Propaganda

language or rhetoric used to persuade a mass audience

often to convince of particular political, religious or other ideology

differs from other persuasive messages because it is associated with agenda not message

many forms

• books
• films, broadcast
• internet
• even pamphlets dropped from planes

many forms

• books
• films, broadcast
• internet
• even pamphlets dropped from planes

Totalitarian regimes most associated with propaganda but...

U.S. uses it also ex: "duck and cover" "see something, say something"

Propaganda is usually a pejorative (negative).

Propaganda techniques similar to logical fallacies, which pervert or distort the truth.

In 1984, Hate Week and Two Minutes Hate are major components of the Party's propaganda machine.

In 1984, Hate Week and Two Minutes Hate are major components of the Party's propaganda machine.

Each works against rational thought and turns citizens into "bleating sheep".

Techniques

Appeal to fear: fear is one of the most effective methods of controlling others.

Appeal to authority: associated with fear, humans reluctant to oppose authority. Don't want to get in trouble. We tend to blindly follow authority.

Unwarranted emotional appeals: even unrestrained joy can persuade and make people lose their reason.

bandwagon: everyone else is doing it; why not you, too? If you think otherwise, you are not patriotic.

bandwagon: everyone else is doing it; why not you, too? If you think otherwise, you are not patriotic.

Glittering Generalities: using abstract and undefined language to the extent that people want to believe it. Ex: Freedom, Glory

Obtain Disapproval: Citizens band together to hate or stand against a common enemy.

Stereotyping: It is much easier to disapprove of a group if we believe everyone in the group is the same. Ex: all millenials are slackers.

Stereotyping: It is much easier to disapprove of a group if we believe everyone in the group is the same. Ex: all millenials are slackers.

Scapegoating: find a person or a group to blame it all on

Scapegoating: find a person or a group to blame it all on

Slogans: a motto or phrase that is mindlessly repeated and has no particular meaning, but can bring people together in a common bond.

Advertising is propaganda.