The propaganda memo in the sticker was projected to influence the response to essential wishes and desires in marching with stylish tendencies in outlook and feelings. A number of researches conducted to set up what would motivate the targeted addressees. The message was intended to raise people’s self-esteem to participate vigorously in celebrating but it was not genuine.
The politicians employ propaganda to strength their political grip, just like the way the business community use it to widen profitability.1 The national flag was used to create trust since the flag is considered a unifying factor. The organizers of the event were well conversant with the impact of the flag to the message; it created credibility and believability among the members of the public.2
Time
Since time in memorial, it is eminent that the activities of independence and happiness are extended by propaganda and usually accompanied by suppression and brutality of the authority. This is a brilliant reason for presenting with uncertainty the newest political and economic systems that are offered by individuals with pressure to get their points across as saving humanity.3 Propaganda is dependable on furtive arrangement of its information.
The work of the propagandist is premeditating on the expectations of the viewers and who and what the viewers resolve and stumble on as realistic, and then acclimatizes the information the way it should be.4 The modern world is multifaceted since issues are simply subordinated to the anxiety of competence and preservation or advancement of political power.
It appears incontrovertible that propaganda has thrown in tremendously to a number of the nastiest tribulations of our time, which seems to be lacking control that does not require concession with the suggestion of independence and self-development.5
Truth
In the olden times of ethics, deceitfulness has usually been perceived with disapproval. Kant disputed that untruthfulness is wicked with no exclusions even though with unstable amount of assessment to the lie.6 There are a lot of other theorists who disagree that dishonest may perhaps be the correct and still the ethically compulsory path of action to obtain in excellent situations.7
A few consider that dishonesty is erroneous just to individuals who accuracy is payable and they preserve that not every person is permitted to the accuracy as of an extra personality.8 Additionally in the current years, David Nyberg disputed that dishonest is an element of daily practice and that it is often and not merely extreme, the exact item to do.
The theorist favors a bottom-up orientation to the issue of dishonest that is to state an examination spawned by contemplation of real-life incidents and tries to find out invention of policies through knowledge. The information in the flag can be assessed in two broadways by first referring to it as a dangerous propaganda.
The information does not have the interest of the audience at heart instead, it is meant to popularize something else. The message can be harmless propaganda because it simply requests people to join hands in celebrating the event.9
Trigger
Mill provides an exemption to his opinion in the situation of agitation where the harm is direct.10 Given that his viewpoint is supported with the reward of investigation of diverse areas in doubtful dogma, the payback simply occur in situations where occasion authorizes configuration of an unbiased ruling.11
On the other hand, he identifies that there are circumstances in which confrontational comments can elicit rancid destructive deeds and he creates exclusion for such incidences. Mill demonstrates his position by an account of corn-dealers who paid taxes hence elevating the value of granules for the British people since he argues.12
This is a vital limit on his opinion and it instantly hoists queries such as ‘just how instantaneous should the risk be to the existence of the corn-dealer?, Is it any issue if the result of the provocation is experienced immediately or in its place an outcome in not many days afterward in demise by furtiveness? Does it create some differentiation whether what is alleged is factual or bogus?13
The message in the flag triggers an emotional feeling of some kind since the audience is left with some questions pertaining to the ceremony. It can be disputed that bogus allegations in excess of an occasion, in a circumstance where the audiences are not capable of locating the reality can result to logical tribulations against an individual or faction.14
Bibliography
Aquinas, St. Thomas. Summa Theologica, Trans-Fathers of the English Dominican Province, New York: Benziger Brothers Inc., 1947.
Barendt, Eric. Freedom of Speech, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.
Ellul, Jacques. FLN Propaganda in FranceDuring the Algerian War. Trans. Randal Marlin, Ottawa: By Books, 1982.
Kant, Immanuel. Fundamental Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, trans. H.J.Paton, New York: Harper and Row, Harper Torch books, 1964.
Klemperer, Victor. I Will Bear Witness, 1933-1941, New York: Modern Library, 1999.
Mill, Stuart. On Liberty, Currin V. Shields, 1859. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1956.
Nyberg, David. The Varnished Truth. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1993.
Randal, Marlin, Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion, Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2002.
Raz, Joseph. Free Expression and Personal Identification, Free Expression: Essays in Law and Philosophy, ed. W.J. Waluchow, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994.
Sington, Derrick and Weidenfeld Arthur. The Goebbels Experiment, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1943.
Sisella, Bok. Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life, New York: Pantheon Books, 1978.
Footnotes
1 Marlin, Randal. Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion, Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2002. P. 175.
2 Derrick, Sington and Weidenfeld Arthur. The Goebbels Experiment, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1943.
3 St. Thomas, Aquinas. Summa Theologica, Trans-Fathers of the English Dominican Province, New York: Benziger Brothers Inc., 1947.
4 Marlin, Randal. Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion, Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2002. p. 88.
5 Ibid. p. 89
6 Victor, Klemperer. I Will Bear Witness, 1933-1941, New York: Modern Library, 1999.
7 Bok, Sisella. Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life, New York: Pantheon Books, 1978.
8 Jacques, Ellul. FLN Propaganda in FranceDuring the Algerian War. Trans. Randal Marlin, Ottawa: By Books, 1982.
9 Joseph, Raz. Free Expression and Personal Identification, Free Expression: Essays in Law and Philosophy, ed. W.J. Waluchow, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994.
10 Stuart, Mill. On Liberty, ed. Currin V. Shields, 1859; Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1956, p. 69.
11 David, Nyberg. The Varnished Truth. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1993.
12 Eric, Barendt,. Freedom of Speech, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.
13 Immanuel, Kant. Fundamental Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, trans. H.J.Paton, New York: Harper and Row, Harper Torch books, 1964.
