PropagandaPropaganda

““The Weapon of InfluenceThe Weapon of Influence””

What is propaganda?What is propaganda?

Propaganda is a persuasive type Propaganda is a persuasive type of message presentation aimed at of message presentation aimed at serving an agenda.serving an agenda.

‘‘ProgandaProganda’’

At its root the denotation of At its root the denotation of propaganda is propaganda is ‘‘to propagate to propagate (actively spread) a philosophy or (actively spread) a philosophy or point of viewpoint of view’’

Who is it aimed at?Who is it aimed at?

Propaganda is aimed at a specific Propaganda is aimed at a specific audience.audience.

The message content of The message content of propaganda is always deliberately propaganda is always deliberately selected and slanted to lead the selected and slanted to lead the audience toward a predetermined audience toward a predetermined mindset that benefits the cause of mindset that benefits the cause of the propagandists.the propagandists.

The propagandist seeks to The propagandist seeks to change the way people change the way people understand an issue or situation understand an issue or situation for the purpose of changing their for the purpose of changing their actions and expectations.actions and expectations.

Use of deception and Use of deception and confusionconfusion What sets propaganda apart from What sets propaganda apart from

other forms of advocacy other forms of advocacy (communicating a set idea) is the (communicating a set idea) is the use of deception and confusion.use of deception and confusion.

Why is it used?Why is it used?

The aim of propaganda is to The aim of propaganda is to actively influence peoples actively influence peoples opinions rather then to merely opinions rather then to merely communicate the facts about communicate the facts about something.something.

Propaganda is often presented in a Propaganda is often presented in a way that attempts to deliberately way that attempts to deliberately evoke a strong emotion, especially by evoke a strong emotion, especially by suggesting an illogical or unrealistic suggesting an illogical or unrealistic (to the outside observer) consequence (to the outside observer) consequence due to the actions of a certain group.due to the actions of a certain group.

Eg. The NaziEg. The Nazi’’s claimed that the Jews s claimed that the Jews caused WWI in order to bring down caused WWI in order to bring down GermanyGermany

How does it work?How does it work?

Propaganda most often tries to Propaganda most often tries to convince the public of something convince the public of something using a wide array of intellectual using a wide array of intellectual and emotional tools like love, and emotional tools like love, fear, loyalty or prejudice to fear, loyalty or prejudice to control the population.control the population.

Propaganda may also be Propaganda may also be transmitted implicitly or in less transmitted implicitly or in less obvious ways.obvious ways.

Propaganda can be presented in Propaganda can be presented in the form of a fair and open the form of a fair and open debate as objective news.debate as objective news.

The audience is then manipulated The audience is then manipulated into siding with a certain position into siding with a certain position by being informed that one by being informed that one position is correct and the other is position is correct and the other is wrong.wrong.

It is a more subtle and It is a more subtle and sophistacated form of sophistacated form of propaganda.propaganda.

It is hard to protect and to fight It is hard to protect and to fight against.against.

It can be very effective.It can be very effective.

A message does not have to be untrue A message does not have to be untrue to be propaganda.to be propaganda.

BUT even if the message conveys only BUT even if the message conveys only ‘‘truetrue’’ information it will generally information it will generally contain partial bias (1 groups position)contain partial bias (1 groups position)

AmericaAmerica’’s use of the s use of the ‘‘weapons of mass weapons of mass destructiondestruction’’ argument to justify its argument to justify its invasion of Iraq could be seen as an invasion of Iraq could be seen as an example.example.

Another common characteristic of Another common characteristic of political propaganda is the volume. political propaganda is the volume. (The large quantity)(The large quantity)

Flooding the information highway is Flooding the information highway is designed to:designed to:

- reinforce the idea through - reinforce the idea through repetitionrepetition

- drown out or exclude any - drown out or exclude any alternative alternative ideas.ideas.

The use of propaganda The use of propaganda in war.in war. Propaganda is a mighty weapon Propaganda is a mighty weapon

in war.in war. Its aim is usually to dehumanise Its aim is usually to dehumanise

and create hatred towards an and create hatred towards an enemy so that the community will enemy so that the community will support an act against them.support an act against them.

Nazi propaganda had several distinct Nazi propaganda had several distinct audiences:audiences:

German audience – to convince them German audience – to convince them of Hitlerof Hitler’’s greatness.s greatness.

Ethnic Germans – to encourage them Ethnic Germans – to encourage them to support amalgamation.to support amalgamation.

Potential enemies – to ward them off.Potential enemies – to ward them off. Jews – To label them as the prime Jews – To label them as the prime

enemy and to show them their place.enemy and to show them their place.

What are the common What are the common methods?methods? Appeals to fear: Seek to build Appeals to fear: Seek to build

support by instilling fear in the support by instilling fear in the general population.general population.

The bandwagon approach: attempts The bandwagon approach: attempts the target audience to take the the target audience to take the course of action course of action ““that everyone else that everyone else is takingis taking””

Join the crowdJoin the crowd Victory is inevitableVictory is inevitable

Direct order: simplifies the Direct order: simplifies the decisiondecision

Generating disapproval: Persuade Generating disapproval: Persuade a target audience of an idea or a target audience of an idea or action by suggesting that the idea action by suggesting that the idea is popular with groups that are is popular with groups that are hated.hated.

Rationalise questionable beliefs:Rationalise questionable beliefs:

Individuals or groups may use Individuals or groups may use favourable generalities to favourable generalities to rationalise questionable beliefs of rationalise questionable beliefs of acts. Generalities are deliberately acts. Generalities are deliberately vague so that the audience may vague so that the audience may supply their own interpretations.supply their own interpretations.

Transference:Transference:

The technique of projecting positive or The technique of projecting positive or negative qualities of an individual, negative qualities of an individual, group, nation etc onto another in order group, nation etc onto another in order to make the second more acceptable to make the second more acceptable or to discredit it.or to discredit it.

This technique is generally used to This technique is generally used to transfer blame from one member of a transfer blame from one member of a conflict to another.conflict to another.

Stereotyping:Stereotyping:

Attempts to arouse prejudices in an Attempts to arouse prejudices in an audience by labelling the object audience by labelling the object of the propaganda campaign as of the propaganda campaign as something the target audience something the target audience fears, hates, loathes or finds fears, hates, loathes or finds undesirable.undesirable.

ScapegoatScapegoat

Assigning blame to an individual or Assigning blame to an individual or group that isn't really responsible group that isn't really responsible is known as scapegoating. It is known as scapegoating. It allows the audience to alleviate allows the audience to alleviate feelings of guilt in relation to the feelings of guilt in relation to the bad treatment of the group.bad treatment of the group.