Propaganda Nobly Augmenting Human Thought and Affairs

Romanticism, Racism, and Patriotic Duty – Examples of Propaganda from the Early 20th Century.

Defining Propaganda:

  • “Information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.” – Dictionary
  • “Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.” – Oxford English Dictionary Online
  • “1718, ‘committee of cardinals in charge of Catholic missionary work,’ short for Congregatio de Propaganda Fide ‘congregation for propagating the faith,’ a committee of cardinals established 1622 by Gregory XV to supervise foreign missions. The word is properly the ablative fem. gerundive of Latin propagare (see propagation). Hence, ‘any movement to propagate some practice or ideology’ (1790). Modern political sense dates from World War I, not originally pejorative. Meaning ‘material or information propagated to advance a cause, etc.’ is from 1929.” – Online Etymological Dictionary

Propaganda Quotes:

  • “If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, is it not possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it?” – Edward L. Bernays
  • “Propaganda is definitely not an arsenal of ready-made, valid techniques and arguments, suitable for use anywhere. […] The propagandist can alter opinions by diverting them from their accepted course, by changing them, or by placing them in an ambiguous context. […] Thus, existing opinion is not to be contradicted, but utilized.” – Jacques Ellul
  • “Propaganda is effective not when based on an individual prejudice, but when based on a collective center of interest, shared by the crowds.” – Jacques Ellul
  • “We are told about the world before we see it. We imagine most things before we experience them. And those preconceptions, unless education has made us acutely aware, govern deeply the whole process of perception.” – Walter Lippmann
  • “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. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society.” – Edward L. Bernays

Types of Propaganda:

Propaganda is typically broken down into seven distinct types, all of which are common logical fallacies. Oftentimes, more than one technique will be used in a given propaganda piece. They are:

  1. Glittering Generalities
    • This refers to “talking something up.” When using this technique, the propagandist presents to subject matter in the most positive light possible, often utilizing words and phrases that signal virtue.
  2. Name-Calling
    • The ad hominem attack. This sort of propaganda resorts to disparaging someone or something, in an attempt to sway people away from him, her, or it.
  3. Testimonial
    • This is the ever-useful celebrity endorsement. The idea is that, if a famous or well-respected person uses a given product or supports a given political stance or action, fans of that person will be inclined to mimic them.
  4. Plain-Folks
    • In a way, this technique is the opposite of the Testimonial. Rather than celebrities, the propagandist uses an average person to advocate for whatever they are trying to promote, because the target audience will be able to relate more.
  5. Bandwagon
    • The old “appeal to popularity.” This technique plays on people’s desire to feel included; part of the “group.” It also plays on the notion of “safety in numbers,” the common feeling that the more people there are in a group, the less likely it is for that group to be incorrect.
  6. Card-Stacking
    • This technique involves the deliberate misrepresentation of information. Unfair comparisons might be made, certain facts might be conflated, and others might be omitted. While the other techniques are designed to distract and mislead, this one is flagrantly deceptive.
  7. Transfer
    • This one is about juxtaposition; the idea is to get the target audience to associate a person, group, or product with a symbol or idea, so that when one sees or hears the one, they can’t help but think of the other.

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