14 Marlin, Randal. Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion, Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2002.
A close analysis of the modern American presidents in terms of their power of persuasion reveals that many of them were rather effective in this respect. Here are the most demonstrative examples:
Franklin D. Roosevelt, who suffered from poliomyelitis, had to spend a lot of time in hospitals. When he was being treated at the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, he had a chance to get in close contact with the lowest class of citizens, the poorest farmers destroyed by the Great Depression. This helped him formulate most of New Deal ideas and work them into the fabric of the American society as he never lost this personal contact with the nation. Coupled with his perfect rhetoric, this talent to establish connections helped him stir the whole generation to action (Jowett and O’Donnell 54).
John Kennedy enjoyed the same popularity due to his power of persuasion. He successfully achieved his goal of sending a man to the Moon and managed to beat the Soviet Union mostly due to his ability to capture people’s imagination. He was effective in this since he was never afraid of the big and bold and could transform unimaginable things into time-specific, detailed action plans (Jowett and O’Donnell 68).
Lyndon B. Johnson convinced American people in the success of his Great Society reforms using himself as an example. Since he grew up in poverty and knew perfectly what it is like to work up to success, the program became humanized and the statistics were brought to life. It happened to owe to Johnson’s talent to connect with people first emotionally and then intellectually (Jowett and O’Donnell 76).
Ronald Reagan used his power of persuasion mostly for pushing his ideas and policies through Congress avoiding resistance. His personal charisma played a great role. Although his idea of putting the burden of the government off people was totally opposite to Roosevelt’s plan of increased governmental presence, it was unanimously accepted by Congress due to his personal charm and sense of integrity (Wilson et al. 59).
Conclusion
Although it is still early to judge the current Administration, the ability of Donald Trump to persuade the nation is unquestionable. First and foremost, he understands that people are irrational and it is often the right move to appeal to emotions, making listeners ignore facts. Secondly, he avoids information that is not beneficial for him and warps reality until he gets what he wants. Finally, he successfully used social media manipulation, changing the game through direct right-wing propaganda, which altered the images of candidates in the eyes of voters.
Works Cited
Jowett, Garth S., and Victoria O’Donnell. Propaganda & Persuasion. Sage, 2014.
Wilson, James Q., John J. DiIulio, and Meena Bose. American Government: Institutions and Policies. Cengage Learning, 2016.
Human society is a coherent community of individuals having mutual interests and similar intentions. While sharing common social institutions and culture the society’s members may have specific goals that can be achieved only by applying enormous collective effort. As a means of aiming at spreading compelling ideas, propaganda appeared. Propaganda can be described substantially as a phenomenon and functionally as a technique. Propaganda is a phenomenon which has a certain aspect characterizing it as an effective mechanism. Those aspects of propaganda are “Total” and “Time.” The interconnection and interdependence of those characteristics contribute to the understanding of propaganda as an active force operating in modern society.
As a characteristic feature of propaganda, the concept “Total” can be viewed as a multifaceted unit interconnected with other characteristics. In respect to active actions, the aspect “Total” has a lot to do with the organization of the propaganda process which implies involving a complete and consolidated effort primarily to achieve a desirable outcome. Total propaganda is entirely organized and surrounds the representatives of the target audience telling them what has to be done.
Propaganda in its “Total” aspect is inseparably connected with the idea of organization and directed actions. The “Totalness” is characterized by the use of all the means surrounding people to persuade them into some actions. Such political regimes as Nazism in Germany and Stalinism in the USSR were characterized by the total control of the government over all the spheres of life. Those political regimes turned into a national catastrophe not only for the countries where they appeared but for the whole civilized world (Jackall 256).
The fact that the most outrageous instances of propaganda are never forgotten and stay in history brings us to the next aspect of the investigated phenomenon and technique, which is the “Time.” All propaganda exercises and maneuvers take place in the course of some period. The “Time” as a continuum of successive events situating in the present past and future characterizes propaganda in two different, juxtaposing dimensions. Propaganda can be either “timely” or “timeless.” The aspect of “timeliness” implies that propaganda techniques are applied at a certain moment in time, thus making the techniques up to date.
Another aspect, characterizing propaganda as a phenomenon and technique is “timeliness” which states that propaganda is not restricted to a certain time or date. Instead, it embraces the concept of “Time” in general. The aspect of “timelessness” takes its roots from the early history of the target group. To build a solid ideological foundation for propaganda, cultural and historical heritage is interwoven with timely and effective propaganda.
Even timely propaganda based on current events does not give the target group completely new information. Propaganda is not about new facts and getting people informed; it is about total control via manipulative techniques based on the background knowledge of cultural heritage and current needs. The negative approach to propaganda is based on these features. The fundamental understanding of the cultural and historical roots of the targeted audience brings us closer to the understanding that aspects of “timeliness” and “timelessness” are interwoven with the aspect “Total” which implies the overall control over the propaganda process.
The aspects “Total” and “Time” as characteristics describing propaganda are interdependent. First of all the aspect, “Total” is connected with the idea of “timeliness” in a sense that propaganda appearing in due time provides total control of the ideological background of the society. Secondly, the aspect “Total” can be associated with the characteristic “timelessness” as their connection implies the total control of the situation connected with the target audience. The interdependence of the characteristics “Total” and “Time” in describing propaganda establishes a holistic view of this complicated phenomenon.
