How to Dismantle a Lie in 10 Easy Steps

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<<set $energy = 100>> <<set $money = 0>> <<set $followers = 0>> You live in Saintmar. Your next door country is Dastria. Dastrians have controlled your country since the Great War, nearly one hundred years ago. They won the war as your country's colonizers, giving you a veil of independence. They control your media, your trade, and all of your freedoms. The Dastrians are known internationally for their strong opinions, but you know them to be lies. Your country's reputation has been ruined, because to keep you in place, the Dastrians have claimed that during The Great War, your country committed aggressive murders against their people. Even though they were winning the war. You've had enough of the lies and subjugation. It's time to right the wrongs. [[Start spreading the truth->Step One]]

<div id="sidebar"> <div class="sidebar-header">  <div></div>  <h1 class="story-title" data-passage="gameTitle"></h1>  <div class="sidebar-toggle"> <span id="sidebar-toggle-icon" class="lnr lnr-menu-circle"></span> </div> </div>   <div class="sidebar-history-nav"> <span id="backwards-button" class="lnr lnr-arrow-left"></span> <span id="forwards-button" class="lnr lnr-arrow-right"></span> </div> <div id="sidebar-body">  <h2 class="story-author" data-passage="storyAuthor"></h2> <nav class="sidebar-nav"> <ul class="story-tools"> <li> <span id="restart-button" class="lnr lnr-redo"></span> <span class="tooltiptext">Restart</span> </li> <li> <span id="saves-button" class="lnr lnr-download"></span> <span class="tooltiptext">Saves</span> </li> <li> <span id="settings-button" class="lnr lnr-cog"></span> <span class="tooltiptext">Settings</span> </li> </ul> <ul class="story-menu" data-passage="storyMenu"> </ul> </nav> <nav id="social-media"> <p><u>Social media</u></p> <ul data-passage="socialMedia"> </ul> </nav> </div>  </div>  <div id="story" role="main"> <div id="passages"> <div id="passage-start" data-passage="start" class="passage"> </div> </div> </div>

<<nobr>> <li>Energy: $energy</li> <li>Money: $money</li> <li>Followers: $followers</li> <</nobr>>

How to Dismantle a Lie in 10 Easy Steps

by Kat Shambaugh

''Step One: Platform Outreach'' You need to create platforms to gather followers. <<if not hasVisited("Facebook")>><<if $energy gte 30>>[[Make a Facebook group->Facebook]]<<else>>Make a Facebook group - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Subreddit")>><<if $energy gte 30>>[[Post in a subreddit->Subreddit]]<<else>>Post in a subreddit - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Twitter")>><<if $energy gte 30>>[[Write a Twitter thread->Twitter]]<<else>>Write a Twitter thread - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Two]]

<<set $energy -= 30>> <<set $followers += 10>> You start a Facebook group titled "The Dastrians Are Liars!" and write a post welcoming people to the group, promising more information soon. Overnight you gather 10 group members, all over the age of 65, some of whom leave encouraging comments on the feed. [[Keep going->Step One]]

<<set $energy -= 30>> <<set $followers += 14>> You leave a post in a subreddit on politics, outlining that the Dastrians are liars and colonizers trying to destroy Saintmar. There is an argument in the comments that quickly turns to sex jokes somehow, but you gain 14 followers. [[Keep going->Step One]]

<<set $energy -= 30>> <<set $followers += 28>> You create a short Twitter thread about how Dastria has colonized and controlled your country and how they are lying to coerce the world into demonizing Saintmar. People seem to be interested in your views and you gain 28 followers. [[Keep going->Step One]]

<<if not hasVisited("Ads") and not hasVisited("Podcast") and not hasVisited("Merch 2.0") and not hasVisited("Spam") and not hasVisited("Website")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Five: Advertising'' To gather more followers, you need to advertise your ideas. <<if not hasVisited("Ads")>><<if $energy gte 15 and $money gte 50>>[[Buy social media ads->Ads]]<<else>>Buy social media ads - Not enough energy/money<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Podcast")>><<if $energy gte 30>>[[Go on a podcast->Podcast]]<<else>>Go on a podcast - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Merch 2.0")>><<if $energy gte 10>>[[Sell more merch!->Merch 2.0]]<<else>>Sell more merch! - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Spam")>><<if $energy gte 55>>[[Spam social medias->Spam]]<<else>>Spam social medias - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Website")>><<if $energy gte 45 and $money gte 100>>[[Create a website and blog->Website]]<<else>>Create a website and blog - Not enough energy/money<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Six]]

