Головна

Elements of Propaganda

  1. Basic Elements of a Computer
  2. Elements and their Classification
  3. Parenthetical Elements
  4. Wider Propaganda

Propaganda can serve to rally people behind a cause, but often at the cost of exaggerating, misrepresenting, or even lying about the issues in order to gain that support.

While the issue of propaganda often is discussed in the context of militarism, war and war-mongering, it is around us in all aspects of life.

As the various examples below will show, common tactics in propaganda often used by either side include:

  • Using selective stories that come over as wide-covering and objective.
  • Partial facts, Or historical context
  • Reinforcing reasons and motivations to act due to threats on the security of the individual.
  • Narrow sources of "experts" to provide insights in to the situation. (For example, the mainstream media typically interview retired military personnel for many conflict-related issues, or treat official government sources as fact, rather than just one perspective that needs to be verified and researched).
  • Demonizing the "enemy" who does not fit the picture of what is "right".
  • Using a narrow range of discourse, Whereby judgments are often made while the boundary of discourse itself, or the framework within which the opinions are formed, are often not discussed. The narrow focus then helps to serve the interests of the propagandists.

Some of the following sections look into how propaganda is used in various ways, expanding on the above list of tactics and devices.

In democracies, people like to believe that they and their countries are generally good, for if it was any other way then it brings into moral question all they know and hold dear. The histories of some nations may have involved overcoming adversaries for legitimate reasons (e.g. the American war to gain its independence and freedom from the British Empire was one based on strong moral grounds of freedom from imperial rule). Such important history is often recounted and remembered as part of the collective culture of the country and those same values ??are projected into modern times. Propaganda sometimes works by creating the fear of losing such cherished values.

The following perhaps serve as ominous warnings, given the source:

All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those towards whom it is directed will understand it ... Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise.

- Adolf Hitler

The size of the lie is a definite factor in causing it to be believed, for the vast masses of a nation are in the depths of their hearts more easily deceived than they are consciously bad. The primitive simplicity of their minds renders them a more easy prey to a big lie than to a small lie. For they themselves often tell little lies, but would be ashamed to tell big lies.

- Adolf Hitler

Guiterrez, mentioned much further above, also interviews Dr. Nancy Snow, (once a "propagandist" for the U.S. Information Agency as she admits in her 1998 book, Propaganda Inc; Selling America's Culture to the World). Snow suggests that you do not need facts, just the best facts:

[Given all the revelations discrediting Bush's reasons for war with Iraq,] "You may wonder why it is that a majority of Americans still link Saddam to 9/11," says Snow. "The reason for such a belief is because the American people were repeatedly told by the President and his inner circle that Saddam's evil alone was enough to be linked to 9/11 and that given time, he would have used his weapons against us. With propaganda, you do not need facts per se, just the best facts put forward. If these facts make sense to people, then they do not need proof like one might need in a courtroom. "

According to Snow, the U.S. government succeeded in "driving the agenda" and "milking the story" (maximising media coverage of a particular issue by the careful use of [media management].)

Senior UN relief official visits DR Congo after murder of five aid workers | Тема 2. Особистість в системі міжособистісних відносин


Finland | Germany | Ireland | Media in the United States | Uninformed population means harmful foreign policies can go unaccountable | Information Operations | Заняття № 6 | Dilemma of Journalists and Wartime Coverage | Wider Propaganda | UN supports training for DR Congo police ahead of elections |

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