A brilliant example of the holistic nature of propaganda is a list of the effective propaganda principles elaborated by Minister Goebbels who was the master of Nazi ideology for more than a decade. In an attempt to “demonstrate an unswerving loyalty to Hider” (Doob 419) Goebbels managed to work out massive propaganda principles corresponding to the aspects “Total” and “Time” characterizing propaganda on a more abstract level. According to Goebbels, there are some propaganda technical principles. Many of them may contribute to understanding propaganda as a phenomenon viewing it through the concepts of “Totalness,” “Timeliness,” and “Timelessness.”
The first principle correlating with the aspect “Total” is the following “Propaganda must be planned and executed by only one authority” (Doob 422). This principle is in line with the Nazi law, as well as Goebbels’s craving for power and the idea of total propaganda surrounding the target audience with persuasive ideas. Another feature of Goebbels’s propaganda corresponds to the “Time” as an aspect of the phenomenon. The principle argues “Propaganda must be carefully timed” and fully correlates with both aspects of propaganda as a phenomenon, that is “Timeliness,” and “Timeliness.” (Doob 434).
It is also stated that “A propaganda campaign must begin at the optimum moment” (Doob 434). The propaganda has to be timely. The practical ideas of Minister Goebbels provide a theoretical opportunity to explain the essence of propaganda as a phenomenon. Aspects and characteristics of propaganda become principles and patterns of propagandistic actions. That is how theory can become a technique.
The ideology of Nazism which is the most ruthless regime in the history of humanity is a vivid example of how powerful propaganda can be. Striving to demolish the entire nation the Nazi regime created the whole new model of cognition in the minds of its followers. As a way of thinking Nazism still exists, which is a horrifying example of how effective the propaganda as a technique can become if it is solidly built on carefully established working principles. Propaganda is a system of persuasive, mainly manipulative, means imposing the desirable ideas on the target audience (Ellul).
To compare propaganda as a technique with propaganda as a phenomenon is to establish a holistic view of it. The features of propaganda at the beginning of the 21st century were investigated by two researcher Herman and Chomsky. They suggested viewing propaganda as a model and aimed to deepen “its current dynamism and validity for explaining mass media production and content in advanced capitalist democracies” (Pedro 1865).
Since 21st century is the century of information, the researchers have to deal with mass media and establish some principles according to which information has to be refined before getting to the reader. Ellul points out that “… the study of propaganda must be conducted within the context of the technological society. Propaganda is called upon to solve problems created by technology, to play on maladjustments, and to integrate the individual into the technological world” (17). Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky worked out the original version of the propagandistic model focusing “on the propaganda dimension of information by identifying five filters (ownership, advertising, information sourcing, flak, and anti-communism) through which information must pass” (Pedro 1866).
Those principles become the working components of the 21st-century propaganda. According to Marlin, “… we consider propaganda as the attempt to shape the thoughts and feelings of others in ways conforming to the aims of the communicator” (35). The approach to the propaganda model provoked several waves of criticism. That resulted in establishing various theories of propaganda, practicing new approaches to it, and ultimately building a better understanding of propaganda as a model that can have characteristics and technical principles.
Herman and Chomsky’s model turned out to be a productive one. “At the beginning of the 21st century, a small group of authors emerged who, based on a theoretical and ideological perspective similar to that of Herman and Chomsky, have worked on strengthening, updating, refining, and expanding the model” (Pedro 1867). Among those researchers were Klaehn and Mullen. They have contextualized and framed the propaganda model within the tradition of critical sociological theory, highlighting the centrality of the concept of power (Pedro 1867). According to the authors, the propaganda model offers a way of understanding the relationships between media and society in the capitalist, liberal-democratic systems (Pedro 1868).
During the recent century, our word has changed dramatically. That is why propaganda viewed as a process in 1940’s was perceived as a model in 1980’s. Being complex and compound phenomenon propaganda has a number of aspects, two of them “Total” and “Time” are crucial for its understanding. Aspects of propaganda as a phenomenon can be juxtaposed with technical principles of propaganda as a technique and as a model.
All these features contribute a lot to the general understanding of propaganda. Propaganda is ideas from one that is spread to members of society in order to further its success or even harm the opposing party’s reputation. Propaganda’s goal is to implement a message to its target audience. The message is usually biased and misleading and is used to promote the propagandist’s point of view. In other words, it has to do with an organization conveying some type of message in order to manipulate its target audience. Since manipulation is involved, propaganda is usually seen as a negative phenomenon.
Works Cited
Doob, Leonard W. “Principles of Propaganda.” Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 3, 1950, pp. 419-442.
Ellul, Jacques. Propaganda: The Formation of Men’s Attitudes, New York 1965.
Jackall, Robert, editor. Propaganda. NYU Press, 1995.
Marlin, Randal. Propaganda and the Ethics of Persuasion. Broadview Press, 2013.
Pedro, Joan. “The Propaganda Model in the Early 21st Century.” International Journal of Communication, vol. 5, no 1, 2011, pp. 1865-1905.
The question about the nature of propaganda is profound and multisided. However, first, it is necessary to properly understand the essence of this question to continue the discussion on that matter. Generally speaking, a phenomenon is a situation that occurred for no clear reason. Sometimes this term might refer to something that occurred naturally and spontaneously. On the other hand, a technique always involves certain preparation and systematization. The main goal of this paper is to analyze the nature of propaganda to answer the question of whether it is a phenomenon or a technique.
