, tech news

    12 min
  7. The Deepfake Dilemma

    EPISODE 7

    The Deepfake Dilemma

    Based on Chapter 7 Episode Description: Seeing is no longer believing. We analyze the viral "Pentagon Explosion" hoax that crashed the stock market and the "Biden Robo-call" that tried to suppress votes. This episode covers the "Liar's Dividend"—how politicians use the existence of deepfakes to deny real scandals—and the terrifying rise of "Virtual Kidnapping" scams that clone the voices of loved ones. We are approaching "Zero-Trust Reality." Keywords: deepfakes, synthetic media, MidJourney, misinformation, politics, cybersecurity, fraud, tech trends, future

    12 min
  8. The Rise of Autonomous Agents

    EPISODE 8

    The Rise of Autonomous Agents

    Based on Chapter 8 Episode Description: The internet is becoming a "Dark Forest" filled with non-human actors. We explore the rise of "Agentic AI"—software that doesn't just write text, but pursues goals. We discuss "Wolf Packs" of bots that swarm dissidents, the "Infinite Arguer" that never gets tired, and the bleak "Dead Internet Theory" that suggests the web is just machines talking to machines. How do we maintain a democracy when the public sphere is overrun by bots? Keywords: dead internet theory, bots, twitter, x, autonomous agents, ai, social media, internet culture, democracy, cyber warfare

    10 min
  9. The Human Firewall (The Defense)

    EPISODE 9

    The Human Firewall (The Defense)

    Based on Chapter 9 Episode Description: The war is here, but we can still win. In the season finale, Joshua McDonald lays out the roadmap for personal and societal defense. We learn about "Cognitive Immunology" (vaccinating your mind against fake news), the "Finnish Model" of media literacy, and the new "C2PA" standards for digital provenance. We discuss the retreat to "Dark Social" and why the ultimate weapon against AI is authentic human connection. Keywords: media literacy, psychology, mental defense, education, finland, truth, journalism, hope, future, self improvement

    21 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Mind Fields is a narrative non-fiction podcast that explores the "Sixth Domain" of warfare: the human mind. This series traces the terrifying evolution of psychological operations (PsyOps) from the ancient world to the digital frontier. Through historical case studies, expert analysis, and declassified documents, Mind Fields reveals how the tools of statecraft—propaganda, subversion, and influence—have been democratized, automated, and weaponized by Artificial Intelligence. It asks the critical question: In a world of deepfakes and generative AI, how do we defend the one thing we can't afford to lose—our grip on reality?

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