Although the term propaganda has been in the public domain for several centuries now, its use increased substantially during World War 1 and World War 2 when nations attempted to disseminate ideas, information, and rumors in an organized and deliberate endeavor to influence the public opinion.1 In contemporary times, various players continue to use propaganda in a multiplicity of contexts with the view to influencing the public discourse through an organized and deliberate transmission of ideas and values. The present paper presents evidence and documentation to demonstrate that propaganda is indeed a social phenomenon.
The debate on whether propaganda is a technique or a phenomenon has been ongoing in many scholarly and practitioner-oriented forums, with the outcomes showing little probability of achieving a middle ground. It is important to note that this paper uses Randal Marlins definition, which describes the concept as the organized attempt through communication to affect belief or action or inculcate attitudes in a large audience in ways that circumvent or suppress an individuals adequately informed, rational, reflective judgment. 2
This definition not only shows that propaganda is essentially a social phenomenon which is in large part experienced in social contexts3 but also demonstrates particular characteristics (e.g., organization, ideological underpinnings, use of communication, mass uniformity of belief or behavior, circumvention of the reasoning process through heavy reliance to emotional appeals) that qualify propaganda as a social phenomenon.4
Available literature demonstrates that propaganda is a way of mediating our response to social phenomena and our relationship with society. 5 Unlike a technique which denotes a way or methodology of carrying out a particular task or procedure, propaganda is a far more diversified and multifaceted phenomenon that can never be viewed or analyzed in the absence of the larger society and its people.
Propaganda may qualify as a technique if it is evaluated in terms of a way or methodology which is often used to generate certain psychological effects (e.g. crystallization, alienation, dissociation, mithridatization, and sensibilization) or sociopolitical effects (e.g., ideology, public opinion, grouping, in a democracy) among a particular group of the population.6 However, propaganda is deeper in context and scope than being a mere technique as it is interpreted by individuals within the social context and also exploits social grievances to get the message across.
Of course some scholars have preferred to perceive propaganda primarily as a technique not only due to its deliberate and systematic nature, but also because of the widespread understanding that a technique, rather than a social phenomenon, is largely responsible in qualifying propagandists as instrumental and intentional actors.7 Jacques Ellul, comprehensively cited in propaganda literature, buys into this debate and argues that propaganda is itself a technique resulting from the application of the social sciences to the technology domain with the view to promoting acceptance to other techniques.8
However, such a predisposition is only valid to the extent that various technological inventions being experienced today are requiring the adaptation of human beings to the requirements of such inventions rather than adapting the inventions to human needs, practices and capacities. Furthermore, a technique may be unable to shape the perceptions or manipulate the cognitions of the targeted population in the absence of a social context, hence the need to view propaganda as a social phenomenon.
Without the social context, it is increasingly difficult for any propagandist to distribute certain cognitions and sensitivities with the view to generating behavior that the propagandist views as desirable, or to develop and reinforce certain messages whose effects are much more long-lasting over decades, if not longer.9 For example, a firm may employ advertisement to replace an effective automobile gearbox with a new product that appears to accomplish the same effectiveness with minimal investment, but actually it does not.
This example may use visual propaganda (advertisement) as a technique to pass the message on to the customers with the intention of creating a particular human need for the new product. However, the visual propaganda will definitely fail if it is not located within the social context and if it does not make use of the various tenets of propaganda as described in the beginning of this paper, implying that propaganda is much more deeper than a mere technique.
Lastly, the many elements contained in the term propaganda qualify it as a social phenomenon rather than merely a technique. Edgar Henderson, also comprehensively in propaganda scholarship, argues that propaganda is basically a social phenomenon owing to its objectivity and capacity to appeal to the psychological or sociopsychological dispositions of individuals.10 As demonstrated in the literature, propaganda covers more than a technique, particularly in terms of the central role it plays in society to the extent that no meaningful economic or political development can be achieved without the influence of its immense power.11
Overall, this paper has used facts and documentation to demonstrate that propaganda is a phenomenon rather than a technique, and that the social context must be taken into consideration for various experiences to be termed as propaganda. Although several scholars have evaluated and analyzed propaganda as a technique, it is evident that the concept is much deeper in scope and nature than what could be explained in simple terms as a technique.
The propaganda model which was developed by Herman and Chomsky puts special emphasis upon the role of the mass media propaganda in manufacturing biases in the public consciousness for preventing the resistance of the masses and achieving certain goals of the privileged minority.
Implementing Madisonian framework for explaining the main principle of democratic states, Chomsky collects evidence for illustrating the instances of propaganda and offering a practical solution for Orwells problem of voluntary censorship and intentional confusion of the majority.
Chomsky stated that Madisonian framework was often misinterpreted because of its vague formulations. According to Madison, the main concerns of the government include the rights of persons and the rights of property, while the emphasis should be put upon the latter parameter.
The main priority of the state should be the protection of the rights of property because the majority can endanger them by overusing the power they possess in a democracy. In Chomskys opinion, the conclusion that the tyranny of the majority can threaten the rights of persons, including the rights for freedom of speech and conscience, was the result of confusion caused by the vague formulations (Chomsky, Powers and Prospects 171).
Thus, Chomsky admitted that Madisons concern is much more restricted and focuses mostly on the protection of the rights of the opulent minority, while the comparison of the rights of persons and rights of property is merely inappropriate. Theoretically, according to Madisonian framework, there are rights shared by all and there are additional rights that are assigned only to a certain group of persons which always would be a minority and need to be protected by the state.
According to Madisonian constitutional order, the Senate which represents not only the wealth but also the intellectual elite of the nation, understands the importance of protecting the rights of the opulent minority (Chomsky Hopes and Prospects 233). Thus, Chomsky points out at the vague formulations and confusion in the following discussion as the main reasons for which Madisonian framework was misinterpreted.
Analyzing the experience of the past generations and the current social and economic modes, a sociologist can make predictions concerning the future tendencies in the world development.
The first tool which is required for making the reliable predictions is consideration of the actual national course as opposed to the analysis of historical records. Realist scholars explain that appeal to the historical record confounds the abuse of reality with reality itself (Chomsky Powers and prospects 146). The national identity and the corresponding functioning of the state institutions and the foreign policy course need to be taken into account for outlining the future prospects.
Thus, along with the analysis of the past achievements and mistakes, a comprehensive understanding of the shifts in the society, the ongoing processes and their main underlying causes is important for making certain forecasts. Thus, evaluating the historical records critically and giving serious consideration to the national values, the traditional sense of national identity reflected in the national course, Chomsky makes predictions, and most of them appear to be correct.
One of the main Chomskys predictions was his assumption concerning the escalation of the cycle of violence. Analyzing the level of the American state terror and the chosen course of the foreign policy justified with the peacemaking mission of the USA, Chomsky concluded that the proclaimed war on terror after the events of 9/11 will intensify the violence circle.
Providing evidence that the war on terror is pursued for the reasons which differ from the announced objectives, the scholar claims that the military actions taken by America along with the terrorist attacks create endless circle violence and the urgent measures are required for changing the current situation.
If Madison with his theory of democratic society that was discussed above was sincerely astonished at the fact that the government can overuse its power, at present Chomsky concluded that the tyranny of the privileged ruling class is obvious even notwithstanding their limited public accountability which does not allow estimating the extent of their power abuse.
The American attacks in Pakistan are treated as an example of the military actions of the United Sates which are justified with noble goals of peacemaking or protecting the Israels rights for self-defense in this particular case.
The fact that the issues of Pakistan and Afghanistan were omitted in Obamas election campaign clearly demonstrates the limitations of the public accountability and the lack of the public awareness on the state foreign policies (Chomsky Hopes and Prospects 249).
Thus, giving special consideration to the US national identity as the worlds peacemaker and recognizing the hidden goals for continuing the so-called war on terror, Chomsky used his expertise on the US foreign policy and particular military campaigns for predicting the escalation of the circle of violence.
The continuing military conflicts and the dominating mood of desperation and anxiety can be regarded as the evidence that Chomskys predictions on the escalation of the violence circle were correct.
The scholars assumption that if the traditional strategies of the US government do not change, it can result in long-term consequences of extreme violence and destruction is compliant with the available data on the ongoing military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Moreover, the lack of the public accountability and the use of propaganda for distorting the public views and justifying the implemented measures have become effective instruments used by the US administration for pursuing their goals.
The propaganda and mass media played an important role in creating the so-called Orwells problem, the term implying the measures which are imposed by the government for hiding their true motives by distorting the public perceptions of reality. Orwell is known for discussing the voluntary censorship as the pattern used by the ruling minority for treating the information at their discretion, either mentioning a certain fact or concealing it.
Thus, possessing the power for making decision what information and in what key should be presented to the masses, the minority group can not only foster the desirable biases but also manipulate and control the masses. The phrases national interest and peace processes can be regarded as typical Orwellisms (Chomsky Powers and Prospects 192).
In other words, proclaiming the war on terror for justifying their military operations, the US government justifies its actions and makes attempts to prevent the public resistance to their policies by hiding the truth and emphasizing the fictional noble goals. Along with the excuse of self-defense, the labels of peacemaking can be assigned to certain military operations for the purpose of concealing the true underlying causes and distorting the public opinion. Thus, the means of propaganda are widely used by the US government and played a significant role in the intensification of Orwells problem in the American society.
In Chomskys opinion, Orwells problem requires practical solution, while the construction of a profound scientific theory would be inappropriate. The scholar suggests the practical program of intellectual self-defense for settling the issue of biased mass media and overwhelming propaganda strategies implemented by the government for hiding the underlying causes of the ongoing processes and their political decisions.