The Principles of Propaganda
To understand the term propaganda, it is crucial to review some of its principles. The first one is organization. Propaganda is a complicated system that requires much support. It also needs high investment to run a successful campaign. Although there is an opinion that an individual does propaganda, it is only partially true. People can try to convince a person, but that is not propaganda itself (Jowett and O’Donnell 6). It always requires the leader to control and guide the whole process. One of the most famous propagandists was Josef Goebbels, the minister of propaganda in Nazi Germany. His system was built on several principles, and one of them stated, “Propaganda must be planned and executed by only one authority” (Doob 423). This authority had clear functions. First, it had to give instructions to all propaganda organizations. The whole propaganda system was restructured several times. It was implemented through various directives that were sent by Goebbels. Second, the authority had to make instructions clear to high-rank officials and cultivate their moral beliefs. The enthusiasm of executives and their genuine will to develop the system were rewarded. Goebbels preferred personal contacts as they helped him manipulate people. Third, it had to supervise other organizations that could serve purposes of propaganda. The example of Goebbels’s propaganda machine clearly shows the totalitarian nature of propaganda and highlights the necessity of leadership to maintain such a system.
Another highly significant characteristic of propaganda is time. This aspect has two sides. Propaganda might be timely. It occurs immediately as a response to some event when actions have to be taken right away. Pisistratus, the ancient Greek politician, used a specific method to manipulate people (Marlin 36). That method is called victim hegemony. The main principle of this technique is to present a group as a victim of an unfair attitude in order to receive its support. Pisistratus injured himself and his livestock, blaming his enemies for that. He used the people of Athens to attack and occupy Acropolis. A similar technique was applied many times after it and showed ominously impressive results. The occupation of Poland during the Second World War was preceded by a conflict allegedly provoked by the Polish military. Germany’s invasion was presented as a response to the insidious assault.
Also, propaganda has to be timeless. It should correspond to the society’s traditions, history and mentality. The information given to the public should be well-known because the purpose of propaganda is to make people accept certain narratives. Hence, every message should be deeply rooted in the community’s past. Otherwise, it will not be effective. For example, the speech by Abraham Lincoln appealed to the nation’s integrity and highlighted the historical specialties of the American people. The ideas he presented were highly appreciated as they were already known and popular among the general public. To unite and galvanize individuals, it is important to present familiar for them themes.
Credibility is one of the prominent characteristics of propaganda. People that give life to propaganda trust what they hear or see. For example, Goebbels emphasized the importance of visual images as they “possessed greater credibility than spoken or written words” (Doob 427). The prestige of a propaganda leader ensures public confidence. The Nazi leader believed that truth is not too important for a propaganda campaign. However, he underlined the necessity to avoid providing fake news. Otherwise, his credibility might have been damaged. Lies were widely used in cases when it was less likely to prove the falseness of presented information. He was concerned about the credibility of certain sources. Goebbels issued special bulletins only for significant events and used ordinary channels to pass on routine information. Also, he was against censorship. Goebbels supposed that it might diminish credibility. However, he limited news that came to Germany, but he sent it abroad as his propaganda machine worked internationally. For example, the news about cannibalism in the Soviet Union was not spread in Germany (Doob 428). However, it was widely transferred to many foreign countries.
Another example is PR companies. They employ famous actors, sportsmen and scientists to endorse their products. These people are considered to be icons. Hence, the general public is convinced that celebrities express their sincere opinions. John D. Rockefeller Jr. invested $26 million in the church of Harry Fosdick because the preacher’s ideology served the interests of Rockefeller’s oil companies (Marlin 202). Therefore, the credibility of sources always played the most crucial role.
Analysis
Propaganda is a comprehensive system that involves a great deal of management, leadership and investment. It has a very complicated structure with strict rules due to the problem of over-population (Huxley 8). Therefore, it is not correct to call it a phenomenon. Generally, the term phenomenon implies something that happens unintentionally. However, the mentioned above examples demonstrate that propaganda is a highly organized and controlled structure. Hence, it is better to say that it refers more to the term technique rather than a phenomenon.
Conclusion
Propaganda has a long history that describes the different roles of the people involved in this process. In spite of the fact that it always requires guidance and supervision, the main job is done by the general public. People pass on ideas that give understandable explanations on really questionable subjects. It leads to simplification. Hence, certain issues remain unresolved as the main purpose of propaganda is to make people think less.
Works Cited
Doob, Leonard. “Goebbels’ Principles of Propaganda”, Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. 14, 1950, pp. 419-442.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World Revisited. Bantam Books, 1960.
Jowett, Garth S., and Victoria O’Donnell. Propaganda & Persuasion. Sage, 2014.
Marlin, Randal. Propaganda and the Ethics of Persuasion, 2nd ed., Broadview Press, 2013.
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 author’s 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 propaganda’s 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 buyer’s 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 Bernay’s 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, Bernays’s 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, Dido’s 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 people’s 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 Vesta’s 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? Don’t you feel, a force now more than mortal is against you and heaven’s will has changed…We’ll bow to that” (Virgil, 2008, p. 602). The Aeneid makes it difficult for the reader to distinguish leadership from religion.
People’s 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 Juno’s 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 Anchise’s words, “Roman, remember by your strength to rule Earth’s 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, “We’ll 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 Dido’s 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 Jupiter’s 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 man’s 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 Heaney’s Human Chain: “Images and Symbols Adequate To Our Predicament”. Renascence, 65(4), 304-318.
Prince, M. (2014). Helen of Rome? Helen in Vergil’s Aeneid. Helios, 41(2), 187-214.
Pinkster, H. (1999). The present tense in Virgil’s Aeneid. Mnemosyne, 52(6), 705.
Scully, S., & Fletcher, J. (1987). Virgil’s ‘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). O’Neill’s 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 Virgil’s Aeneid. Mnemosyne, 66(2), 335-337.
Bolshevik propaganda was one of the main tools used to influence and control mass consciousness and ideas. The uniqueness and peculiarity of Bolshevik propaganda was agitation. The aim of this approach was the dissemination of ideas and ideals, teaching new ideological values and concepts. Communists hoped to achieve, and that was why they had more and more concentrated their propaganda efforts on the boys and girls and the young men and women.
