The conflict in the Middle East, especially when Israel plays a central role, sparks reactions in many countries around the world. This inevitably affects the safety and stability of Jewish and Israeli communities in those regions.
Within this conflict, different levels of confrontation unfold, which we can imagine as concentric circles. In the first circle, there is military conflict: clashes between armed forces and terrorist organizations, taking place in war zones, with weapons, tanks, and heavy artillery. In the second circle, the political one, the confrontation takes place between presidents, ministers, international leaders, diplomatic representatives, the UN, and other multilateral organizations. However, the third circle —the most difficult to tackle and, at the same time, the one that can have the greatest impact— is the circle of narratives.
Today, many people form opinions about the conflict solely based on the narratives presented to them by the media. And we know these media outlets are not neutral. In this circle, the most powerful weapon is social media. That is why most people do not build their opinions from critical and informed thinking, but rather adopt and repeat what is presented to them. Thus, the most challenging battlefield is that of ideas, stories, and perceptions.
To dive into the heart of this article, we must understand how this war of narratives is fought. Social networks are today the main channel through which people form their opinions. And tech giants are well aware of this. Companies like Meta (Facebook, Instagram), X (formerly Twitter), or TikTok market one product: our attention. That’s why they’ll do whatever is necessary to keep us connected as long as possible. How do they achieve this? There are several reasons, but in this text, I’ll address two: dopamine release and echo chambers.
Social media, combined with the light emitted by our phone screens, are immediate and inexhaustible sources of dopamine, the chemical our brain releases when we experience pleasure. It’s the same chemical that activates when we laugh, have an orgasm, or achieve a difficult goal. But it can also be addictive. That’s why, when we’re bored, anxious, or want to escape an uncomfortable situation, we seek refuge in our phones: we scroll on TikTok, watch stories on Instagram, or browse Facebook. And for the same reason, we often can’t sleep after picking up our phone in bed: we don’t want that pleasurable moment to end.
The second key concept is echo chambers, created by algorithms that show us only content we agree with, that feels good and validates us. These platforms present only what confirms our beliefs, hide what makes us uncomfortable, and prioritize content from people who think like us. This way, we become blind to other perspectives. Everything outside our echo chamber becomes intolerable, wrong, and even, nowadays, cancelable. And the most important thing to understand about echo chambers is that people who see “another reality” are not crazy or misinformed — they just live in a different echo chamber, fed by other sources, videos, news, and emotions.
Propaganda, more than a tool to express opinions, is a tool to manipulate, distract from reality, and define the rules of the game according to the interests of the sender. The messages repeated on social media, the slogans on protest signs, the viral catchphrases… all of them are crafted with strategy, clear objectives, and deep audience insight. You can’t understand the third circle of the conflict without analyzing how propaganda is built, how to identify it, and how to design strategies that counter its manipulative effect with genuine and responsible narratives.
According to Jowett and O’Donnell in their book Propaganda and Persuasion, propaganda is:
“The deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognition, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.”
This definition makes it clear: propaganda is not about informing or offering another opinion — it’s about steering perceptions, emotionally manipulating, and provoking actions. Actions that can range from sharing a post, to destroying public property, or in extreme cases, committing murder.
The main resource of propaganda is logical fallacies:
“Patterns of flawed reasoning that seem persuasive, but don’t follow valid principles of logic”
(Damer, T. Edward. Attacking Faulty Reasoning, 2012).
These fallacies appeal to the deepest feelings of the audience, which is why a rational and well-argued narrative is often less effective than one loaded with emotion.
There are many propaganda techniques: glittering generalities, demonization of the enemy, deification of the leader, the lesser of two evils, card stacking, biased use of statistics, among others. Each seeks to impact different audience segments through specific emotions or values. Nothing in propaganda is random. Everything is calculated, analyzed, and adapted to influence clearly defined audiences.
When we understand how propaganda operates alongside the two mechanisms that dominate our attention on social media (dopamine and echo chambers), we grasp the immense power of the third circle of conflict. This war of narratives feeds on itself, traps people in their echo chambers, and shapes their perceptions and decisions.
If you’ve read this far, you have no more excuses!
Now you have the responsibility to build a critical and informed perspective. This means seeking diverse sources, exposing yourself to opposing narratives, and listening actively. Knowing “your truth” isn’t enough. You must look at the other side of the coin, the other story.
If you choose to engage in this war of narratives, you are obligated to break echo chambers, create messages that open dialogue, and build impactful narratives that pursue clear, ethical goals. You now have a new tool, and with it, a new responsibility.
Lastly, let’s remember: this war of narratives is not new, and it won’t end with the current conflict. As users of digital platforms and citizens of the world, we must evaluate what we share. Before clicking “share,” ask yourself:
- Does this content promote dialogue between different perspectives?
- Is the information I’m sharing verified?
- Am I falling into a manipulated narrative?
- Does my post contribute to peace or to conflict?
- Did I check other sources with different viewpoints?
- What end result do I want to see in this conflict?
The war of narratives doesn’t only happen in the Middle East — it happens within each of us.
Let your words, your posts, and your actions be not just a reaction…
but a conscious choice.