Taking into account that the problem is rooted deep in the public consciousness, Chomsky concludes that it cannot be solved through removal of the conventional Orwellisms, such as the terms national interest and peacemaking. The practical solution requires active involvement of the masses.
The program consists of the three main components, including the collection of the information which was distorted by the mass media for complying with the governments demands. The second stage presupposes exploration of the main motives of the privileged minority to make certain decisions and conceal them from the community.
The third component is the practical implementation of the acquired skills and knowledge in evaluating the TV news and other means of public propaganda. Enabling the masses to become rational observers by providing them with the necessary information is the practical solution which was offered by Chomsky for handling the Orwells problem in a democratic society.
The propaganda model developed by Herman and Chomsky can be used for explaining the patterns which allow the privileged minority to control masses in democratic societies. Collecting evidence on illusions and biases constructed by the mass media and explaining the true underlying causes of these strategies, Chomsky makes correct predictions concerning the escalation of the violence circle and offers intellectual self-defense as the practical solution for the problem of propaganda.
Works Cited
Chomsky, Noam. Hopes and Prospects. Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2010. Print.
Powers and Prospects: Reflections on Human Nature and the Social Order. London: Pluto Press Ltd, 1999. PrernaLal.com. Web.
In brief, Propaganda (1928) by Edward Bernays examines how propaganda can be used by governments and business organizations as a way of manipulating public opinion. In the book, Bernays explains how he employed propaganda to manipulate the public when he was the head of the United States Department of public information during world war I. As the head of public information, Bernays used propaganda to formulate an advertisement campaign which was geared toward influencing the masses to think that the war was good in democratizing people earth wide. This book reveals how the public opinion can be shaped with words with power as seen in this book. The authors thesis statement is mindful and clever manipulation of masses is an essential element in the democratization process. This book is still very educative in our contemporary world as it methodically tells us the impacts of propaganda in our daily lives. In this book we see that Bernays did not only look at what was going on at that time but he also looked at the use of propaganda in the time to come. In a nutshell, in this book Bernays lays out his inharmoniously prophetic vision for employing propaganda in manipulating public opinion in number of areas such as governance and politics among many other areas. Bernays sees propaganda as continuous lasting endeavor geared toward building or modifying events with an eye of persuading the relations of masses to an opinion. In this perspective, we see propagandas role as an instrument for those working in public relations as well as a medium of communication. Bernays observes that the core concept is not to market an idea or a service, but the key is to market the need of the idea or the service. In explaining the marketing of pianos, for instance, Bernays observes that a competent propagandist ought to try to create public approval of the concept of music place in the house. In this approach, a buyers resolution to purchase a piano will be induced by his or her informed interest in having a music room in his or her house. This is because the propagandist in one way or the other encouraged the buyer to create a music place in his or her house, the buyer will long to purchase a piano as way of satisfying the promise of the music room in his or her home.
One notable quote from the book is:
The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. (Bernays, p. 37)
From the above quote the author tells us how mindful and clever public opinion manipulation can be used to change public opinion. Bernays initiated the scientific method of molding and influencing public opinion. He called this method engineering of consent. (Bernays, p. 152) When he headed the united State department of public information, Bernays played a central role in designing propaganda machinery that rallied to create and market war as the solution to democratize the world. This propaganda machinery was later used as a framework in which future wars advertising strategies were founded. Bernays used techniques he got in CPI as well as other scholars ideas and for this reason he was advocate of propaganda as a means for political and business control of the public. Without doubt, Bernays was very much interested in applying psychoanalytic theory in his work as the head of state department of public information. This can be attributed to his thinking in regards to the opinion of the masses. In this book, we can observe how he employs the thought of Freudian in understanding how to influence thoughts and actions of the masses. Here, we see how propagandists need more than not just the reasons individuals give for their attitudes and beliefs. From this point of view, it revealed that to influence men toward certain thinking or opinion the propagandists need understand the source of their wants and needs. It is only through knowing the needs and wants of the masses that help propagandists to able to manipulate the masses toward a particular opinion.
This book sheds light on how great and influential democracies and institutions are formed regarding planned manipulation of the public opinion. This book is an essential source of information to all those who are governed. Particularly, the book is a very important resource in understanding the operations of the PR industry of today. From the book, it is revealed that public relations and marketing functions employ intellectual manipulation to serve those organizational functions that shape the opinion of the masses. Here, Bernays offers his audience a base to know the art of influencing the public mind. The book can also be a good resource in understanding methods that are employed in the contemporary history, for instance war on terrorism. In this book, Bernays observes that well-thought manipulation of the opinion of masses is an essential element for avoiding turmoil and differences in society. Bernays polished the way of creating a remote but ever-frightening adversary and then developing an unvarying state of terror by producing forged media messages that continuously re-affirmed and amplified the risk. The affirmed goal of Bernays manipulations was geared toward bestowing those in power a bigger control over the masses they controlled. A closer look at the propaganda reveals that, Bernays was aware of and we all need to understand that at the back of every group there is a person who manipulates the opinions of the group. We should also be aware that those who influence the thinking of masses are hidden but real government leaders who chart the future to benefit the privileged few without considering the welfare of the masses. These secret public manipulators view the masses as sub-humans. The privileged few have the power and they use this power to control those in public relations offices. Under the control of the elite, the public relations officers are delighted to take their commands without reasoning why a few members of the society consider themselves as gods while considering the masses as their slaves. Without question, It can be argued that the more the authority of those who consider themselves gods grows the more the masses suffering grows and hence the future of ordinary citizens is more and more emerging as tragic. In nutshell, Bernayss manipulation techniques functioned properly in mid 20th century and unfortunately, they seem at play in the contemporary world as well as the future.
Works Cited
Bernays, Edward. Propaganda New York, Ig Publishing, 2004. Web.
Political propaganda has dominated most of literature works. Various literature books contain half-truths or blatant false stories that are meant to serve the interest of some nations, communities, emperors, kingdoms, and religious beliefs. The misinformed approach in literature books seeks to persuade, influence, or manipulate readers using information that is specifically defined and disseminated for this purpose. As a medium of communication, leaders have used literature works over the years to brainwash, deceive, persuade, and enhance certain euphoria on people.
Propaganda is packaged in a strategic way that makes it difficult for people to distinguish the thin line between truth, half-truth, and falsehood. Various elements of propaganda such as repetition of certain concepts, simplicity of certain actions and decisions, imagery of results, and sentiments from people who have already taken the action and/or are willing to take the action are dominant in literature books. Some of the most common literature books that have used the propaganda approach to attain certain ends include Tales for Little Rebels by Maria Popova, The Future by Al Gore, and The Aeneid by Even Virgil. This paper will explore why the latter. As the paper reveals, The Aeneid is a political epic that was written with a political agenda to justify the founding of the nation of Rome.
Political Propaganda in The Aeneid
The Aeneid uses scanty details on issues of love, religion, and control, which are packaged in a way that draws strong emotions from the reader. According to Cooksey (2008), Virgil successfully uses love, fear, sympathy, and hope in appealing to the sentiments of the reader to yearn being like the characters or to wish that a certain remedial action is taken to curb a certain habit. According to Prince (2014), The Aeneid draws love as a powerful force that controls human beings. However, the ultimate impact of love is depicted as death, thus instilling fear on readers. Love should be embraced with caution. For instance, Virgil (2008) says, and more than anyone, the Phoenician queen, luckless, already given over to ruin, marveled and could not have enough: she burned in pleasure in the boy and in the gifts& and she with all her eyes and heart embraced him (p. 971). These words indicate that love may have a hidden agenda. The premise is that propaganda dwells on emotions.
Fear is a powerful tool in developing, raising, and hastening readers emotions. For example, Didos love for Aeneas distracts him from focusing on his earlier goal of finding a new city. Virgil (2008) says, And Dido, fated queen, drew out the night with talk of various matters while she drank long draughts of love& the son of dawn, had worn; now of the team Diomedes drove; now of the huge Achilles (p. 1021). People, especially leaders, are therefore warned that they should never mix leadership and love. Love is drawn as an enemy that can destroy strong kingdoms. Emotions that emanate from love are also tailored to fit the agenda of the writer. In fact, he portrays Nisus, a Trojan warrior, sacrificing himself in an attempt to save Euryalus his friend. Virgil (2008) says, No, me! Me! Here I am! I did it! Take Your swords to me, Rutulians&All the trickery Was mine.
He had not dared to do anything, He could not& all he did was care Too much for a luckless friend (p. 605). These words indicate that love can lead to selflessness and courage, which are necessary aspects in leadership. The concept that The Aeneid attempts to propagate at this point is that warriors should remain united in fighting for their nation to a point of losing their lives. As propaganda, this strategy is meant to make leaders and future warriors of Roman kingdom remain united against their enemies with a premise that an enemy to one person is a rival to all people. Individuality and free will of the people are therefore nabbed and tied together in the name of nationalism and loyalty to the kingdom.
As Prince (2014) observes, religion was part of every facet of human life in the Roman kingdom. The Aeneid was therefore well calculated in making propaganda on matters of religion since it appealed to what people considered important. Cooksey (2008) asserts that gods are painted in a way that depicts them accepting sacrifices and making peoples lives better. However, besides destroying the lives of others for no reason, they control the fate of the leaders and leadership. For example, Aeneas and his Trojan make sacrifices to Juno the goddess, although she never stops hating them. When gods are contrary&they stand by no one (Virgil, 2008, p. 532). This observation implies that the will of gods cannot be changed since it is controlled by fate. This situation tells the reader that it is dangerous to annoy the gods since even sacrifices that they make to them may never change their wrath. According to Pinkster (1999), the principle of instilling fear of the unknown on followers is brought out. People are wary of annoying supernatural beings that they cannot appease by opposing their appointed leaders.
