Although modern cognitive infiltration does employ semiotics, it is not the same as the basics which Bernays developed.
what sunstein defines and what is the CGHQ training program, exposed by Snowden at the intercept;
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/02/24/jtrig-manipulation/
uses false social groups where the shear force of numbers and a covert shared agenda makes a social front that misleads then deceives the observer on the web forum.
Bernays used media in very large campaigns.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays
An Example:
"Bernays refined and popularized the use of the press release, following its invention by PR man Ivy Lee, who had issued a press release after the 1906 Atlantic City train wreck. One of the most famous campaigns of Bernays was the women's cigarette smoking campaign in 1920s. Bernays helped the smoking industry overcome one of the biggest social taboos of the time: women smoking in public. Women were only allowed to smoke in designated areas, or not at all. Women caught violating this rule were arrested."
Bernays belongs at the bottom of the pyramid, cognitive infiltration of the first kind. Social conditioning.
Firstly, avoid the trap that could prevent critical thinking. Cognitive distortions.
COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS
A) All or nothing thinking- Things are placed in black or white categories.(*) If things are less than perfect self is viewed as failure.
B) Over generalization- Single event is viewed as continuous failure.
C) Mental filter- Details in life (positive or negative) are amplified in importance while opposite is rejected.
D) Minimizing- Perceiving one or opposite experiences (positive or negative) as absolute and maintaining singularity of belief to one or the other.
F) Mind reading- One absolutely concludes that others are reacting positively or negatively without investigating reality.
G) Fortune Telling- Based on previous 5 distortions, anticipation of negative or positive outcome of situations is established
H) Catastrophizing- Exaggerated importance of self's failures and others successes.
I) Emotional reasoning- One feels as though emotional state IS reality of situation.
J) "Should" statements- Self imposed rules about behavior creating guilt at self inability to adhere and anger at others in their inability to conform to self's rules.
K) Labeling:- Instead of understanding errors over generalization is applied.
L) Personalization- Thinking that the actions or statements of others are a reaction to you.
M) Entitlement- Believing that you deserve things you have not earned.
Your signature employs K) labeling and A), "all or nothing thinking". "It's all a sham. All of it." The tendency is to create a mental filter C) Its true however, but it is far better to actually create an understanding.
For example: "Wetiko"
Native American philosopher Jack Forbes explains that the overriding characteristic of a wétiko, a Cree word literally meaning “cannibal,” is “that he consumes other human beings for profit, that is, he is a cannibal”
So yes, but the tools that cognitive infiltrators are, do not really represent that in the same way the word is intended. The true "Wetiko" represent the sociopaths of executive corporatism that design things for profit without regard for their impact on humanity. "Wetiko" is not cognitive infiltration, it is a goal, and agenda and it may be completely unconscious. The reason for that is holding such a goal consciously may be too dark and destructive to human life for the individual to interact normally thusly impair their efforts.
Another consciously held motive acts as a cover in that case. The person thinks "this', or "that" is their motive rather than the elements of "Wetiko".