PROPAGANDA

PROPAGANDA

The manipulation of groups of people through information and use of language . Must include three basic qualities: (1.) Dehumanization of one’s opponent, devaluing their stance (2.) Nationalization of one’s audience, building a boundary between “us” and “them” (3.) Works to produce economic or political value within a group or nation

Basic Qualities of Propaganda –

DEHUMANIZATION

• Devalues the enemy or opponent

• Raises value of “Us” – because “We” are not “Them”

• Takes away humanity of enemy or opponent

• Compares opponent or enemy to lower than human – animalistic

• Helps strengthen the boundary between “Us” and “Them”

Basic Qualities of Propaganda –

NATIONALIZATION •Nationalizes the viewers into a group “Us” •Provides a common opponent, enemy or cause –”Them” -- for “Us” to fight against together

•Strengthens the idea that “Us” is valued higher than “Them”

•Strengthens national, ideological, or political boundaries

Basic Qualities of Propaganda –

POPULARITY, POLITICAL POWER, or MONETARY PROFIT

• Strengthens the notion that “Our” way is the correct way to think, vote, follow, etc.

• Physically or socially strengthens the differences between “Us” and “Them”

• Provides power through profit

• Provides a political or economic base for “Us”

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

GLITTERING GENERALITIES • Words that have different

positive meaning for individual viewers – linked to highly valued concepts

• Words meant to demand approval without thinking

• Accept words because of high value of concept

• Examples: “equality now,” “for your country” “freedom”

• Often occurs in political propaganda

• Identified as a technique of propaganda in 1938

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

ASSERTION • An enthusiastic, forceful or

energetic statement presented as fact

• Often implies that the statement requires no explanation or backing up, and should be accepted without question

• The viewer should simply agree with the statement without question or searching for additional information or reasoning

• Often include falsehoods or lies • Typically used in advertising

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

PINPOINTING THE ENEMY• Most often used during

wartime, in political campaigns and debates

• Attempts to simplify a complex situation by presenting a particular person or group as the opponent

• Viewer is expected to view the situation in clear-cut terms of right and wrong

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

BANDWAGON • Entices the viewer to follow the crowd

-- “Everyone is doing it”

• Convinces the subject that one side is the right side by mass popularity – “Majority rules”

• Victory is inevitable, defeat impossible – “safety in numbers”

• Identified as a technique in 1938 by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis

• One of the most common techniques in both wartime, peacetime , and modern advertising

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

LESSER OF TWO EVILS • Attempts to convince viewer

of an idea or proposal by presenting is as the least offensive option

• Often employed during wartime

• Convinces viewer of need for sacrifice

• Justifies difficult decisions - represented as the only option or path in a bad situation

• Typically blames enemy country or political group

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

CARDSTACKING • Selective omission –

presenting information that is positive to one idea and leaves out any different points of view

• Uses the truth (without stating differing truths) to manipulate public perspective

• Used in all forms of propaganda to convince the general public

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

NAME CALLING • Occurs during wartime and

political situations • Use of derogatory language

when describing and enemy or opponent

• Attempts to arouse prejudice in viewers by labeling target as something disliked

• Often employed using sarcasm, ridicule, political humor, cartoons, satire

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

PLAINFOLKS

• Device attempts to convince viewer that ideas reflect those of the common person, so they must work to benefit the general public

• Often attempts to target specific viewers using jargon, idioms, or common humor

• Attempts to create the illusion of humility or “just-like-you humanity”

• Attempts to appear sincere and spontaneous

• Effective when used with “glittering generalities” – gives stance a higher value, which are similar to the viewers – for validation

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

STEREOTYPING / SIMPLIFICATION • Reduces complex

situations into clear-cut choices

• Usually involves conflicts between good and evil

• Builds boundaries between “us” and “them”

• Similar to Pinpointing the Enemy - purposefully used to sway uneducated viewers

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

TESTIMONIALS • Quotations or

endorsements (in or out of context) that attempts to connect a famous person with a product, idea, or item

• Connects a person or idea with another item, person or idea

• Often used in advertisements and political campaigns

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

TRANSFER • Often used in politics and

during wartime • Attempts to make a viewer see

a certain item or idea the same way they look at another item or idea – likes the two ideas, images, or items in a viewer’s mind

• Often used to transfer blame, bad feelings, or negative events

• First recognized as a technique in 1938

• Closely related to Testimonials

CULT OF PERSONALITY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ5SVDYBNrY

IN LVING COLOR “Cult of

Personality” Video Link

•The development is the development of a “heroic” or “godlike” public image

•Main goal is to gain unconditional support of the people – develops a “cult-like” following of a nation’s citizens

•Uses propaganda spread through the media (news, posters, public service announcements, etc.)

• Originated in 1965-70 as a translation of the Russian phrase “kulʾt líchnosti” (dictionary.com)

What does this poster say to you? What techniques, themes, and purposes are portrayed here? Include what images you see, what they say to you. What messages is the artist trying to portray? What does s/he want you to think or believe? (Poster Title: Bricks in the Wall)

Bibliography

• www.youtube.com – last visited 6.29.09• www.librarythinkquest.com – last visited

6.29.09• www.lyricsfreak.com – last visited 6.29.09