The Bolsheviks propaganda organization was well equipped to deal with complex situations, including rebellions and strikes. It employed many thousands of instructors–known, misleadingly enough, as ‘agitators’ whose sole function it was to explain to the ordinary citizen what was the current line of party policy and to justify it by whatever arguments were most likely to be effective1. No doubt these men and women found the explanation and justification of the switch concerning Stalin their hardest assignment up to date2.
The ordinary Russian was conditioned to believe what he was told to believe, he neither could nor wanted to think for himself in political matters, and if he was bewildered by the gyrations of communist doctrine, he was all the readier to listen to and accept, even if he did not understand, the ‘agitator’s’ explanations. In this particular case, propaganda was all-powerful over people’s minds and went too far beyond the facts3.
Using unique messages and visual representation, Bolsheviks portrayed the threat of force and thereby terrorize population. Propaganda gave them the feeling that they were deserted by their friends and had no hope of rescue. Above all, propaganda badgered and bludgeoned the population with slogans, banners, and loudspeakers, so that they were never allowed an opportunity for peaceful meditation or relaxation4.
One could not escape from mass propaganda. No play was produced, no film was shot, which did not in one form or another convey a propaganda message in favor of communism and Bolshevism. If plays in the standard repertory were included, they were accompanied by interpretations designed to bring out some kind of Bolshevist moral. Even music and painting were not immune: though the communists were unable to tamper with the accepted classics yet they were not hesitated to interfere on avowedly political grounds with the works of contemporary artists and composers, and the standard point of discussion of any new work turns not on whether it was good or bad art but on whether it was progressive and democratic or bourgeois and decadent5. “Painting was used directly for political propaganda, which meant that most works were stilted or conveyed blatant untruths about collectivization”6 (see Appendix 1,2).
The communists have succeeded in carrying the operation much further in that no practicing artist, whatever his nationality or race, can be confident when he produces new work, that it will be judged on its artistic merits; on the contrary, he is liable, as he knows, to be arraigned by the authorities and forced to confess to errors and deviations from the communist norm. It is not surprising that the arts do not flourish under a communist regime7.
Add to that the exclusion from the newsstands of all but communist-controlled newspapers and from the bookshops of all but communist-approved literature; add, too, the more or less compulsory attendance at parades and mass demonstrations and indoctrination classes; all of this on top of the kind of terrorism which makes it necessary to watch one’s tongue even when talking to friends and relatives; and one can understand how the spirit of independent thought is for most people choked by a stifling blanket of boredom and despair. And this is doubtless the conscious object of the communist leadership so far as the middle-aged and elderly sections of the population are concerned8.
In order to reach the illiterate population and disseminate revolutionary ideals, Bolsheviks used posters located in trains, aircraft, and trams. The visual messages were commented on and explained by radio. “Message to them had to be kept simple, striking and memorable”9. But the normative, the ideological, were also important: the manipulation of symbols ( Stalin, the hero of socialism), the image of the future (‘socialism in one country’), and the propaganda (‘the most democratic constitution in the world’) all played a role as great, if not greater than terror, in ensuring the active compliance and mobilization of the population. One of the more extravagant claims of the program was that Soviet growth would ‘surpass the USA’10,
Propaganda could not convert the population, but it could perhaps stun them into inertia. First, they were likely to believe unquestioningly in the simple dogmas of Marxism, as also in the current slogans of the communists concerning the threat from the West or the iniquities of colonialism11.
And secondly, they were likely to become so habituated to the all-pervading barrage of communist propaganda as to accept that too as an inevitable part of everyday life. In both these ways, the communists hoped to train up a body of citizens throughout who would be as docile and gullible as is the great majority of Russians. The regime tried not only to weaken the Church but also to eradicate belief in God which it considered a superstition12.
In the early post-revolutionary years, violence and sacrilege had been perpetrated against the Church. From 1923, the Communist Party attempted to develop new ways of anti-religious propaganda. These included the publication of ‘popular scientific’ literature devised to explain the origin and class nature of religion; the organization of anti-religious propaganda put across by lectures; the setting up under the party of anti-religious study circles, and the inculcation of materialist natural science among the masses. Government suppression of the radical press possibly continued to curtail reports on the revolution. The otherwise incompetent military regimes proved quite effective in suppressing radicals13.
Government reports from early 1919 reveal its vigilance against “extremist” propaganda. The government continued to suppress publications that promoted “social change,” family revolution, and the ‘sanctity of labor’14. Anarchists advocated a social revolution that was more authentic because they believed in both imminent social transformation and popular mobilization to that end. Anarchist activity took the form primarily of cultural and propaganda activity, but they were also the first among radicals to engage in a labor organization.
In sum, propaganda was used by Bolsheviks in the form of agitation, directed and conveyed threats before capitalism and the West, and suppressed rebellious ideas and actions of the population. The best methods which helped Bolsheviks to reach illiterate citizens were posters and radio programs, theater, and cinema.
Works Cited
Cohen, S. F. Rethinking the Soviet Experience: Politics and History since 1917. Oxford University Press, USA, 1996.
Fitzpatrick, S. The Russian revolution. Oxford University Press, 2001.
Lee, S. L. European Dictatorships. 2nd edition. Routledge, 2000.
Kenez, P. The Birth of the Propaganda State: Soviet Methods of Mass Mobilization, 1917-1929. Cambridge University Press, 1985.
Footnotes
Kenez, P. The Birth of the Propaganda State: Soviet Methods of Mass Mobilization, 1917-1929. (Cambridge University Press, 1985): 111.
