Field Research Protocol: Mapping the Architecture of Attrition
This protocol is designed to standardise our data collection across physical and digital spaces. Please utilise the following categories when reporting your findings to the forum.
I. Geographic Marker Documentation (Physical Space)
When you encounter exclusionary symbols (e.g., stickers, flyers, event branding) in your community, document the following:
- Location Metadata: Precise location (e.g., "Main Street bus stop," "Community centre entrance"). Note: Do not disclose your home address or specific personal transit routes.
- Symbolic Type: Identify the marker (e.g., "Medusa/Gorgon imagery," "XX chromosome," "Adult Human Female").
- Placement Strategy: Was the symbol placed at eye-level? Is it near a transit hub? Is it at a location frequently used by marginalised groups?
- The "Freeze" Assessment: On a scale of 1–5, how did the encounter affect your sense of "sovereign space"? Did it induce hyper-vigilance, a "freeze" response, or a feeling of being watched?
II. Digital Gaslighting/Attrition Logs (Virtual Space)
When documenting digital dog-piling or coordinated gaslighting, log the following:
- Pattern Recognition: Are the attacks following a "trigger" event? Note the time delay between the event and the start of the orchestration.
- Linguistic Mapping: Identify the specific gaslighting tropes used (e.g., "You are just being paranoid," "You are the one inciting violence," "This is a local issue, you don't belong here").
- Algorithm Markers: Are the accounts participating in the dog-pile using standardised syntax, hashtags, or bot-like posting frequency?
- Targeting Logic: Is the goal to force the target to delete their account, deactivate, or enter a prolonged, circular debate?
III. Synthesis Documentation
- The Intersection Point: Have you observed a correlation between digital hostility and physical placement of symbols in your area? (e.g., "The online campaign against the local library coincided with the appearance of exclusionary stickers on its windows.")
IV. Safety & Sovereignty (Priority)
- The "Observer" Stance: Do not engage with the markers or the gaslighters directly. The machine thrives on your emotional engagement and "counter-signaling." Our objective is mapping, not debating.
- Privacy Hardening: If you are conducting field research, ensure your devices are configured to minimise location-tracking. Use encrypted messaging for sharing sensitive site-specific findings.
- Mental Sanctuary: If your field research induces distress, rotate out of "observer" status. Our research is only effective if our own psychological autonomy remains intact.