Everyone has a duty to respect what gods say as seen in the words, So he called out, then turned to poke the embers&The drowsing fire on his hearth, and paid His humble duty to the Lar of Troy and Vestas shrine (Virgil, 2008, p. 968). Leaders opinion therefore remains unquestioned with the fear that questioning a god-installed leader is like opposing the gods. As a result, punishment might befall people who question it. For example, Aeneous says, Poor fellow, how could rashness take you this way? Dont you feel, a force now more than mortal is against you and heavens will has changed&Well bow to that (Virgil, 2008, p. 602). The Aeneid makes it difficult for the reader to distinguish leadership from religion.
Peoples sentiments are also influenced by the connection that the author draws between religion and politics. The gods influence and/or determine the fate of politics. A belief that people who are in leadership are appointed and protected by a god make the subjects fear opposing them since religion teaches that gods are all powerful and beyond human beings. A good example in The Aeneid is that Aeneas instructs Dares not to continue fighting Entellus with an argument that a certain god is assisting Entellus. This situation makes it futile for people to fight or oppose leaders who are believed to be chosen and protected by gods. The whole scenario depicts the idea of political propaganda. Fear and emotions are tools that are applied in this poem to enhance propaganda for the benefit of the King.
Political propaganda deploys the aspect of repetition of any information that appeals to the mind of the reader or listener. Franke (2014) affirms that propaganda is meant to either instill fear, anxiety, or eventually offer hope and solution. Virgil (2008) uses constant repetition of the fate of the Trojan. For example, he repeatedly emphasizes that Trojans will establish a new city. This repetition already indicates that regardless of the challenges that the Trojans will face in different episodes, their success is divine.
Scully and Fletcher (1987) confirm how the fate of Romans is also repeatedly emphasized through the imagery of future Roman heroes who are not yet born. They are lined up in the underworld as an indication that the reader should believe that the fit of leadership and control of the Roman kingdom will reign over the years under divine underworld kings. A sense of eternity and life-long leadership of the Romans is thereby drawn. According to Xinyue (2013), the concept that is being painted by repetition of imagery is that no ruler from other nations will ever rule the Romans. Enough leaders have been born while the unborn others are waiting to take over. Such propaganda brainwashes readers into believing that leadership in the kingdom is for a selected group and that the fate of the minorities and followers is sealed by fate as seen in Junos words, Give up what I began? Am I defeated&Am I impotent to keep the king of Teucrians from Italy&The Fates forbid me, am I to suppose (Virgil, 2008, p. 56).
The poem also depicts an exciting history of the Romans on the shield of Aeneas. The implication is the good history of conquering others that the Romans have had is their shield and that it is going to repeat itself. Hence, Romans are never defeated. This observation appeals to the would-be aggressors that their efforts will be futile. Any politically correct mindset within the kingdom that wants to take over leadership in Roman will therefore be discouraged. However, people know nothing about the events themselves as seen in the words, He felt joy in their pictures, taking up&And fame of his descendants (Virgil, 2008, p. 989). Repetition of this image is meant to draw a mental picture of the power of the Roman kingdom and the fate of any divergent mind. In The Aeneid, Juno the goddess vividly reminds readers that the destiny of the Trojan is in finding a city in Italy. This repetition makes the reader believe that a certain supernatural power will eventually deliver success to the Trojan, despite the obstacles that the people are facing. In this poem, propaganda is presented in a way that alienates the free will of the people completely (Franke, 2014).
The people of Rome have no mind of their own in the poem. Some goddess and leaders control every facet of their lives. People are therefore made to believe that the kingdom is very successful under the few selected leaders. As Jupiter confirms, Before he falls if so you understand me Take Turnus off in flight, wrest him away From fate that stands before him. There is room for that much lenience&Changed by this, you cherish a vain hope (Virgil, 2008, p. 872). The fact is that propaganda is meant to persuade readers to think and act in the way the king wants. Regardless of traditional beliefs concerning fate and goddesses, people have their own free will. Hence, they can make decisions. Weiner (2013) asserts that the views of democracy and opposition to leadership are therefore overturned through fear and uncertainty. For example, no one wants to oppose what the gods have said, what the dead have dictated, and/or what leaders are instructed to do. All people are therefore made to think and talk about leadership of their land in one dimension that is controlled by fate.
The Aeneid uses imagery as a political propaganda in an effort to build the theme of power and warfare. According to Xinyue (2013), the power of propaganda rests on how users attend to appealing and captivating imagery in their work. Since imagery can be pictorial or descriptive, Virgil uses both pictures of warfare on the cover of the book and vivid descriptions of war and power. Imagery makes it easier to appeal to the mind, soul, and heart of the reader. It is also easier to remember mental pictures than plain literature. In The Aeneid, imagery is used to appeal directly to readers to create a mental picture of the happenings in the poem. For example, Jupiter and Anchises are seen making predictions that the Roman power will eventually spread to all parts of the earth. For example, Jupiter says, young Romulus will take the leadership, build walls of Mars, And call by his own name his people Romans& empire without end (Virgil, 2008, p. 371).
Through this propaganda, the reader is taken to a mental world of figuring out a world without end that the Romans will have to control. Readers will therefore be made to believe that all other kingdoms and nations are inferior and that they should submit to the Romans. This propaganda on the expansive kingdom that the leaders are to have dominion over also forces those who are opposed to it both internally and externally to surrender to the suggested might. As seen in Anchises words, Roman, remember by your strength to rule Earths peoples&To spare the conquered, battle down the proud (Virgil, 2008, pp. 1151-1154). No one wants to fight a leader of all nations since such a fight is futile. The Aeneid also depicts an everlasting peace that the Roman kingdom will provide to nations that it will take over. The propaganda in The Aeneid paints a picture of the world as very dangerous place to live in if the protection of the Romans is absent.
According to Weiner (2013), Virgil also uses imagery in propaganda in an effort to derive the theme of war. Although he seems to dislike wars, he respects people who participate in wars and/or those who have conquered through war such as Aeneas. Coroebus says, Well take their shields and put on their insignia&Trickery, bravery: who asks, in war (Virgil, 2008, p. 516). Virgil draws a picture of a great duty that awaits him and that will open a great history on his eyes. In this imagery, Virgil refers to war that the Romans will have to wage in order to take over the world and bring peace to it. According to Heiny (2013), The Aeneid also depicts a point where the world will be peaceful under the control of the Romans. However, such control can only be achieved through war. Such images are meant to instill fear in readers of this poem within and outside Rome. For example, Turnus says, now to hack them up with swords&The battle is in your hands, men (Virgil, 2008, p. 386). The aim of the writer is to disseminate propaganda that Rome is a powerful fighter that will soon take over all other kingdoms. This claim is a political propaganda. Heiny (2013) observes that War brings on death, rape, maiming, displacement, and loss of property.
Simplicity as an element of propaganda is also applied in The Aeneid. Scully and Fletcher (1987) reveal various episodes of death that are depicted in a simple manner that appeals to all readers. Since people are ignorant of complex messages and/or will only pay simple attention to written information, Virgil fully exploits this aspect while talking about death. For instance, he says, At Didos head she came to rest&And out into the winds her life withdrew (Virgil, 2008, p. 971). Death is feared by all people. In fact, the mention of death causes alarm and attention. Virgil exploits the simplest way of awakening and pulling the attention and concentration of readers by depicting death in a simple way. For example, leaders that are involved in various wars before their deaths have a secluded magnificent place in the underworld as seen in Aeneas words, there are souls that go from here&Aloft to upper heaven (Virgil, 2008, p. 965). This move enhances the war propaganda that leaders can kill their opponents whilst being honored by gods. Death is painted in a way that warrants no attention of the reader.
According to Heiny (2013), Virgil also emphasizes reincarnation that people will live again after death. This propaganda on death as not being eternal further simplifies the idea of death. The propaganda is meant to prepare Romans to volunteer in war to channel their energies and life to defending the opponents of their kingdom as seen in Jupiters words, What privilege for these, your ships&Shall hulls that mortal hands have made enjoy a right&That only immortals have (Virgil, 2008, pp. 132-135). People are also persuaded to be good to their families, neighbors, and other citizens in order to have a good place in the underworld and/or during rebirth. Jupiter says, Every mans last day is fixed. Lifetimes are brief, and not to be regained (Virgil, 2008, p. 650). This propaganda spreads peace within the kingdom whilst equipping people with information that is against their enemies. People are not reborn after death and that no one knows what happens to the soul after death.
Conclusion
The Aeneid is a political epic that was written with a political agenda to justify the founding of the nation of Rome. This claim has been depicted in this essay, which has explored various elements of political propaganda that the author has used in persuading people. Such elements include the use of repetition, simplicity, imagery, and sentiments that appeal to readers mind, heart, and actions. The propagandas that are enhanced by leaders have boosted the stability and unity of the Roman kingdom for many years.
Reference List
Cooksey, L. (2008). The Aeneid. Library Journal, 133(5), 72-73.
Franke, W. (2014). War and Tragedy And The Fate Of The Spoken: Virgil Secularization Of Prophecy. College Literature, 4(4), 25-40.
Heiny, S. (2013). Virgil in Seamus Heaneys Human Chain: Images and Symbols Adequate To Our Predicament . Renascence, 65(4), 304-318.
Prince, M. (2014). Helen of Rome? Helen in Vergils Aeneid. Helios, 41(2), 187-214.
Pinkster, H. (1999). The present tense in Virgils Aeneid. Mnemosyne, 52(6), 705.
Scully, S., & Fletcher, J. (1987). Virgils Aeneid and the Tradition of Hellenistic Poetry (Book). Library Journal, 112(3), 148.
Virgil, R. (2008). The Aeneid. New York, NY: Word Press.
