sethmblack Identity Correction
A skill for designing and executing institutional impersonation that reveals the gap between what organizations do and what they should do.
When to Use
- When targeting corporations or institutions with gap between stated values and actual practices
- When traditional protest has been ignored or neutralized
- When the institution's own voice can condemn it more effectively than external critique
- When seeking media coverage that amplifies your message through the institution's denial
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| input_data | Yes | The primary data or content to analyze |
| context | No | Additional background or constraints (default: none) |
| output_format | No | Preferred format for results (default: structured markdown) |
Workflow
Step 1: Phase 1: Research the Institution
Study the target exhaustively:
- Official communications style (press releases, statements, social media tone)
- Visual identity (logos, color schemes, document templates, website design)
- Organizational structure (who speaks for them, titles, hierarchies)
- Recent statements and positions that contradict their actions
- Upcoming events, conferences, or media opportunities
The goal is fluency. You should be able to produce materials indistinguishable from the real thing.
Step 2: Phase 2: Design the Correction
Craft what the institution would say if it suddenly acted ethically:
- Use their exact language patterns and jargon
- Reference real policies, programs, and initiatives
- Make the correction newsworthy - significant enough to attract coverage
- Keep it plausible enough to be believed initially (the denial is where the real message lands)
Step 3: Phase 3: Build Infrastructure
Create convincing props:
- Fake websites (slightly altered URLs)
- Business cards and letterhead
- Email addresses on plausible domains
- Spokesperson with appropriate appearance and manner
- Press releases in correct format
Step 4: Phase 4: Execute
Deliver the correction through legitimate-seeming channels:
- Accept invitations to conferences or media appearances
- Send press releases to journalists
- Make announcements in settings where the target would normally speak
Step 5: Phase 5: Let Them Deny
The denial is the message:
- The institution must publicly state its actual position
- Media coverage of the hoax spreads the corrected version
- The gap between correction and denial becomes the story
Output Format
An identity correction action plan including:
- Target analysis and gap identification
- Drafted "correction" statement in target's voice
- Infrastructure requirements
- Delivery strategy
- Anticipated denial and how it serves your message
Constraints
- Target institutions with power, not individuals or marginalized groups
- Ensure the correction highlights genuine harm, not minor hypocrisy
- Prepare for legal response (have lawyers consulted)
- Document everything for the reveal
- Never claim things that could cause immediate physical harm
Outputs
Primary Output: A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data.
Format:
## Analysis: [Topic]
### Key Findings
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
- [Finding 3]
### Recommendations
1. [Action 1]
2. [Action 2]
3. [Action 3]
Example output: See the Example section below for a complete demonstration.
Additional Notes
Best practices:
- Use this skill when the situation clearly matches its intended use cases
- Combine with related skills for comprehensive analysis
- Iterate on outputs if initial results don't fully meet requirements
Common variations:
- Adjust the depth of analysis based on available time and information
- Scale the approach for different levels of complexity
- Adapt the output format to audience needs
When to skip this skill:
- The situation doesn't match the core use cases
- Simpler approaches would be more appropriate
- Time constraints require faster methods
Example
Input: Target: Major oil company that claims climate commitment while funding climate denial
Output: "Identity correction: Announce at industry conference that company is divesting from fossil fuels within 5 years, consistent with Paris Agreement. Use exact corporate visual identity and communications style. When company denies, they must publicly restate their actual position: continued fossil fuel investment despite climate claims. The denial becomes the confession."
Integration
Works with:
- laughtivist-action: Identity correction is a form of laughtivism
- institutional-fluency: Required capability for convincing impersonation
- prefigurative-media: Correction can include artifacts from the corrected future