Ibid, 183.
Kenez, P. The Birth of the Propaganda State: Soviet Methods of Mass Mobilization, 1917-1929. (Cambridge University Press, 1985), 65-66.
Lee, S. L. European Dictatorships. 2nd edition. (Routledge, 2000), 67
Ibid, 67
Ibid, 67.
Cohen, S. F. Rethinking the Soviet Experience: Politics and History since 1917. (Oxford University Press, USA, 1996), 84.
Fitzpatrick, S. The Russian revolution. (Oxford University Press, 2001), 124.
Lee, S. L. European Dictatorships. 2nd edition. (Routledge, 2000), 164.
Kenez, P. The Birth of the Propaganda State: Soviet Methods of Mass Mobilization, 1917-1929. (Cambridge University Press, 1985), 186.
Ibid, 76.
Ibid, 183.
Ibid, 184.
Kenez, P. The Birth of the Propaganda State: Soviet Methods of Mass Mobilization, 1917-1929. (Cambridge University Press, 1985), 170.
In the modern, commercial world, propaganda has undoubtedly infiltrated the mass media in phenomenal leaps that are reminiscent of the cold war era where the technique was employed by the US and Russia to neutralize each others’ political, military and economic influence.
Today, more than ever before, propaganda is increasingly been used in the public arena to settle a multiplicity of competing and conflicting factors and aspirations (Barsamian & Chomsky 32). Governments continue to use mass media to peddle propaganda in times of conflicts with other governments, and politicians continue to bankroll media personalities and outlets during electioneering period to peddle political propaganda.
In the same vein, companies and media houses continue to heavily rely on propaganda to gain an upper hand over their competitors through subjective marketing and advertising strategies. It is the purpose of this essay to evaluate the obstacles faced by a propagandist and conditions that allow a propagandist to thrive successfully.
According to Linebarger, “propaganda consists of the planned use of any form of public or mass-produced communication designed to affect the minds and emotions of a given group for a specific purpose, whether military, economic, or political” (39).
Propaganda in mass media occurs when information is systematically biased, distorted, exaggerated, fabricated, or subjectively and inaccurately reported with the aim of receiving support, goodwill and a sense of legitimacy from the target audience (Shah para. 1). Propaganda is used to rally individuals behind a cause by exaggerating, misdirecting, cheating or misrepresenting the actual issues to garner support.
In mass media, propaganda is exhibited when agents charged with the responsibility of objectively reporting information use selective stories and partial facts to present the information (Barsamian & Chomsky 18). Also, propaganda in mass media takes place when the agents use one-sided sources of information, demonize the perceived enemy, use narrow range of discourse or engage in pre-emptive assumptions, false balances and framings (Shah para. 2).
The propagandist undergoes a multiplicity of obstacles and challenges to ensure that the message is received by the target audience. The first obstacle is to comprehensively understand the nature of the target audience that the propagandist wants to modify through the use of propaganda (Ellul 26).
It is the function of the propagandist to learn the social, cultural, economic, and psychological orientations of the target audience, a scenario that can present some challenges. A good knowledge of these orientations will assist the propagandist to devise techniques of psychological manipulation and social pressure aimed at influencing the thought systems and ideological convictions of the target audience.
Another obstacle comes in the form of propagandist’s ability to convince the target audience to follow a particular line of thinking. The Propagandist is known to use techniques such as assertions, bandwagon, card stacking and glittering generalities to win over the hearts of the target audience (Propaganda Techniques para. 1).
But this is unachievable if the propagandist lacks or has inadequate ability or capacity to convince the target audience. For example, a propagandist may use assertions especially in advertisement and marketing to present some enthusiastic statements as facts. To be successful, the propagandist must have the capability and capacity to convince the target audience that such statements reflect the truth without providing evidence to back up the claims.
Bandwagon technique is often used to compel the public to join in doing a certain activity because others have joined (Propaganda Techniques para. 2). Effective convincing techniques are needed to compel the target audience to join in since others have already joined. In many cases, the propagandist may lack these requisite techniques.
Lack of naturalness is yet another obstacle that propagandists face when trying to pass information across to the target audience (Carl para. 3). Propagandists are known to use vernacular, dialect, and homey words that have a wide appeal to the target audience. Studies have revealed that effective propaganda must utilize the latest vernacular of the particular target audience, including idioms, folklores, belief systems, idioms and jokes (Wilkins & Christians 139).
Also, an effective propagandist must be able to use the native dialect of the target audience in a perfect way. It is against this backdrop that the propagandist faces obstacles and challenges when trying to pass the information across to the target audience due to failure to use the audience’s vernacular and dialect in a natural way.
The propagandist can use homey words that are known to the target audience since such words have the capacity to elicit nostalgia, bringing the audience closer to the message. Lack of naturalness on the part of the propagandist may cause an adverse backlash from the target audience as it tries to begrudge what it considers efforts by the propagandist to mock it, its language, its people and its ways.
A multitude of factors and conditions influence the propagandist’s opportunities of success in passing the information across to the target audience. The conditions needed to make a propagandist more effective and successful are many and varied.
A successful propagandist must effectively master the speech, writing, dialect, cultural orientations and other aspects of life of the target audience (Linebarger 53). According to Linebarger, the ability to control information is a requisite condition for any propagandist who wishes to be successful.
The propagandist should have the capability to manipulate information that reaches the mainstream media or the target audience. For example, in conditions of war and civil strive, the military is able to control and manipulate information trickling in from the battlefields by organizing daily press briefings, planting stories, or providing tightly controlled access to warzones. This type of control ensures that the right kind of message goes through to the right audience (McQuail 530).