Weiner, J. (2013). ONeills Aeneid: Virgilian Allusion in Mourning Becomes Electra. International Journal of the Classical Tradition, 20(1/2), 41-60.
Xinyue, B. (2013). The Humanness of Heroes: Studies in the Conclusion of Virgils Aeneid. Mnemosyne, 66(2), 335-337.
Political propaganda has dominated most of literature works. Various literature books contain half-truths or blatant false stories that are meant to serve the interest of some nations, communities, emperors, kingdoms, and religious beliefs. The misinformed approach in literature books seeks to persuade, influence, or manipulate readers using information that is specifically defined and disseminated for this purpose. As a medium of communication, leaders have used literature works over the years to brainwash, deceive, persuade, and enhance certain euphoria on people.
Propaganda is packaged in a strategic way that makes it difficult for people to distinguish the thin line between truth, half-truth, and falsehood. Various elements of propaganda such as repetition of certain concepts, simplicity of certain actions and decisions, imagery of results, and sentiments from people who have already taken the action and/or are willing to take the action are dominant in literature books. Some of the most common literature books that have used the propaganda approach to attain certain ends include Tales for Little Rebels by Maria Popova, The Future by Al Gore, and The Aeneid by Even Virgil. This paper will explore why the latter. As the paper reveals, The Aeneid is a political epic that was written with a political agenda to justify the founding of the nation of Rome.
Political Propaganda in The Aeneid
The Aeneid uses scanty details on issues of love, religion, and control, which are packaged in a way that draws strong emotions from the reader. According to Cooksey (2008), Virgil successfully uses love, fear, sympathy, and hope in appealing to the sentiments of the reader to yearn being like the characters or to wish that a certain remedial action is taken to curb a certain habit. According to Prince (2014), The Aeneid draws love as a powerful force that controls human beings. However, the ultimate impact of love is depicted as death, thus instilling fear on readers. Love should be embraced with caution. For instance, Virgil (2008) says, and more than anyone, the Phoenician queen, luckless, already given over to ruin, marveled and could not have enough: she burned in pleasure in the boy and in the gifts& and she with all her eyes and heart embraced him (p. 971). These words indicate that love may have a hidden agenda. The premise is that propaganda dwells on emotions.
Fear is a powerful tool in developing, raising, and hastening readers emotions. For example, Didos love for Aeneas distracts him from focusing on his earlier goal of finding a new city. Virgil (2008) says, And Dido, fated queen, drew out the night with talk of various matters while she drank long draughts of love& the son of dawn, had worn; now of the team Diomedes drove; now of the huge Achilles (p. 1021). People, especially leaders, are therefore warned that they should never mix leadership and love. Love is drawn as an enemy that can destroy strong kingdoms. Emotions that emanate from love are also tailored to fit the agenda of the writer. In fact, he portrays Nisus, a Trojan warrior, sacrificing himself in an attempt to save Euryalus his friend. Virgil (2008) says, No, me! Me! Here I am! I did it! Take Your swords to me, Rutulians&All the trickery Was mine.
He had not dared to do anything, He could not& all he did was care Too much for a luckless friend (p. 605). These words indicate that love can lead to selflessness and courage, which are necessary aspects in leadership. The concept that The Aeneid attempts to propagate at this point is that warriors should remain united in fighting for their nation to a point of losing their lives. As propaganda, this strategy is meant to make leaders and future warriors of Roman kingdom remain united against their enemies with a premise that an enemy to one person is a rival to all people. Individuality and free will of the people are therefore nabbed and tied together in the name of nationalism and loyalty to the kingdom.
As Prince (2014) observes, religion was part of every facet of human life in the Roman kingdom. The Aeneid was therefore well calculated in making propaganda on matters of religion since it appealed to what people considered important. Cooksey (2008) asserts that gods are painted in a way that depicts them accepting sacrifices and making peoples lives better. However, besides destroying the lives of others for no reason, they control the fate of the leaders and leadership. For example, Aeneas and his Trojan make sacrifices to Juno the goddess, although she never stops hating them. When gods are contrary&they stand by no one (Virgil, 2008, p. 532). This observation implies that the will of gods cannot be changed since it is controlled by fate. This situation tells the reader that it is dangerous to annoy the gods since even sacrifices that they make to them may never change their wrath. According to Pinkster (1999), the principle of instilling fear of the unknown on followers is brought out. People are wary of annoying supernatural beings that they cannot appease by opposing their appointed leaders.
Everyone has a duty to respect what gods say as seen in the words, So he called out, then turned to poke the embers&The drowsing fire on his hearth, and paid His humble duty to the Lar of Troy and Vestas shrine (Virgil, 2008, p. 968). Leaders opinion therefore remains unquestioned with the fear that questioning a god-installed leader is like opposing the gods. As a result, punishment might befall people who question it. For example, Aeneous says, Poor fellow, how could rashness take you this way? Dont you feel, a force now more than mortal is against you and heavens will has changed&Well bow to that (Virgil, 2008, p. 602). The Aeneid makes it difficult for the reader to distinguish leadership from religion.
Peoples sentiments are also influenced by the connection that the author draws between religion and politics. The gods influence and/or determine the fate of politics. A belief that people who are in leadership are appointed and protected by a god make the subjects fear opposing them since religion teaches that gods are all powerful and beyond human beings. A good example in The Aeneid is that Aeneas instructs Dares not to continue fighting Entellus with an argument that a certain god is assisting Entellus. This situation makes it futile for people to fight or oppose leaders who are believed to be chosen and protected by gods. The whole scenario depicts the idea of political propaganda. Fear and emotions are tools that are applied in this poem to enhance propaganda for the benefit of the King.
Political propaganda deploys the aspect of repetition of any information that appeals to the mind of the reader or listener. Franke (2014) affirms that propaganda is meant to either instill fear, anxiety, or eventually offer hope and solution. Virgil (2008) uses constant repetition of the fate of the Trojan. For example, he repeatedly emphasizes that Trojans will establish a new city. This repetition already indicates that regardless of the challenges that the Trojans will face in different episodes, their success is divine.
Scully and Fletcher (1987) confirm how the fate of Romans is also repeatedly emphasized through the imagery of future Roman heroes who are not yet born. They are lined up in the underworld as an indication that the reader should believe that the fit of leadership and control of the Roman kingdom will reign over the years under divine underworld kings. A sense of eternity and life-long leadership of the Romans is thereby drawn. According to Xinyue (2013), the concept that is being painted by repetition of imagery is that no ruler from other nations will ever rule the Romans. Enough leaders have been born while the unborn others are waiting to take over. Such propaganda brainwashes readers into believing that leadership in the kingdom is for a selected group and that the fate of the minorities and followers is sealed by fate as seen in Junos words, Give up what I began? Am I defeated&Am I impotent to keep the king of Teucrians from Italy&The Fates forbid me, am I to suppose (Virgil, 2008, p. 56).
The poem also depicts an exciting history of the Romans on the shield of Aeneas. The implication is the good history of conquering others that the Romans have had is their shield and that it is going to repeat itself. Hence, Romans are never defeated. This observation appeals to the would-be aggressors that their efforts will be futile. Any politically correct mindset within the kingdom that wants to take over leadership in Roman will therefore be discouraged. However, people know nothing about the events themselves as seen in the words, He felt joy in their pictures, taking up&And fame of his descendants (Virgil, 2008, p. 989). Repetition of this image is meant to draw a mental picture of the power of the Roman kingdom and the fate of any divergent mind. In The Aeneid, Juno the goddess vividly reminds readers that the destiny of the Trojan is in finding a city in Italy. This repetition makes the reader believe that a certain supernatural power will eventually deliver success to the Trojan, despite the obstacles that the people are facing. In this poem, propaganda is presented in a way that alienates the free will of the people completely (Franke, 2014).
The people of Rome have no mind of their own in the poem. Some goddess and leaders control every facet of their lives. People are therefore made to believe that the kingdom is very successful under the few selected leaders. As Jupiter confirms, Before he falls if so you understand me Take Turnus off in flight, wrest him away From fate that stands before him. There is room for that much lenience&Changed by this, you cherish a vain hope (Virgil, 2008, p. 872). The fact is that propaganda is meant to persuade readers to think and act in the way the king wants. Regardless of traditional beliefs concerning fate and goddesses, people have their own free will. Hence, they can make decisions. Weiner (2013) asserts that the views of democracy and opposition to leadership are therefore overturned through fear and uncertainty. For example, no one wants to oppose what the gods have said, what the dead have dictated, and/or what leaders are instructed to do. All people are therefore made to think and talk about leadership of their land in one dimension that is controlled by fate.
The Aeneid uses imagery as a political propaganda in an effort to build the theme of power and warfare. According to Xinyue (2013), the power of propaganda rests on how users attend to appealing and captivating imagery in their work. Since imagery can be pictorial or descriptive, Virgil uses both pictures of warfare on the cover of the book and vivid descriptions of war and power. Imagery makes it easier to appeal to the mind, soul, and heart of the reader. It is also easier to remember mental pictures than plain literature. In The Aeneid, imagery is used to appeal directly to readers to create a mental picture of the happenings in the poem. For example, Jupiter and Anchises are seen making predictions that the Roman power will eventually spread to all parts of the earth. For example, Jupiter says, young Romulus will take the leadership, build walls of Mars, And call by his own name his people Romans& empire without end (Virgil, 2008, p. 371).
Through this propaganda, the reader is taken to a mental world of figuring out a world without end that the Romans will have to control. Readers will therefore be made to believe that all other kingdoms and nations are inferior and that they should submit to the Romans. This propaganda on the expansive kingdom that the leaders are to have dominion over also forces those who are opposed to it both internally and externally to surrender to the suggested might. As seen in Anchises words, Roman, remember by your strength to rule Earths peoples&To spare the conquered, battle down the proud (Virgil, 2008, pp. 1151-1154). No one wants to fight a leader of all nations since such a fight is futile. The Aeneid also depicts an everlasting peace that the Roman kingdom will provide to nations that it will take over. The propaganda in The Aeneid paints a picture of the world as very dangerous place to live in if the protection of the Romans is absent.