<<if not hasVisited("Manifesto") and not hasVisited("Meme") and not hasVisited("Merch") and not hasVisited("YouTube")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Three: Content Creation'' Time to use all of the facts and spread that info! <<if not hasVisited("Manifesto")>><<if $energy gte 70>>[[Write a manifesto->Manifesto]]<<else>>Write a manifesto - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Meme")>><<if $energy gte 40>>[[Create a meme->Meme]]<<else>>Create a meme - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Merch")>><<if $energy gte 35>>[[Design and sell merchandise - stickers, pins, hats, etc.->Merch]]<<else>>Design and sell merchandise - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("YouTube")>><<if $energy gte 20>>[[Make a YouTube video->YouTube]]<<else>>Make a YouTube video - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Four]]

<<if not hasVisited("Facts") and not hasVisited("Emotions")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Two: Research/Rhetoric'' Now you need to gather as much information as possible to make your case. <<if $energy gte 50>>[[Gather facts to support your case->Facts]]<<else>>Gather facts to support your case - Not enough energy<</if>> <<if $energy gte 50>>[[Work on your emotional arguments->Emotions]]<<else>>Work on your emotional arguments - Not enough energy<</if>>

<<if not hasVisited("Fox") and not hasVisited("Book") and not hasVisited("CNN") and not hasVisited("Protest")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Seven: Higher-Level Advertising'' Time to spend some more money on ads baby! <<if not hasVisited("Fox")>><<if $energy gte 40>>[[Go on conservative news->Fox]]<<else>>Go on Fox News - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Book")>><<if $energy gte 85>>[[Write and sell a book->Book]]<<else>>Write and sell a book - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("CNN")>><<if $energy gte 40>>[[Go on liberal news->CNN]]<<else>>Go on CNN - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Protest")>><<if $energy gte 55>>[[Start a protest->Protest]]<<else>>Start a protest - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Eight]]

<<if not hasVisited("Militia") and not hasVisited("Graffiti") and not hasVisited("Hostage")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Nine: Getting Things Done'' Desperate times calls for desperate measures. <<if not hasVisited("Militia")>><<if $energy gte 85 and $money gte 200>>[[Create a local militia->Militia]]<<else>>Create a local militia - Not enough energy/money<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Graffiti")>><<if $energy gte 45 and $money gte 20>>[[Graffiti buildings->Graffiti]]<<else>>Graffiti buildings - Not enough energy/money<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Hostage")>><<if $energy gte 85 and $money gte 100>>[[Take a person hostage->Hostage]]<<else>>Take a person hostage - Not enough energy/money<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Ten]]

<<if not hasVisited("Gaslight") and not hasVisited("Gatekeep") and not hasVisited("Girlboss") and not hasVisited("Question")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Four: Denying the haters'' You're starting to get backlash, so it's time to silence the opposition. <<if not hasVisited("Gaslight")>><<if $energy gte 60>>[[Gaslight->Gaslight]]<<else>>Gaslight - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Gatekeep")>><<if $energy gte 60>>[[Gatekeep->Gatekeep]]<<else>>Gatekeep - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Girlboss")>><<if $energy gte 60>>[[Girlboss->Girlboss]]<<else>>Girlboss - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Question")>><<if $energy gte 2>>[[Oh... Am I sure I'm right?->Question]]<<else>>Oh... Am I sure I'm right? - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Five]]

<<if not hasVisited("Online") and not hasVisited("Library") and not hasVisited("Expert")>><<set $energy -= 50>><</if>> You decide to lean towards cold, hard facts in order to convince the most people. <<if not hasVisited("Online")>><<if $energy gte 10>>[[Research online->Online]]<<else>>Research online - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Library")>><<if $energy gte 40>>[[Go to a research library->Library]]<<else>>Go to a research library - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Expert")>><<if $energy gte 30>>[[Talk to an expert->Expert]]<<else>>Talk to an expert - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Three]]