An individual can be successful in spreading propaganda through the use of euphoric environments. Indeed, propagandists are known to thrive perfectly well in conditions that trigger a lot of anxiety or happiness within the target audience (Johnstone & Bauer 52). For example, propaganda is known to fill the airwaves and other mediums of communication such as the print media and internet during political electioneering periods as propagandists try to outdo each other in the political landscape.
According to Johnstone & Bauer, “…it appears that the most effective propaganda does not play on public emotions, but provide the public with selective facts and allows them to come to their own conclusions” (63). In political campaigns, rivals present half-truth and subjective statements about their competitors to win support from the masses. Studies have revealed that propagandists who utilize such conditions are usually successful.
Social and economic strife have also been known to serve as successful breeding ground for propaganda. Indeed, under social conditions of information manipulation, monopoly and ruthless ethnic or racial conflicts, propagandists have tended to use and control the media as a tool to foster hatred and assemble populations to violence (McQuail 530).
Propagandists continue to utilize the disparaging social and economic conditions in less developed countries to cause havoc to the general populations. It should also be noted that individuals undergoing social and economic difficulties are vulnerable to so many manipulations, including propaganda. It is on this basis that propagandists utilize social economic difficulties facing a target audience to successfully pass their message across.
All in all, propagandists continue to utilize the above mentioned conditions to alter the world views, beliefs, and thought systems of their target audiences. In recent times, the US has incessantly used the available mass media channels to clean up its act in Iraq and Afghanistan (Wilkins & Christians 182).
The fact that the mass media is presently regarded as a requisite tool and strategy for propaganda peddling can no longer be denied. Indeed, the propagandists love to use the mass media as their default channels for passing propaganda since they reach a wider number of individuals and are regarded as trustworthy (McQuail 530)
Works Cited
Barsamian, D., & Chomsky, N. Propaganda and the Public Mood, 1st Ed. South End Press. 2001. Web.
Nowadays, the helping professions play an essential role in society, for people are often faced with problems they find difficult to overcome and may require external help to do this (Hutchison, 2013). However, companies that provide helping services may sometimes use advertisements that utilize propagandist rather than rhetorical methods to attract clients; this, it is paramount to differentiate rhetoric from propaganda and adequately assess the claims of such organizations, for sometimes they may do more harm than good (Gambrill & Gibbs, 2009). In this paper, two advertisement videos will be analyzed to identify whether they contain more rhetorical or propagandist features.
On the whole, the provided videos (Morningside Recovery, 2014; PeopleStar FilmWorks, 2014) appear to use propaganda rather than rhetoric. The shorter video (PeopleStar FilmWorks, 2014) mainly features the executive director of the “Morningside Recovery” company, who might be described as an attractive person, which creates additional appeal in the viewers of the video; the director briefly outlines what the company does, and cites its mission.
Background music is present; the viewers have demonstrated a boat going down a river, a sea beach, etc., suggesting that the clients of the enterprise will participate in similar activities. The scenery is beautiful, whereas the demonstrated indoor settings look comfortable, welcoming, and cozy. All of this creates quite an appealing atmosphere for the customer. Thus, there are numerous emotional appeals, such as background music, pleasant people, beautiful scenery, and cozy indoor setting (Gambrill & Gibbs, 2009, p. 69-70); however, no particular rational arguments are provided in the video.
The longer video (Morningside Recovery, 2014) also seems to appeal more to emotion, as well as to ideology, than to evidence. Again, much beautiful scenery is shown in the video; the viewers are told that the organization’s customers can have numerous experiences provided in the adventure programs of the company. “It’s not every day that someone stands… on a summit overlooking most of California,” the executive director says (Morningside Recovery, 2014, 5:00).
The advertisement also describes the cozy atmosphere that the clients of the company can experience; for instance, it is stated that they can take their pets with them if they desire, and so on (Morningside Recovery, 2014). It is emphasized that the organization helps its clients to become “active members” of the society, to “achieve success,” which is apparently an appeal to certain ideologemes; it is said that “if you can dream it, we’ll help you do it” (Morningside Recovery, 2014, 3:40) – another reassurance for the potential customers.
At the beginning of the longer video, a man speaks about what the company offers; it is mentioned that “people [can] choose [the method of treatment] that works best for them” (Morningside Recovery, 2014, 0:20), which can induce doubt is considered critically. It is also stated that, for instance, “we use evidence-based practices, dialectical therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and solution-focus therapy” (Morningside Recovery, 2014. 0:50), which are terms that probably do not mean much to many of the potential customers, but may sound “smart” and “solid,” providing additional credibility for the enterprise. It is stressed that all the employees of the company are professionals licensed in the state of California (Morningside Recovery, 2014); however, it would be strange if they were not.
Therefore, numerous appeals to the emotions of the potential customers are made (Gambrill & Gibbs, 2009, p. 69-70); the advertisements also use some common ideologemes (success), as well as widely recognized notions (evidence-based practice). However, no facts or statistics are provided in the video, even though it would not be difficult to state, for instance, which percentage of the clients successfully obtained aid from the company. No references to particular studies are made; research is only vaguely mentioned once.
Thus, the provided videos make very strong emotional appeals; however, they present no concrete information or data pertaining to the effectiveness of the services the advertised company provides. The potential clients are probably expected to contact the company ASAP. Therefore, it might be concluded that the viewed advertisements demonstrate the features of propaganda rather than those of rhetoric.