According to Weiner (2013), Virgil also uses imagery in propaganda in an effort to derive the theme of war. Although he seems to dislike wars, he respects people who participate in wars and/or those who have conquered through war such as Aeneas. Coroebus says, Well take their shields and put on their insignia&Trickery, bravery: who asks, in war (Virgil, 2008, p. 516). Virgil draws a picture of a great duty that awaits him and that will open a great history on his eyes. In this imagery, Virgil refers to war that the Romans will have to wage in order to take over the world and bring peace to it. According to Heiny (2013), The Aeneid also depicts a point where the world will be peaceful under the control of the Romans. However, such control can only be achieved through war. Such images are meant to instill fear in readers of this poem within and outside Rome. For example, Turnus says, now to hack them up with swords&The battle is in your hands, men (Virgil, 2008, p. 386). The aim of the writer is to disseminate propaganda that Rome is a powerful fighter that will soon take over all other kingdoms. This claim is a political propaganda. Heiny (2013) observes that War brings on death, rape, maiming, displacement, and loss of property.
Simplicity as an element of propaganda is also applied in The Aeneid. Scully and Fletcher (1987) reveal various episodes of death that are depicted in a simple manner that appeals to all readers. Since people are ignorant of complex messages and/or will only pay simple attention to written information, Virgil fully exploits this aspect while talking about death. For instance, he says, At Didos head she came to rest&And out into the winds her life withdrew (Virgil, 2008, p. 971). Death is feared by all people. In fact, the mention of death causes alarm and attention. Virgil exploits the simplest way of awakening and pulling the attention and concentration of readers by depicting death in a simple way. For example, leaders that are involved in various wars before their deaths have a secluded magnificent place in the underworld as seen in Aeneas words, there are souls that go from here&Aloft to upper heaven (Virgil, 2008, p. 965). This move enhances the war propaganda that leaders can kill their opponents whilst being honored by gods. Death is painted in a way that warrants no attention of the reader.
According to Heiny (2013), Virgil also emphasizes reincarnation that people will live again after death. This propaganda on death as not being eternal further simplifies the idea of death. The propaganda is meant to prepare Romans to volunteer in war to channel their energies and life to defending the opponents of their kingdom as seen in Jupiters words, What privilege for these, your ships&Shall hulls that mortal hands have made enjoy a right&That only immortals have (Virgil, 2008, pp. 132-135). People are also persuaded to be good to their families, neighbors, and other citizens in order to have a good place in the underworld and/or during rebirth. Jupiter says, Every mans last day is fixed. Lifetimes are brief, and not to be regained (Virgil, 2008, p. 650). This propaganda spreads peace within the kingdom whilst equipping people with information that is against their enemies. People are not reborn after death and that no one knows what happens to the soul after death.
Conclusion
The Aeneid is a political epic that was written with a political agenda to justify the founding of the nation of Rome. This claim has been depicted in this essay, which has explored various elements of political propaganda that the author has used in persuading people. Such elements include the use of repetition, simplicity, imagery, and sentiments that appeal to readers mind, heart, and actions. The propagandas that are enhanced by leaders have boosted the stability and unity of the Roman kingdom for many years.
Reference List
Cooksey, L. (2008). The Aeneid. Library Journal, 133(5), 72-73.
Franke, W. (2014). War and Tragedy And The Fate Of The Spoken: Virgil Secularization Of Prophecy. College Literature, 4(4), 25-40.
Heiny, S. (2013). Virgil in Seamus Heaneys Human Chain: Images and Symbols Adequate To Our Predicament . Renascence, 65(4), 304-318.
Prince, M. (2014). Helen of Rome? Helen in Vergils Aeneid. Helios, 41(2), 187-214.
Pinkster, H. (1999). The present tense in Virgils Aeneid. Mnemosyne, 52(6), 705.
Scully, S., & Fletcher, J. (1987). Virgils Aeneid and the Tradition of Hellenistic Poetry (Book). Library Journal, 112(3), 148.
Virgil, R. (2008). The Aeneid. New York, NY: Word Press.
Weiner, J. (2013). ONeills Aeneid: Virgilian Allusion in Mourning Becomes Electra. International Journal of the Classical Tradition, 20(1/2), 41-60.
Xinyue, B. (2013). The Humanness of Heroes: Studies in the Conclusion of Virgils Aeneid. Mnemosyne, 66(2), 335-337.
The main problem here that we face in our everyday lives is the false information and the false news we hear everyday and leads to rumor spreading and many other problems that sometimes affect our beliefs and attitudes. Why is Propaganda dangerous?
Propaganda is a promotion material that uses content filled with causes, emotions and relies heavily on manipulating the public opinion and their action in order to support the main aim of the source. It uses mass media to foster its idea and support it. It can be spread starting from one individual to the masses and large groups, nowadays the public view of propaganda is neutral, it has been agreed on for propaganda to remain here and work on how to differentiate the good from the bad. The spread of false news and media manipulation in the twenty-first century greatly expanded the range of what constitutes the darkest and most effective types of propaganda, while the word “Fake News” has been going around for some time, it gained attention when several people witnessed “Donald’s Trump” dramatic win in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election and saw the effect of fake news websites.
We will see everything about propaganda and the techniques used for spreading in this research.
At first, when the word “Fake News” came into the spotlight, it was generally viewed by people as social media posts with quite amazing storyline. Social media is a powerful technique and has a great impact used in propaganda and in spreading rumors. The technique of propaganda spreading was there for years and its effect is increasing day by day. Keep in mind that social media is one of the most used means of communication in order to spread lies and misinformation.
Introduction
Do we let propaganda influence us? Everything starting from how we act, what we eat, what we dress is being influenced by Propaganda. We can see propaganda everywhere. Is it the trend we think is cool? Yes. But the question that should be asked is, how much propaganda can shape us? Propaganda’s impact is diffused, inescapable and inevitable. So, to be clearer, propaganda is a plague; it is widespread in our society.
We can see it everywhere we go and it can greatly shape the way we live our lives, how we wear and the decisions we make can be influenced by what we observe in Ads. The pair of shoes we want for a sport or for a run have been well advertised and endorsed by a popular athlete and that’s why we bought them. Advertisements campaigns work so hard to make anything they market look simply amazing. Who in the world wouldn’t want to be like their favorite celebrity or athlete? No one care if the endorsement is a Nobel prize winner or someone who has suffered a trauma and has been through a lot, the media is great at taking advantage of whatever they can get their hands on and TBH, this is their main goal. That’s how things work if you gave it a little thought.
In another way, what we tend to say and the way we talk and even sometimes our expressions can be the result of propaganda. The reason why I’m writing this in the research because again, the hero factor plays a great role. You can be watching your favorite athlete, celebrity or model and start to act like them, believe it or not, this can be a good and a bad thing. As sometimes people are so obsessed to the extent, they can get a tattoo of their favorite hero or even copy the ones they have. If we saw them helping an elderly cross the street, we like them even more and that’s how Ads point them out. You can start to talk and act like your hero. People can be influenced by shows because they think they can be a better person if they started to act in a certain way. So, we have come to a conclusion that propaganda has the ability to shape our lives.
Everything we do is a piece of Propaganda.
Let’ s state some facts. It’s in the human nature and completely normal for people to spread news, in fact, I agree that, when it comes to ads alone, the most successful commercials are those which are humorous.
The reason I think that is that comedy is the best way to bring up an emotion inside anyone. Usually, if not always, if someone thinks something is funny, they ‘re going to want to tell their friends about it so they can all have a good laugh. When this happens, because the advertising is clear enough in the marketing as in the Adidas MVPuppets: Burn the house down advertisement, consumers will obey or purchase the advertisement product. (The commercial doesn’t explicitly tell viewers to burn their house for record.) For instance, using this commercial, I found this and showed it to my brother, who laughed and said that I had those.
And if he didn’t actually buy it because of the commercial, inquire about it and people would know what the MVPuppets are. If misinformation is the root of a virus, it would spread the quickest way it could.
What is Propaganda?
Propaganda is an advertising tool and if it wasn’t available, many people would’ve had difficulties reaching their goals.
The concept of propaganda is (Material that has been disseminated for the purpose of expanding a cause). You can sense that this Definition is vague; one might write a book to explain Propaganda but it is as simple as that. Propaganda is the information used to promote or publicize a point of view or a specific cause. Propaganda is known of being biased or misleading info, in another words, it doesn’t tell the entire truth because of the urge to promote a specific view, cause, product, or a person. It is often used in the political field and works under specific circumstances. Propaganda has the ability to manipulate one’s own beliefs, attitudes and actions.
Deliberacy and a fairly strong emphasis on deception differentiate propaganda from normal conversation, or free and simple sharing of ideas. Propagandists have a stated purpose or set of goals. To do this, they carefully pick and deliver symbolic data, statements and presentations in ways they believe would have the greatest impact.
They can ignore or misinterpret important information or actually lie to enhance impact, and they may seek to deflect the interest of the reactors (the people they are attempting to sway) from all but their own propaganda.
Similarly intentional selectivity and deception often discriminate between advertising and education. Educators seek to pose both aspects of an issue — the reasons for skepticism as well as the reasons for accepting the claims they make, and the pitfalls and advantages of any possible course of action.
Education helps to encourage reactors to collect and test facts for themselves, and to help them learn the strategies to do so.