<<if not hasVisited("Testimony") and not hasVisited("Cry")>><<set $energy -= 50>><</if>> You decide to lean towards an emotional appeal, knowing you can hook a lot of people. <<if not hasVisited("Testimony")>><<if $energy gte 25>>[[Find a testimony story online->Testimony]]<<else>>Find a testimony story online - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Cry")>><<if $energy gte 5>>[[Cry a lot->Cry]]<<else>>Cry a lot - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Three]]

<<set $energy -= 70>> <<set $followers += 56>> You sit down and take a week to write a manifesto about the glory of Saintmar, detailing exactly how Dastria has f****d over your people over and over again. It's full of ramblings and cussing and powerful declarations of anger. You share it online and your hard work earns you 56 new followers. They start calling you The Leader. [[Keep trying->Step Three]]

<<set $energy -= 40>> <<set $followers += 77>> You make a meme about how the Dastrian genocide is as fake as Donald Trump's tan. It spreads rapidly across the internet. You gain 77 new followers! [[Keep trying->Step Three]]

<<set $energy -= 30>> <<set $followers += 31>> <<set $money += 70>> You design pins, stickers, hats and more that say "Dastrians Are Liars!" and "The Dastrian Genocide is Fake!" On your first round, you make a significant chunk of money and gain 31 new followers! [[Keep trying->Step Three]]

<<set $energy -= 20>> <<set $followers += 12>> You decide to make a YouTube rant video to share your story, videoing yourself talking about the plotholes in the stories of Dastrian genocide in your bedroom. The video gets lost in the YouTube algorithm, but you do gain 12 followers. [[Keep trying->Step Three]]

<<set $energy -= 60>> <<set $followers += 24>> You tell the people responding to your ideas with hate that they just don't understand the situation. They've been hearing false information and the events they're talking about, the specific parts of the genocide, they just never happened. You're here to teach them the real truth. You gain 24 followers. [[Keep trying->Step Four]]

<<set $energy -= 60>> <<set $followers -= 33>> You just decide to kick the haters out, blocking them and reporting their comments as hate speech. They're trying to justify the demonization of your country! Your forums lose 33 followers but who cares because they were probably opposition spies anyway. [[Keep trying->Step Four]]

<<set $energy -= 60>> <<set $followers += 11>> Instead of dealing with the haters, you just manipulate all of your forums to keep out people who won't listen to reason. Some people call it censorship, but you call it dismantling a system of lies. You gain 11 followers. [[Keep trying->Step Four]]

<<if not hasVisited("Lessons") and not hasVisited("Powerpoint") and not hasVisited("Org")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Six: Delegation'' Time to get others to do the work for you! You have $followers followers right now. <<if $followers lte 100>>It's a small group but it's a tight knit one. <<elseif $followers lte 200>>You're really gaining some popularity, but you're still a fringe group. <<else>> You are officially on the map. People are talking about you.<</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Lessons")>><<if $energy gte 80>>[[Charge for lessons on how to teach the truth->Lessons]]<<else>>Charge for lessons on how to teach the truth - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Powerpoint")>><<if $energy gte 70>>[[Put together some powerpoint slides for people to share->Powerpoint]]<<else>>Put together some powerpoint slides for people to share - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Org")>><<if $energy gte 75 and $money gte 100>>[[Start an organization with chapters across the country->Org]]<<else>>Start an organization with chapters across the country - Not enough energy/money<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step ->Step Seven]]

<<if not hasVisited("Congress") and not hasVisited("Bribe") and not hasVisited("Celeb")>><<set $energy = 100>><</if>> ''Step Eight: Politics'' Time to get some heavy lifters. <<if not hasVisited("Congress")>><<if $energy gte 30>>[[Lobby Congress->Congress]]<<else>>Lobby Congress - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Bribe")>><<if $energy gte 10 and $money gte 500>>[[Bribe a politician->Bribe]]<<else>>Bribe a politician - Not enough energy/money<</if>><</if>> <<if not hasVisited("Celeb")>><<if $energy gte 60>>[[Hook a celebrity->Celeb]]<<else>>Hook a celebrity - Not enough energy<</if>><</if>> [[Go to next step->Step Nine]]

