The global system is entering an age of technological entropy

rt.com·RT·2026-09-26T11:30:47.000Z
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Elevated — multiple influence tactics active

The article argues that the global order dominated by Western powers is collapsing due to internal weaknesses, while a new, multipolar world led by Eastern powers like China is rising in its place. It frames this shift as natural and positive, using sweeping language about technological change, civilizational renewal, and systemic transformation to make the case that the West's decline is inevitable and desirable.

FATE Analysis

Four dimensions of psychological manipulation: how content captures Focus, exploits Authority, triggers Tribal identity, and engineers Emotion.

Focus8/10Authority7/10Tribe9/10Emotion7/10
FFocus
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AAuthority
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TTribe
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EEmotion
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Focus signals

unprecedented framing
"The 'profound changes unseen in a century' often mentioned by Xi Jinping are no longer merely abstract concepts found in books; they represent the systemic collapse and restructuring currently experienced by the global system."

This framing positions the current moment as historically unique and epoch-defining, invoking a sense of urgency and novelty. It transforms a political slogan into an irreversible structural shift, capturing attention by suggesting we are living through a once-in-history transformation.

novelty spike
"This entropic shift of order is essentially a global transitional state where the rules of the old system fail, its structures loosen, and its momentum wanes, while a new system undergoes pluralistic growth and iterative restructuring without yet having fully crystallized."

The article introduces 'entropic shift' as a novel conceptual framework, presenting it as a scientific-sounding, systemic breakdown that demands immediate intellectual engagement. This manufactured theoretical novelty serves to elevate the perceived importance of the argument and hold reader attention.

attention capture
"Power is shifting East, old hierarchies are cracking, and technology is accelerating the breakdown of the Western-led order"

The headline and opening sentence use dramatic, sweeping claims about power collapse and civilizational transition to immediately capture attention. The phrasing suggests an unfolding historical rupture, leveraging grand narrative tropes to hook the reader.

Authority signals

credential leveraging
"By Wang Wen, Professor & Dean, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, and Dean, School of Global Leadership, Renmin University of China; participant in the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club"

The author’s institutional affiliations and titles are prominently displayed, lending academic and policy credibility. This leverages perceived authority to make the analysis appear more legitimate and less contestable, especially given the outlet's alignment with Chinese strategic messaging.

institutional authority
"participant in the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club"

Mentioning participation in a high-level geopolitical forum associated with Russian leadership signals elite access and insider status, subtly implying that the views expressed are part of an authoritative, closed-door consensus among global power brokers.

Tribe signals

us vs them
"The most historic transformation in this round of upheaval is the holistic shift of the global geopolitical, economic, and civilizational center of gravity from the Atlantic to the Eurasian landmass and Asia as a whole, fundamentally overturning the underlying structure of Western global dominance that has persisted for five centuries."

The article constructs a clear civilizational binary: 'West vs. East,' positioning the West as a declining hegemon and Asia as the rising, morally superior alternative. This frames global change as a zero-sum civilizational reversal, reinforcing tribal identity along geopolitical lines.

identity weaponization
"The flaws of the Western civilizational logic – characterized by zero-sum games, hegemony, and confrontation – have become glaringly apparent, rendering it ill-suited to the development needs of a diverse world."

Western civilization is portrayed not just as outdated but as inherently flawed and destructive, turning cultural identity into a negative marker. Conversely, adherence to Eastern values becomes a positive tribal signal, encouraging ideological alignment.

manufactured consensus
"Future global governance will thoroughly dismantle the monopoly held by a handful of Western nations and elites; the Global South will see a sustained rise in its voice and influence..."

The article assumes a unified, inevitable trajectory toward a post-Western world order, suggesting broad consensus among non-Western actors. This creates the illusion of a growing, coherent movement, even though such unity is aspirational rather than empirically established.

Emotion signals

moral superiority
"Centuries of Western history have taught the world only about hegemonic rivalry among the strong, whereas the Asia-Pacific region – with its millennia-old cultural heritage and the practical experience of emerging powers in the new era – is teaching the world how the strong can build bridges."

This passage evokes moral elevation by contrasting Western aggression with Eastern benevolence, allowing readers aligned with the 'East' to feel ethically superior. It emotionally rewards identification with the described civilizational path.

fear engineering
"Nuclear risks have become widespread; while the likelihood of direct nuclear confrontation between major powers has declined, risks associated with proliferation, technology leaks, algorithmic miscalculation, and covert regional nuclear maneuvering are rising."

Although nuclear risks are real, the language amplifies diffuse threats ('algorithmic miscalculation', 'covert maneuvering') to generate anxiety about the instability of the current order, making the case for a new system seem urgent and necessary.

urgency
"Standing at the historical juncture of the second quarter of the 21st century, humanity will ultimately break free from the confines of the Western-dominated order and the traps of realist power struggles."

The article frames the present as a decisive historical pivot point, creating emotional pressure to align with the 'correct' side of history. This temporal urgency pushes readers toward acceptance of the proposed paradigm shift.

Narrative Analysis (PCP)

How the article reshapes thinking: Perception (what beliefs are targeted), Context (what information is shifted or omitted), and Permission (what behavior is being encouraged).