Nevertheless, it should be acknowledged that certain propagandists may consider themselves as educators and may assume that they express the purest truth, that they highlight or misrepresent other facets of the facts just to render a clear message more convincing Or that the measures they recommend are in fact the best actions the reactor could take.
On the same time, the reactor who sees the message of the propagandist as self-evident reality may think of it as educational; this also appears to be the case for ‘true believers’—dogmatic reactors of moral, social , or political propaganda dogma.
[image: Fake News, the Propaganda of the 21st Century – Big Tows322 – Medium]
Examples of Propaganda:
Any sort of advertisement is propaganda used to promote a product or service. For example, an ad that promotes one deodorant brand over another is a case in point of propaganda.
Political posters and advertisements are a case in point for misinformation. These support one candidate in the campaign, and his opinions on others.
Many kinds of misinformation are generated by Government. Some type of advertisements from the public sector on safe living may be called propaganda.
Propaganda Techniques:
Figure 1: Propaganda Techniques
Propaganda is based on social psychological studies, are used to produce it. Many of these same tactics are known as logical fallacies, claims of science propaganda, and misinformation while being often persuasive. Many people have tried to identify the tactics used by propagandists from the early use of propaganda to move entire nations in WW1 and 2 through to the present.
Name Calling: Propagandists use this tactic to generate anxiety and excite hatred by using derogatory terms (bad names) to establish an adverse impression or dislike against a community, views, ideals or organizations that they will have us condemn. This method requires a conclusion without looking into the evidence. Name Calling is used as a replacement for arguing about the merits of an idea , belief, or proposal.
Glittering Generalities: Propagandists use vague, sweeping statements (often slogans or simple catchphrases) that use language associated with values and beliefs deeply held by the audience without providing information or reason to support them. They appeal to ideas like pride, honor, country love, wish for harmony, equality, and ideals of the nation. The terms and phrases are ambiguous and mean different things to different people, but there is still a positive meaning. It can’t mean true or wrong because it’s just saying nothing or nothing.
Transfer: Change is a tactic used to hold the legitimacy and acceptance of something that we admire and gratitude for something that the propagandist will have us embrace. Propagandists also use gestures (e.g., raising the flag) to stir our passions and earn our support.
Testimonial: This tactic is used by propagandists to persuade a reputable figure or someone with experience to support a commodity or cause by giving it their approval stamp in the expectation that the target audience will follow their example.
Plain Folks: This approach is used by propagandists to convince the audience that the spokesperson is from humble origins, someone they can trust, and one who has their interests at heart. In order to reach the audience and identify with their point of view, propagandists have the speaker use common language and mannerisms.
Bandwagon: Propagandists use this technique to convince the crowd to follow. This device creates a widespread supportive impression. It strengthens the human will to be on the winning side. It also plays into feelings of isolation and loneliness. The implication is that if you don’t jump on the bandwagon the parade will pass you by. While this is contrary to the other method, it has the same effect: getting the audience to join in with the crowd. Propagandists use this tactic to convince those who are not currently in the bandwagon to follow a mass campaign while ensuring at the same time that those on or partly on will stay aboard. Propaganda bandwagon took on a new twist. Propagandists are now trying to convince the target public that they will be left out if they don’t join.
Card Stacking: Propagandist employs this tactic to make the best arguments on his perspective and the worst arguments for the opponent’s point of view feasible by deliberately presenting only the evidence that help his side of the debate when attempting to persuade the listener to embrace the evidence as an inference. The propagandist stacks the cards against the facts, in other words. Card stacking is the most difficult method to spot, as it does not supply the listener with all the details available to make an educated decision. It is up to the public to determine what is missing.
What effects does propaganda have on society?
Propaganda can also not only affect the understanding of a situation by users and cause behavior around it, but also form how we view other users in the situation. If we receive misinformation from social networks, we ‘re pressured to determine whether the source will be part of our social network. Even misinformation may have the effect of polarizing an audience. For example, if a piece of propaganda portrays a situation too clearly, a person may try to point this oversimplification out and may deliberately work toward the expected consequences of the propaganda. Manipulation, owing to its one-sidedness and propensity toward sentimental arguments, may be met with the existence of more manipulation or denial by revealing alternate views or representations, disclosing reality or evidence whether the propaganda puts out lies. Therefore, the consequences of misinformation can be action against it, or no action at all, together with action according to the message.
Initial Effects:
As propaganda typically appeals to feelings over intelligence (remember Nelson ‘s definition of propaganda as one-sided communication), its results take place on a emotional level at first. Propaganda can cater to any number of emotions like anger, expectation, joy, sadness, pain, fear, satisfaction and modesty. There are a variety of ways deception can try to appeal to these emotions.
Intended Effects:
The desired results of propaganda are mainly intended to persuade. The idea here is that, by reminding the individual of some notion, the individual will behave in line with that concept. For instance, a representation of a strong , healthy cartoon character consuming vegetables would ideally first persuade the person that vegetables are the source of the character’s strength and health, and then push the person to the practice of eating vegetables. The expected result of propaganda is that individuals may promote propaganda on their own, either as indicators (others see this person consuming vegetables) or by conversation (saying to others that vegetables make them happy and powerful). Propaganda often results in a noticeable shift in the values or principles of the public, such as a reporting of a famous new restaurant. The subject has no impact, because it is not strong enough to affect a culture drastically.
Nevertheless, more influential incidents like violence in a war’s media reporting may have a profound impact on an person which may result in a shift in the way culture sees the conflict.
The effect of misinformation on the popular sentiment may be the difference between winning and losing a battle. Dr. Philip Taylor has clarified the importance of deception in war media reporting in his book ‘Munitions of the Heart. Propaganda itself is not wicked nor menacing.
It is actually nothing more than coordinating strategies intended to convince others to think and act in a certain manner, and in times of conflict it typically involves having them to participate or to help the fight ‘(Labash, Dec. 20, 2001).
Wartime messaging is so important because of the influence that comes with popular interest that it can also be used as a tool. The opportunity to gain approval from the public may be almost as critical as fighting the battle.
Mis-information: It is the false information that is shared accidentally and without aiming to cause harm.
Dis-information: It is information intended to cause harm, by consciously sharing false information.
Mal-information: It is the information or opinion shared aiming to cause harm, e.g. hate speech, harassment.
Conclusion
To conclude, propaganda is a disease, and no matter how you think you’re and try to avoid it, it’ll hit one day and try to change you in some way. Try to think about it, all advertisements work hand to hand to influence you. However, the question here is can you get over it? It pops into your mind, quickly, it has the ability to spread from person to person really quick just like a virus, and it is full with new techniques to try to draw you in and get the best influence. The question that I keep asking …is it possible to try to stop something that can be unstoppable? Are you in charge or has propaganda took over and controlled us? and made us think that we are the leaders and we are the ones who make that decisions? It’s pretty clear now that Propaganda is an unavoidable force and can have great influence. Take this as an advice; when you choose which propaganda exactly to listen to and follow, your decision’s outcome can happen instantaneously and can come with consequences.
And Always remember to be aware, remain careful and to choose wisely.
References
Automated tackling of disinformation BY European Parliament – March 2019. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2019/624278/EPRS_STU(2019)624278_EN.pdf
What is Propaganda BY Megaessays.com https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/28403.html
How Propaganda is used in Advertising Media BY UKessays. https://www.ukessays.com/essays/media/how-propaganda-is-used-in-advertising-media-essay.php
Propaganda BY Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda
7 types of propaganda techniques advertisers use BY CANZ MARKETING. https://www.canzmarketing.com/7-types-of-propaganda-techniques-advertisers-use/
Propaganda according to Bruce Lannes Smith is the dissemination of information, facts, arguments, rumors, half-truths, or lies to influence public opinions There are many techniques commonly used in spreading of propaganda namely; bandwagons (this is the idea that everyone is doing this or everyone should support a particular cause, so they take up that case and run with it), testimonials (this is the celebrity endorsement of a movement or candidate), plain folks ( this is where the candidate or the cause is identified with common people , this idea is to make the candidate come off as grassroots), transfer (this employs the use of symbols, quotes or the image of famous people to convey a message a message not necessarily associated with them), fear (this is the idea to present dreaded circumstances and usually follow it up with the kind of behavior needed to avoid that events), logical fallacies (this is applying logic to draw a conclusion from one or more established premises, the premise might be accurate but the conclusion is not), glittering generalities (this is where a generally accepted virtue is usually employed to stire up favorable emotions There are many techniques commonly used in spreading of propaganda namely; bandwagons, testimonials plain folks, transfer, fear, logical fallacies, glittering generalities and name calling.) and name calling( this is associating a person or a cause to a largely perceived negative image).
According to Traugott and Pratt (480:226) political messages.is governed by a wide range of contextual factors, including social and physical circumstances, identities, abilities and beliefs of participants and relations holding between participants. Symbols as way of communication attracts the eye, soul and character of the public who have the same identity with the politician. According to Heller 1992; Lim: 2008, politicians using linguistic devices as a political tool to employ colloquial prose or ethnic terms to create the impression that they are similar to voters.
Propaganda as skill in political life is used in most or all academic fields, depending on how it is assembled to achieve one’s goal. According to Ross (2002), the term propaganda was coined by Gregory X around 1622 to further the propagation of Catholicism after the rise of Protestantism and from 1790’s forward the term gained more attraction for its secular activities O’Shaughnessy: 2004 argues that, the art of propaganda lies in changing the perspectives and to change perspectives, we have to alter interpretation, to interpret the emotion – arousing situation in a different way so people reassess its significance In Latin, propaganda means to propagate or to sow. . However, Taylor wrote that propaganda essentially is no more than the communication of ideas designed to persuade people to think and behave in a desired way (Taylor, 2013). It is designed to persuade targeted audiences andor whole populations to view particular objects, events, or processes with a positive, negative, or neutral connotation. Propaganda is not a new scheme to say in the least. Lasswell et al., (1979) points to ancient Mesopotamia around the year 2500 B.C. where there is evidence of propaganda in writings of the Sumerians and the Babylonians. Propaganda underwent massive evolution since that time. Current war propaganda is built on the foundations of that produced in WWII. Propaganda has always been common in political context, particularly referring to the interests of governments. In 1927, an American political scientist, Harold D. Lasswell, published a famous book, Propaganda Technique in the World War, a great description and analysis of the mass propaganda campaigns conducted by all the main players in World War I.