''Step 10: Overthrow'' You've officially started a war. Saintmar has finally opened their eyes to the truth: that Dastrians are evil, corrupt, and liars. The Dastrians are claiming they've never lied, that they've been oppressed, that you're wrong, but you don't care. Hundreds of Dastrians are killed in the war and even though Saintmar is smaller, they overthrow Dastria and take back the land. Your militia has a hand in the coup and you kill a number of filthy Dastrians. Their lies are finally silenced. [[You've won.->End]]

<<set $energy -= 15>> <<set $money -= 50>> <<set $followers += 67>> You buy some ad space on Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit to promote the content you created. It's well worth the cost of money since it brings in 67 new followers! [[Keep trying->Step Five]]

<<set $energy -= 30>> <<set $followers += 105>> You decide to go on a pretty famous podcast to share your story with the world. You spend an hour talking with the host about the atrocities committed by the Dastrians. They are firmly on your side and the episode brings in 105 new followers! [[Keep trying->Step Five]]

<<set $energy -= 10>> <<set $money += 70>> <<set $followers += 46>> You decide to sell even more merchandise and your cool designs bring you 46 new followers and a nice chunk of change. [[Keep trying->Step Five]]

<<set $energy -= 55>> <<set $followers += 7>> You decide to spam a bunch of social media sites with your feelings, but you get suspended everywhere except for Facebook. So much for that. You gain 7 followers. [[Keep trying->Step Five]]

<<set $energy -= 45>> <<set $money -= 100>> <<set $followers += 189>> You spend a pretty penny to build your cause a website where you can direct new follower traffic. It has links to all of your social media and all of the content you created. It's bright red and dramatic af. You gain 189 followers! [[Keep trying->Step Five]]

<<set $energy -= 2>> You see that these people are making some decent points, and for a second you wonder if maybe they are right? But no, if there was a genocide, you would have heard something about it! You know it's all a plot. You move on. [[Keep trying->Step Four]]

<<set $energy -= 80>> <<set $money += 500>> <<set $followers += 468>> You set up some Zoom calls and charge $50 per person to teach them how to spread the truth. You get a few takers and they leave your classes prepared to start their own activism groups. You gain 468 followers! Now we're cooking with gas! [[Keep trying->Step Six]]

<<set $energy -= 70>> <<set $followers += 243>> You take some of your time to create Powerpoint slides with common facts and answers to commonly asked questions. You send these to your followers to help them educate others. They bring in 243 new followers. [[Keep trying->Step Six]]

<<set $energy -= 75>> <<set $money += 100>> <<set $followers += 320>> You set some money aside to create an organization to tie members together across your country. You act as the leader and help disseminate information to other group presidents. You gain 320 followers. [[Keep trying->Step Five]]

<<set $energy -= 40>> <<set $followers += 653>> You go on the major conservative news channel and give your speech. You know that there are over 1000 viewers the morning you go on the show and you give a rousing performance. That day you get tons of emails and messages. You bring in 653 new followers. [[Keep trying->Step Seven]]

<<set $energy -= 80>> <<set $money += 2000>> <<set $followers += 100>> You spend a lot of time writing a full length book about the Dastrian atrocities. You key into how much pain Saintmar has gone through and spend a few chapters debunking the Dastrian genocide. It sells out in Saintmar, and some Dastrians burn it. You gain 100 new followers. [[Keep trying->Step Seven]]

<<set $energy -= 55>> <<set $followers += 289>> You decide to start a protest in the streets, gathering a chunk of your $followers followers and storming the capitol building. You have signs that call for justice for Saintmar! You get on the news and the next day, Dastrian politicans respond to your protest calling it 'ridiculous'. This means you've got them. You get 289 new followers. [[Keep trying->Step Seven]]

<<set $energy -= 40>> <<set $followers += 653>> You go on the major liberal news channel and give your speech. You know that there are over 1000 viewers the morning you go on the show and you give a rousing performance. That day you get tons of emails and messages. You bring in 653 new followers. [[Keep trying->Step Seven]]

