Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan participated as a speaker in the “Digital Analysis Talks” organized by the Turkey Youth Foundation (TÜGVA). Tarhan, who conversed with young people under the title of Psychological Warfare, also answered many questions posed by readers. Tarhan pointed out that during the psychological warfare process, the target audience is people's minds and emotions, stating that the weapons are newspapers, television, e-mail, and social media; and the bullets are words, cultivated ideas, and books.
“There was black propaganda against religious segments”
First, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, talking about the purpose and journey of his book "Psychological Warfare", stated that during his time working as a military psychiatrist in the armed forces, he foresaw that the state could not distinguish between friend and foe, resulting in a 'blind fight', which would lead to conviction. Tarhan mentioned the existence of black propaganda carried out by the Western working group against religious segments at that time, and stated that he published the book "Psychological Warfare" in 2002 with the aim of exposing this propaganda without harming the institutional identity of the armed forces.
“Emotion and logic should be carried out together”
Tarhan noted that there are three types of leadership that mobilize masses: emotion-based, logic-based, and leadership that uses both emotion and logic together. Tarhan said that purely logic-based leadership is classic; everything is standard and it maintains the existing order very well. Charismatic leaders, on the other hand, are emotion-focused and mobilize masses very effectively. However, he added, "If they only do their work based on emotion, they cannot ensure continuity." Tarhan underlined that the best leadership is one where emotion and logic are carried out together. Giving an example of leadership that combines emotion and logic, Tarhan emphasized the importance that military intellect should remain in military barracks, while civil intellect should remain in civil society.
“There is a need for a synthesis of religious and natural sciences”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, also speaking about our education system during the talk, stated that capitalist ethics are taught in our education system, and that children are products of popular culture, not of our own culture. Tarhan stated that today's children see the heroes of capitalism as role models, adding, "However, our heroes are not them; our education system is mortgaged. If we don't break this resistance together, we won't get to good places. We need to adapt our education system to a synthesis of religion and science. Our education system needs a synthesis of both.
“70-80% of society does not question”
Tarhan, stating that propaganda is one of the methods of psychological warfare, emphasized that the target audience is people's minds and emotions. Tarhan, speaking about the materials used in psychological warfare for propaganda, noted that its weapons are newspapers, television, e-mail, and social media, and its ammunition consists of words, cultivated ideas, and books. Tarhan said: "70-80% of society does not question; there are masses ready to believe information when it aligns with what they want to believe. Someone who possesses critical thinking and analytical thinking analyzes first and then believes; this must be acquired. A person who acquires this cannot be an object in psychological warfare; one must definitely be questioning."