Election predominantly remain a key criterion in the practice of democracy in most advanced countries and the process in achieving democracy of most developing countries. Elections is believed to emphasize two elements of democracy ‘participation and competition. Even though elections, is not an end in its self, it continually remains a means to an end because it provides the major outline for democracies to thrive (Gyekye-Jandoh, 2014, Bratton 1999). O’Neil (2007) as cited in Gyekye-Jandoh (2010) further explains that, elections ensure democratic peace and limits the likelihood of a democratic backwardness, and provide the platform for the public to participate in the selection of their leaders. Finally, elections establishes a link between the government and the public as well as facilitates resource distribution (Ayee 2008; Chazan 1987; Gyekye-Jandoh (2014) & Hayward 1987:16-17).
Democratic elections has been consecutively accomplished in Ghana from 1992-2020 which resulted in the peaceful transfers of power in what Huntington (1991) describes as the ‘turn over test’ between the outstanding political parties (in 2000&2008) as well as continuously thriving to improve the performance of its formal institutions, namely the Electoral Commission (EC), the judiciary especially in the landmark case of the 2012 presidential election petition and the security forces. Ghana achieved its third phase in power in 2016 when the Incumbent NDC handed over power to Nana Akuffo leading NPP to form a new government to govern the nation. The outcome of the 2012 parliamentary and presidential elections leading to the judicial verdict, according to schools of thought was hailed by stakeholders, the national and international media and diplomatic missions as a step in consolidating multi’ party democracy in Ghana and as a model for the whole of Africa. These commendations from international observers according to some schools of thought were largely applicable to the core institution of modern liberal democracy system.
Problem Statement
It has been observed that previous researches addressed political propaganda in the light of media, ethnicity, religion, political predisposition and so on. Yet the role of the use of rhetoric plays a major factor in persuading and educating the electorates during electioneering campaigns. It has also been observed that much has not been done on the effects of spreading false information about an opponent or a course during campaigns in the build up to an election has on the electorates. With this in mind, this study seeks to find out the use of words and its effects of false information during election period. Focusing on the general outcome of the elections in Ghana considering Ghanaian elections from 1992 to 2016.
Objectives of study
Generally, this seeks to find out the relationship between propaganda and election outcomes in Ghana. The specific objectives are;
To find out the relationship between propaganda and election outcomes.
To identify the various forms of propaganda in the Ghanaian setting.
To identify the role of propaganda in electioneering campaigns.
Research Questions
What is the relationship between propaganda and election outcome?
What are the forms of propaganda that are normally used in the Ghanaian setting?
What are the roles of propaganda in electioneering campaign?
Significance Of Study
The importance of the study gives rise to the ultimate attitude or behavior realized in the voting system of Ghana. The voting system explains how individuals exercise their franchise based on the influence from propagandists using conventionalized significant symbols, the clinched fist, the sharp voice, the pungent phrase employed in campaigns influencing the psyche of the audience in attaining ‘collective attitude’. This is known as the theory of political propaganda.
The study will give an insight to political propaganda among students with the aim of understanding why significant symbols used during election period affect the voting outcome of particular areas and others not.
Political propaganda has been looked at by many scholars based on many factors – media, religion,ethnicity etc. The study will examine the the use of play of words in influencing voting outcome, thereby, the study giving insights to political scientists that, rhetoric is a critical factor in influencing the public towards political expediency.
Scope And Limitation Of Study
Scope Of Study
This research will dwell in the use of language and speech act. The study will focus on the language use from the communication point of view and the effect it intend to have on the electorates viewing it from the nine perspectives of propaganda. It seeks to reveal the effects propaganda has on election results in Ghana from the 1992 election to that of 2016 focusing on the three swing regions in Ghana that is the Western, central and the Greater Accra regions.
Limitation Of Study
The greatest limitation in this study is going to be the access to ready and reliable information needed to complete this work, given that much has not been done on this particular field and also the ones done are not easily accessible its going to a problem we will have to deal with.
Definition Of Terms.
Propaganda – Lasswell (1966:267) defines propaganda ‘as attempt to influence attitudes of large numbers of people on controversial issues of relevance to a group. As cited by Berelson and Janowitz (1966: 361), Holt and Van de Veld (1960) identify propaganda as ’the attempt to influence behavior: by affecting through the use of mass media of communication, the manner in which a mass audience perceives and ascribes meaning to the material world.’ Thus, political propaganda could be described as a way of managing public information with the purpose of controlling power.
Campaign – The institutional definition of the campaign suggests that campaigns are like election dates either they exist or they do not. But the move toward intensity suggests that campaigns can be graduated from those that barely exist to those that consume voters, parties, and the media. Scholars of Senate elections in particular have incorporated gradations of intensity. (Kahn and Kenney 1999a; Westlye 1983, 1991)
Election – a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated since the 17th century. Elections fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and judiciary, and for regional and local government. This process is also used in many other private and business organizations, from clubs to voluntary associations and corporations.
Election outcomes – this is also referred to as election results. In this study, it refers to the level of participation in the electoral contest. Election outcomes paves way to analyse which political party won the presidential or parliamentary election. It is mostly accumulated in regions. These results spells out the number of participants who voted out of the total number of electorates in the state.
Organization Of Study
This research work is in five chapters namely chapter one which contains an introduction, background of study, problem statement, research questions, objectives, the significance of the study, scope limitation of study, definition of terms, organization of the study. In chapter two, the literature is reviewed, chapter three contains the methodological procedures in collecting data for the study. Data representation and findings and discussion of the findings is in chapter four and chapter five entails a conclusion, recommendations, and suggestions for further studies.
After the war, an increase began to emerge in a variety of fields studying human behavior, very different and more nuanced models of how mass culture reacted to the information. The social model that has prevailed in democracies for several decades is the assumption that the elites within society, such as the elites who influence the press, essentially decide on public opinion on any major issue. These results are closely associated with the concern of various British officials during the First World War to present their people with a confident front, including by maintaining the support of the national media and the increasingly obvious tensions among leaders in Germany as the war continued. The same results also coincide with the observations of social and cultural historians of the role of local leaders and opinion-formers in the societies that fought the war. Propaganda was seen in the 1920s and 1930s as being the most effective weapon to use against the domestic population of the enemy.
As time went on, propaganda began to change, creating an increasingly powerful tool. Throughout World War II, leaders used propaganda in a more structured, more calculated way. Technology had progressed quickly by the outbreak of the war in 1939. Canada now has a public radio broadcasting and a government-funded film production body with the Public Film Board (NFB) in collaboration with the Department of National War Services to produce Canada Carries On, a series of quick propaganda films showcasing Canada’s participation in the war, at home and in Europe. Such films were shown in cinemas before feature films. Some 500 films were made by the NFB during World War II. The founding leader, John Grierson, called the propaganda films “a hammer to shape society,” (1939-1945) One movie portrayed Britain as a noble, tranquil island facing Nazi invasions. It was so well made and effective in portraying its messaging that it won the award for best short documentary in 1942. The NFB used these types of films to shape the national identity and persuade Canadians to support the war effort however they could. During World War II, the Canadian government launched a widespread propaganda campaign aimed at raising morals across the nation and telling Canadians that everyone needed to contribute to the military to wage a successful war abroad. Posters quickly became an important part of the campaign as they supplied an inexpensive method for communicating messages to every corner of the country. Elements of the propaganda campaign, such as the recruitment of posters, were key components of the Canadian war effort, as the country was largely unprepared for war. Throughout 1942, it became more difficult to convince Canadian civilians that war would bring glamour and excitement. Canadians and people around the world were well aware of the massive scale of the global war. After three years of struggle, propaganda posters sent out the message that if Europe and the Pacific fell into the hands of the enemy, nothing else would stand in the way if the enemy decided to invade North America.
Propaganda has become stronger over time and has shown itself to be in totalitarian regimes. After the First World War and the Depression, there was an uprising of financial issues that led people to wonder whether or not a democratic government could help them and improve their lives. Totalitarian governments have created a sense of security and have given people a clear vision for the future. Germany was ravaged during the First World War. The Treaty of Versailles compelled Germany to reduce its military, surrender land and property, and pay reparations and fines for the war. Accepting the blame for this war, the Germans were enraged and embarrassed. Their economies have also been in chaos as a result of financial compensation, poverty, and the Great Depression. Adolf Hitler formed a fascist group called the National Socialist Workers Party of Germany or the Nazis. Hitler and the Nazis gained popularity and power through propaganda and close ties with government leaders. And finally, the title of Chancellor was given to Hitler. Hitler put an end to capitalism and took absolute power.