<<set $energy -= 30>> <<set $followers += 13>> You lobby your country's Congress, asking them to speak out about Dastria's lies. Not much happens. [[Keep trying->Step Eight]]

<<set $energy -= 10>> <<set $money -= 500>> <<set $followers += 945>> You give a politican a chunk of money to push a law through that places a trade embargo on Dastria. Things are getting serious. Now that the government is involved, other countries are looking at you. Overnight you gain 945 followers. [[Keep trying->Step Eight]]

<<set $energy -= 60>> <<set $followers += 1432>> You find a major celeb and talk them into supporting your cause. They post about the lies Dastria has spread and get their followers on board. You gain 1432 new followers! Woohoo! [[Keep trying->Step Eight]]

<<set $energy -= 85>> <<set $money -= 200>> <<set $followers += 4893>> You have such a number of followers that you start a local militia. You feel like Dastria will attack any day, and you need to be ready to take them down. You buy some guns for yourself and setup weekly meetings and weekend trainings. If the Dastrians are willing to lie about a genocide, who knows what other crimes they could commit. You need to be ready. [[Keep trying->Step Nine]]

<<set $energy -= 45>> <<set $money -= 20>> <<set $followers += 43>> You run around the city, graffiting Dastrian buildings: the embassy, a restaurant, a place of worship. You cover them with messages about their lies, how they control everything, crude drawings of their culture. You escape any repercussions. [[Keep trying->Step Nine]]

<<set $energy -= 85>> <<set $money -= 100>> <<set $followers += 10457>> You know the Dastrians are going to get back for your speeches, and they'll do so by hurting trade prospects and spreading lies. You need to pull out the big guns. Instead of letting them get the upperhand, you sneak into Dastria and take a citizen hostage. You call the Dastrian police and give them your demands, that they admit that the genocide never happened and give up their control over Saintmar. You make international news. [[Keep trying->Step Nine]]

<<set $energy -= 10>> <<set $followers += 0>> You decide to research online because it's the easiest. You find an overwhelming number of sources supporting Dastria and a few on the same side as you. You come out armed with lots of facts. [[Keep trying->Facts]]

<<set $energy -= 40>> <<set $followers += 18>> <<set $money += 5>> You head to a research library and end up talking to one of the librarians, who happens to be completely on your side! They point you to a few books and online sources with good facts. They also include you in their weekly group of protestors and you gain 18 followers. Before you leave, they slip you some money and tell you to keep up the good work. [[Keep trying->Facts]]

<<set $energy -= 30>> <<set $followers += 3>> You head to a university and look for an expert on local politics. He gives you his thesis on the atrocities of Dastria and introduces you to a few friends who helped him write it. You gain 3 followers. [[Keep trying->Facts]]

<<set $energy -= 5>> <<set $followers += 0>> You get so overwhelmed by your emotions that you just spend a few hours crying about how terrible this all is. [[Keep trying->Emotions]]

<<set $energy -= 25>> <<set $followers += 33>> You get a friend of yours who lost his grandfather to the Great War to write out a long testimony and post it on all of your socials. You add your own testimony as well. These should go viral soon. Overnight you gain 33 followers. [[Keep trying->Emotions]]

In a study conducted by the Anti-Defamation League in 2014, nearly 20,000 survey respondents claimed that the Holocaust was a myth or greatly exaggerated (33 percent on average, 63 percent in the Middle East and North Africa). Some people deny the Holocaust as a coping mechanism, but others as deliberate, anti-Semitic attacks. “The Holocaust is one of the most well-documented phenomena and documented not just by the victims but also by the perpetrators themselves,” Tad Stahnke, director of USHMM’s initiative on Holocaust denial and antisemitism, said. “There are no real factual disputes around the broad outlines of the Holocaust, so if someone is denying it, they’re doing it for another reason.” While this game was inspired by Holocaust deniers on the Internet, especially on Facebook, it is also a more general warning against any kind of revolutionary thought online. Groups of people can communicate easily today, which means misinformation can easily be spread to hundreds of people with the click of a button. Jews are suffering through hate crimes at staggering rates across the world, but many other groups are in danger too. Choose your online surroundings carefully.