August 21, 2022

Information vs. Intelligence | Everyday Espionage Podcast with Andrew Bustamante

Espionage is about taking information and finding the intelligence within
Information and intelligence are not the same things
- Intelligence is information you are not supposed to have (factual, truthful, hidden)
How do spies work with information?
- Validation → analysis → synthesis → application
- Information → knowledge → application → experience
The majority of the world is doing it wrong; we are collecting information, then experiences, and then when they align we think those are facts
- “We live in a world where If you have an experience that aligns with any piece of information we are almost compelled, encouraged to draw the conclusion that that becomes a fact.” – Andrew Bustamante
Sometimes you have to challenge your own experiences to gain real knowledge. That’s espionage.
- Cognitive bias – in the process of indexing and building information, our mind also creates automated processes in our cognitive functions that skip logical steps
How do you separate fact from fiction? How do you find a liar?
- The reason that spies can apply this is that they recognize how the mind processes the information loop
In-group bias – all of us want to be part of something
- This bias makes us reach conclusions based on information that allows us to feel like we belong to a group
- Belonging to a group is not innately bad, as long as we become aware of it and seek information from alternate sources

The goal of Everyday Espionage Podcast is to show you how to find the knowledge amid the noise of information
- In this episode, former covert CIA officer Andrew Bustamante (@EverydaySpy) discusses the difference between intelligence and information and shows how you can use that knowledge to your advantage
Host – Andrew Bustamante (@EverydaySpy)

The first guy who started teaching Bustamante about espionage was enormous (are spies supposed to be enormous?)
- What did the “big” guy teach him?
- Espionage is not about guarantees, it’s about promises
What promises?
- “What you are about to learn will change the way you see the world for the rest of your life.” – The Enormous Spy
- Espionage is about taking information and finding the intelligence within
- If you don’t get the intelligence, you failed
Information and intelligence are not the same things
- You can get information anywhere (nobody is trying to hide information)
- Intelligence is information you are not supposed to have (factual, truthful, hidden, made up of secrets, etc.)

How do spies work with information?
- Validation → analysis → synthesis → application
- Without application, you have nothing
By converting information to the intelligence we learn to convert information into knowledge
- It doesn’t stop with knowledge, it’s a continuum
- By applying the knowledge you gain experience
- Information → knowledge → application → experience
The majority of the world is doing it wrong; we are collecting information, then experiences, and then when they align we think those are facts
- The experience and the information could be valid, but the conclusion can still be false
- “We live in a world where If you have an experience that aligns with any piece of information we are almost compelled, encouraged to draw the conclusion that that becomes a fact.” – Andrew Bustamante
That is not a fact. That is not intelligence
- Knowledge is the advantage, information is just a risk
The evolutionary process of converting information into knowledge:
- Take the information, analyze it, synthesize it, and look for sources of information that confirm, corroborate, reject or deny

The experiences that you engage in produce more data (new information) – repeating the process
- Is your experience biased? Consistent with other people’s experiences? Is it flawed? Keep going through the information loop/triangle
Sometimes you have to challenge your own experiences to gain real knowledge. That’s espionage. How do you separate fact from fiction? How do you find a liar?
- Most of this is not new information, but here is the big thing: the reason that spies can apply this is that they recognize how the mind processes that loop. It’s not only learning and applying
- Our mind works against us in that information loop

Cognitive bias – in the process of indexing and building information, our mind also creates automated processes in our cognitive functions that skip logical steps
- “People are less aware of the decisions they make based on indirect influences like ego, emotions and individual biases.” – Andrew Bustamante
In-group bias – all of us want to be part of something
- This bias makes us reach conclusions based on information that allows us to feel like we belong to a group
- They fit the group more than they fit us and that prevents us from converting information to knowledge – that’s the first stumbling block
Confirmation bias – makes you conclude that whatever information you hear the most frequently is the truth
- Belonging to a group is not innately bad, as long as we become aware of it and seek information from alternate sources
Multiple sources will take you from information to knowledge