Germany used the type of propaganda developed by British propaganda in World War 1, in 1925 Adolf Hitler wrote that propaganda should be “aimed at the emotions,” and that it should use slogans to be repeated over and over. Hitler had used propaganda to lie and to “serve our right, always and unflinchingly.” Hitler had created the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda in 1933, it controlled most forms of media in Germany. The films that remained were racist films that portrayed Jewish people badly and were meant to persuade Germans how necessary anti-Semitic laws were. The Nazis had also used their form of propaganda to hide the things they’d done. The government had made the Theresienstadt ghetto in 1941 as a way to show Jewish residents at a concert to show they were safe. They had shown there was no reason to be concerned that the Jewish people were being treated badly
Propaganda completely evolved through media. The accessibility to media has completely changed how much propaganda so one is exposed to. Propaganda has also been greatly influenced through time and has been developing for years adjusting through each new medium of media, and getting stronger. People constantly have propaganda messages from all sides, making it hard to realize which one is right. Efforts to change people’s views collectively are not an easy game and have come down to a war between media outlets. Media sources have grown to be so influential on public opinion that they can force the different parties at war to focus on certain issues by raising public awareness of the issue. Governments can’t ignore issues that the public has strong opinions about. With the media now embedded in the war and getting real-time footage, the government cannot tell the media what the government wants the people to focus on. The media choosing an event to focus on can change public opinion and force governments to do something about it. With all the propaganda and psychological aspects involved in war, it makes it hard to believe what we read in mass media is true. Most of the media sources we read have a natural and unavoidable bias. Not every media source has a natural bias, many news organizations have a specific bias and agenda. World War I made people want to understand propaganda and how to use it effectively, but the need for power forged propaganda into a terrifying weapon.
Media play a very important role in the modern society. According to Mullen (2010, p. 56), the role of media has become more relevant in the current democratic and capitalistic society. This scholar says that information is power, and depending on how it is coined and used, it can bring development or destruction in equal measures. Many scholars have emphasized the fact that the world is increasingly being globalized.
This globalization is largely brought about by media. Media educate, entertain, inform, amuse, and inculcate beliefs, values, and behavior that help define the social structure of a society. Media has been considered as the channel through which a society can be swayed into believing in certain ways that might be new to them. This is the reason why political leaders have relied upon media to sway the thinking of the public.
Corporate bodies also depend on media in order to attract the public towards their products. The public also look upon the media to highlight their plight in order to get attention of those who are in power. This puts media at the center of these forces.
Mullen (2010, p. 113) says that, “Fulfilling this role in a world of concentrated wealth and conflict of interest requires propaganda.” This research seeks to investigate the usefulness of propaganda model in terms of how it provides a means for understanding and studying media power.
Importance of Propaganda Model
Media power has been demonstrated in various ways and for a long time that the current scholars have come to agree that it cannot be ignored. However, massive conflict of interest has created many difficulties in ensuring that media does its role in the expected manner.
Information is power, and once a piece of information is distorted in any way, a section of the society will benefit, while another section will suffer. As mentioned above, the three main stakeholders look upon the power of the media to achieve their interest.
The first and most powerful stakeholder that needs media is the government. In the developed countries, political leaders heavily rely on the media to pass selective information to the public. Given that such governments are always given their mandate by the public, they would try to appease the public even if they are not working within the public’s expectation.
Media can be a very useful tool, or a very dangerous threat depending on the approach it takes. In order for the government to ensure that the public is constantly satisfied with what it is doing, it requires media to pass development projects that the government has completed or those that are to be rolled out. Media in this case will be helping government to reach the public with information that will be pleasant to the government.
On the other hand, media can be very dangerous to the government, especially if it exposes some of the malpractices within various government agencies. It has the power of bringing down the government if the kind of negative revelations are very serious. Government will therefore, try to manage media in order to ensure that it remains friendly to it.
The second group is the corporate body. Large business organizations depend on media to pass information about their products and brands in order to increase their profitability. A brand that is widely known in the market is more likely to perform better than others, which are new to the public.
Large corporations also depend on media to pass information to the public about some projects that are meant to help public other than to generate profits. That is why most firms always invite media when engaging in corporate social responsibility. Media can also destroy reputation of a firm, especially when there are some malpractices it is involved in that directly relates to the public or government.
The corporate bodies would therefore, want to be in positive relationship with the media. The last group is the public. The public depend on the media to be the watchdog on what the government and corporate bodies are doing.
The media is expected to expose any practices of the government and corporate bodies that may cause any harm to the public in one way or the other. The media is also expected to protect the public from distorted and confusing information. The message passed by the media to the public should be clear and straightforward.
The government can play its role in an independent manner as a way of fostering a democratic society guide by principle of fairness. However, conflict of interest develops when the media realizes that it needs these three stakeholders to remain in business.
It needs the government to give it tax incentive and protection from any form of attack. It needs the corporate bodies to make advertisements, which is its principle source of income that ensures that it remains in operations. It needs the public to trust and consume its production to make it relevant both to the government and to corporate bodies.
At times, it may involve compromising on its integrity in order to please one party at the expense of others in order to get the incentive offered. This has raised a lot of question when it comes to understanding power of media.
According to Klaehn (2005, p. 67), media power ceases to be evident when it is coerced- either through financial incentives or threats of whichever form- to behave in a manner that favors either of the three parties at the expense of the other parties. This power can only be said to be present when the media can perform its functions to the three bodies in a free and fair manner.
In editing the book ‘Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media,’ Mullen (2010, p. 89) talks about the relevance of propaganda model in enhancing media power in order to fulfill its role despite the conflict of interest that exists. These scholars propose five filters that are able to help media power to supersede the conflicting interests.
Understanding these filters will help in understanding the importance of propaganda model as a means of studying and understanding media power. The first filter talks about size, ownership and the orientation of a media firm in terms of profit generation.
This filter explains that the size of a media in terms of coverage will dictate its power. This filter also explains that when the focus of media is too much on profitability and incentives offered by the government and other corporate bodies, then its power shall be compromised.
The second filter is advertisements as being the principal source of income for media. Governmental bodies and corporations always sponsor most of the programs in the media, especially on television and radios.
These bodies will always select programs that are in line with their products or those that support their course. In cases where the media is too concerned with the earnings from the advertisements, then there will be higher chances that the quality of information passed to the public will be compromised due to the need to select programs that are favored by the corporate bodies.
The third filter is sourcing the mass media news. The media is always concerned with sourcing information from reliable sources. Most of this information comes from government bodies, corporate organizations. Klaehn (2005, p. 36) says that there are times when media faces influence or coercion from these sources. The power of media will always be determined by its ability to go beyond these influences and coercions.
The fourth filter is flack and enforcers. Klaehn (2005, p. 56) defines flacks as the negative responses or opposition to media programs or responses. In this case, the enforcers are the agents used to express this opposition. The larger the level of flack, the more complex it would be for the media to withstand it.
The fifth filter is anticommunism as the control mechanism. Communism has been seen as a real threat to social classes that is at the center of capitalism. This means that the other two bodies (the government and corporate bodies) who benefit from the presence of social classes will oppose it.
The power of the media in this case will be determined by its ability to remain neutral to forces against or in support of communism. These five filters confirm that the propaganda model is useful in providing a means for understanding and learning media power.
List of References
Klaehn, J 2005, A Critical Review and Assessment of Herman and Chomsky’s
“Propaganda Model”’, in Filtering the News: Essays on Herman and Chomsky’s Propaganda Model, Black Rose Books, New York.
Mullen, A 2010, Bringing Power Back In: The Herman-Chomsky Propaganda Model, 1988-2008’, in The Political Economy of Media and Power, Peter Lang, New York.
‘Confessions of an Economic hit man’ and ‘The American War Machine’ are forms of propaganda that use several similar techniques to advance their agenda. One of the most obvious techniques of propaganda that they both have used throughout is emotional appeal.
As noted by Shabo, emotional appeal is a very compelling method as the audience drops the rational thought and focuses on the suffering of the victims. In this case, the victims are the innocent people who die as a result of the wars brought about by the corporateocracy, whose main aim is profit. Both media use emotional appeal to help the audience see the gravity of the issues at hand.
This is especially useful when Perkins talk about the sleepless nights that he spent thinking about the innocent people who died when the United States of America invaded Panama, the children suffering from malnutrition that he met in the cities he visited, and the former financial assassin who had been brutally tortured.
Joe Rogan’s video uses pictures of dead people taken during the Vietnam War and sad music to evoke very powerful emotions from the targeted group.
John Perkins and Joe Rogan also have a similar target audience. They both target the anti-government group that is most likely to criticize and question the actions of the government. The propaganda in both media endorses action that is consistent with their progressive self-interest and interest of the targeted group. They can therefore be classified as rational propaganda.
They are both ‘activism’ types of films because their aim is to provide their audience with information that will inspire them to fight for a change in the operation of government affairs. Perkins and Rogan want people to hold the government accountable.
On Howard Zinn’s chapters on patriotism and nationalism, the author explains that people have lost their understanding of patriotism. He defines patriotism as total compliance with the government and an uncritical acceptance of the will and actions of the government.
Most people are devoted to promotion of the policies of the government which are subject to change and manipulation, instead of promoting the core principles of the country. The policies of the government have been hijacked and are now in favor of the ruling elite.
Joe Rogan talks about the same point, bringing out the fact that the government has been taken over by a group of powerful corporations that compel the government to enforce laws and policies, which benefit their profit interests.
And all these are made at the expense of other poorer nations and at times the American people too. Both Howard and Rogan point out that people in this generation have been deceived into joining the army for the wrong reasons. Young people sacrifice their lives for the selfish interests of the owners of the giant corporations that control the government.
Deluca’s argument in “Thinking amidst the Corporate-ocracy” is that the USA and most of the Western World have moved from democratic states to Corporateocracy where corporations create and define the world we live in. He uses examples such as, the invasion of Iraq despite the global outcry to withhold and the 2008 financial collapse caused by illegal practices in the banking industry and how nobody was held accountable.
The media should also be held accountable for the rise of the Corporateocracy since they have not done their work in calling out these very evident violations of the constitution. Instead, they have chosen to go to bed with those people who are bringing down not only this society, but the rest of the world.