Six or seven years ago I wrote an article analysing some of different types of satirical and bad-taste images which circulated on the web following 9/11: Gramsci and the New Intellectuals
The intention was not to pass judgement on the images, but to discuss the entry of a new type of influencer – ‘the new intellectuals’ Â using Gramscian theory – as they took early steps in framing interpretations of and responses to significant international events. Taking advantage of low cost communication, these ‘new intellectuals’ engaged with an international audience, in a way that Public Diplomacy organisations couldn’t then, and many would still struggle now.
Circulating false information, these ‘intellectuals’ influenced large numbers of individuals to search for and discuss ideas – one favourite being that Nostrodamus predicted 9/11. While I have my reservations about the use of the phrase  ‘many to many’ and what it really means in PD2.0, (it brushes over the degree of complexity and understanding of networks required to achieve serious results) these interactions fit within the ideas of influence through ‘many to many’.
Ok some of the links are now broken, and it was before the growth in social  networking, or  Twitter, and five years before PD2.0 was widely discussed but I wondered – are some of the ideas still useful?