References
Gambrill, E., & Gibbs, L. (2009). Critical thinking for helping professionals: A skills-based workbook (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Hutchison, E. D. (2013). Essentials of human behavior: Integrating person, environment, and the life course. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Media Propaganda refers to a message that aims at changing people’s opinion on issues by providing only one side of an argument. Propaganda is widespread in the media especially in advertisements and magazines (Baran and Davis 76). In this paper, we will consider a poster advertisement.
This poster contains an advertisement for a body spray, Axe. In the advertisement, there is a couple walking down the street along window displays. The advertisement shows a man cut into two halves, the lower half and the upper half. The lower half of the man’s body is lagging behind, standing by a window display with a female mannequin dressed in lingerie.
On the other hand, the upper half continues walking alongside the woman. In addition, the poster contains a written message at the bottom of the page. This message reads, “Part Good. Part Bad. That’s Man’s Essence.” Further, at the lower right corner, the poster has a picture of the spray under consideration and the name of the spray: “New Axe Essence”. This message appeals to the audience to use Axe body spray.
The audience of this advertisement is men. This advertisement is simply appealing to men, especially from teenage upwards. Men relate to this idea of walking together with a woman while at the same time admiring other women. This makes them feel integrated (Bhasin 1).
The message contained in this poster appears to be appealing to men to use this body spray to get a double deal. It implies that axe gives men an advantage of attracting women who are sexually appealing and at the same time keep their girlfriends. Men have added integrated egos when they attract such beautiful women and seem to have successful relationships. This will translate to the men being content and happy.
The man in the poster looks comfortable and confident. Further, the woman in the advertisement seems impressed, happy, and relaxed. The advert makes it appear that the man is the one making the woman happy. Therefore, this implies that men who use axe appear relaxed and composed manage to impress their girlfriends.
These influence choices of men who want to impress their girlfriends and make them happy. In addition, the poster portrays the given location as luxurious with lovely shop displays without people. This implies the unique and distinct nature of Axe. Obviously, the properties given to the spray add class to it and allow the spray to select rich and classy men as prospective buyers.
This advertisement portrays Axe body spray as being appropriate for use at any time. For instance, for casual time, at work or anywhere, the casually dressed couple in the advertisement seems to be admiring shop displays’ probably on their way to a casual meeting after work.
The man used in the poster is young emphasizing that axe body spray is convenient for young men. He is young and needs to feel happy and successful. The smile of the man in the poster portrays his happiness probably because of his youth. This contentment associates with the audience’s needs and attract their attention.
Additionally, the poster uses tranquil and non-screaming colors. Advertisers use blue and grey colors on the spray and the background respectively. These colors are passionate, serene, welcoming and can accommodate diverse moods and occasions. These colors attract the audience and encourage them to use the spray.
This advertisement is exceptionally convincing and can attract many people. However, ideological analysis of this advertisement reveals the presence of unintended cultural messages dotted all over the poster (Sproule 130). Cultural aspects that come out can discourage prospective users of Axe spray if they paid deeper attention to the advertisement.
This advertisement suggests that a man who uses axe essence will have more than one woman at his disposal. It assumes that men are happy when they have multiple women. Further, the advertisement stereotypes men as being sex oriented. The lower part of the man’s body staring at the mannequin shows this stereotype.
One would wonder why the lower and not the upper half of the body was staring the mannequin considering that it is the one with eyes. What does the lower half of the man’s body use to see the mannequin? Clearly, the body part that substitutes the man’s eye is his phallus. This shows that men view women as objects for their sexual desire, which is not completely true.
The message and pictures in the advertisement pose another cultural controversy. The picture indicates that the lower half of the man remains behind while the upper half continues walking together with the woman. The girlfriend does not seem to notice that her boyfriend’s lower part is lagging behind staring at other feminine figures.
The man continues walking as if nothing is happening. This brands men as cheaters and unfaithful spouses. The advertisers seem to know this when they write that man is partly good and partly bad. However, they dismiss it referring it to as man’s essence. This is against cultural norms, which advocates for fidelity among spouses.
This advertisement for axe body spray portrays women as sex figures. The lower part of the man’s body lagging behind to admire the mannequin proves this. This act emphasizes on extreme sexuality of women and the power those feminine figures posses to the extent of splitting a man into two.
This is obvious in the lower part of the man’s body admiring a displayed mannequin wearing red lingerie. This shows that men prefer women who dress skimpily to casually dressed women. These women appear to be extra sexually appealing and attract men. Consequently, this advertisement perceives women as sexual objects and displays women in a negative way.
This advertisement is not completely true. For instance, the street appears to be vacant allowing the couple quality time alone. There are shops as shown by the displayed mannequin wearing lingerie. However, we know that shops need clients to keep them functional. The poster neglects this fact and creates an illusion that Axe body spray allows people to be completely alone in the street. The advertisers use this fallacy to create emotion and influence buyers.
In conclusion, we are justified to say that this advertisement is effective. The poster effectively uses graphic display and words to convey the intended media message (Jowett and O’ Donell 280). They achieve this by using physically attractive people, using a quiet and serene setting.
Further, the advertiser’s choice of colors and creativity help them to attract a larger audience. The advertisers capture audience’s attention well and consider their needs. They conform to the audience’s need of being happy, having integrated ego and using distinguished products. Therefore, the use of media propaganda assists the advertisers to achieve their goal.
Works Cited
Baran, Stanley and Dennis Davis. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future 6th ed. London: Wadsworth, 2011. Print.
Bhasin, Kim. How Axe Became The Top-Selling Deodorant By Targeting Nerdy Losers. 2011. Web.
Jowett, Garth and Victoria O’ Donell. Propaganda and Persuasion 4th ed. London: Sage Publications, 2005. Print.
Sproule, Michael. Propaganda and Democracy:The American Experience of Media and Mass Persuasion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Print.