What it wants you to believe

The article is designed to produce the belief that a systemic, irreversible, and historically significant shift is underway — one in which the Western-led global order is collapsing due to internal decay and entropy, while a new, multipolar, Eastern-led order based on technological advancement, regional resilience, and civilizational symbiosis is emerging. The mechanism involves framing global instability not as chaos, but as the necessary and natural transition phase of an outdated system giving way to a superior, pluralistic replacement.

Context being shifted

The article shifts the context of current global tensions from isolated or regionally specific conflicts to a universal, civilizational transition — portraying events like U.S. policy shifts, BRICS expansion, or regional defense developments as manifestations of a deeper, systemic breakdown of Western dominance. This makes the decline of Western influence feel inevitable and natural, not contingent or reversible.

What it omits

The article omits critical assessments of non-Western actors’ own authoritarian practices, military buildups, or internal contradictions that could undermine claims of 'resilient symbiosis' or 'fair multilateralism.' For instance, it does not address China’s own strategic assertiveness, human rights concerns, or the coercive aspects of its influence operations, which, if included, would challenge the narrative of purely constructive, civilizational counterbalance.

Desired behavior

The reader is nudged to accept and embrace the decline of Western influence as not only inevitable but desirable, and to view alignment with Eastern-led institutions (e.g., BRICS, SCO) and values (e.g., 'mutual learning,' 'civilizational balance') as the progressive, rational, and morally superior stance in global affairs.

SMRP Pattern

Four manipulation maintenance tactics: Socializing the idea as normal, Minimizing concerns, Rationalizing with logic, and Projecting blame.

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Socializing
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Minimizing
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Rationalizing
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Projecting

"Trump’s transactional ‘America First’ diplomacy served as the critical turning point that broke the back of American-style hegemony, definitively ending the era of absolute US unilateral global control."

Red Flags

High-severity indicators: silencing dissent, coordinated messaging, or weaponizing identity to shut down debate.

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Silencing indicator

"The digital era has dismantled the official barriers of traditional diplomacy; ordinary citizens and non-governmental entities have become pivotal nodes in the global strategic game, with public sentiment and perception directly influencing geopolitical dynamics and diplomatic decisions. Public opinion manipulation and the shaping of perceptions achieve the strategic goal of subduing the enemy without fighting..."

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Controlled release (spokesperson test)

"The author, Wang Wen, presents a highly structured, ideologically consistent narrative that aligns precisely with Chinese state discourse on multipolarity, civilizational resurgence, and Western decline, using formalized terminology like 'entropic shift' and 'civilizational balance' in a manner characteristic of coordinated strategic messaging rather than personal academic interpretation."

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Identity weaponization

"The contrast between 'Western logic of zero-sum hegemony' and 'Eastern logic of symbiosis' frames adherence to cooperation and resilience as markers of enlightened, modern identity, while implicitly casting adherence to Western norms as outdated or aggressive."

Techniques Found(9)

Specific propaganda techniques identified using the SemEval-2023 academic taxonomy of 23 techniques across 6 categories.

"The 'profound changes unseen in a century' often mentioned by Xi Jinping are no longer merely abstract concepts found in books"

The author invokes Xi Jinping, a political authority figure, to lend legitimacy to the claim about global transformation, not to report his statements neutrally but to justify the article's central thesis through his endorsement.

"the US from an order builder into an order destroyer"

The phrase 'order destroyer' is emotionally charged and judgmental, going beyond factual description to frame the US in a negative moral light, thus serving a persuasive function rather than a neutral analysis.

"the foundations of US hegemony... have been thoroughly dismantled"

The use of 'thoroughly dismantled' overstates the extent of collapse, implying a complete and irreversible breakdown of US influence, which is a disproportionate characterization given ongoing US global military, economic, and institutional presence.

"the entropic reduction and rebirth of a new, diverse global order... restoring the civilizational balance"

The article appeals to a civilizational identity and pride, particularly Eastern/Asian resurgence, framing the shift in global order as a righteous restoration of balance, which plays on cultural and national identity to justify the new order.

"mutually beneficial cooperation are countering the Western logic of zero-sum hegemony"

The phrase 'mutually beneficial cooperation' exploits positive shared values such as fairness and collaboration to frame Eastern governance models as morally superior, thus justifying their rise through value-based appeal.

"Trump’s transactional 'America First' diplomacy served as the critical turning point that broke the back of American-style hegemony"

The phrase 'broke the back' is a hyperbolic and emotionally charged expression that dramatizes the impact of Trump’s policies, exaggerating their role in a systemic shift and thus functioning as loaded language.

"Future global competition is by no means a zero-sum game of hegemonic succession; rather, it is a contest of values regarding paths, civilizations, and rules"

The statement frames the future as a binary choice between Western zero-sum hegemony and Eastern value-based cooperation, ignoring potential hybrid or alternative models, thus presenting a simplified and polarized view of global competition.

"Embracing the right path of Eastern symbiosis amid order reconstruction"

This phrase functions as a slogan—concise, emotionally resonant, and ideologically charged—urging alignment with a specific vision without argumentative elaboration, typical of persuasive rallying cries.

"the collective rise of the Global South and the growing influence of emerging multilateral mechanisms have led to a comprehensive diversification of governance actors"

The appeal to the 'collective rise' of the Global South implies legitimacy through widespread adoption and momentum, suggesting that because many nations are moving in this direction, it must be the correct or inevitable path.

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