What is Propaganda?

The two articles this week are related to the same issue. The first examines propaganda; the second looks at why people believe it.

Why am I looking at these questions? Most recently, I was blown away by the full bore myth and propaganda created around the Republican vice-presidential candidate, and how emotionally and quickly she was embraced by the media and by that party's faithful. It was not a rational response.

So what is propaganda? Basically, it is a set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people. Propaganda often presents facts selectively to encourage an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented.

Also, propaganda also has a close relationship with censorship, by preventing people from being confronted with opposing points of view. Where you find propaganda, you'll see its twin of censorship.

What sets propaganda apart from other forms of advocacy is the willingness of the propagandist to change people's understanding through deception and confusion rather than persuasion and understanding.

So what forms of propaganda did I see surrounding the v.p. choice?

1. Attack your opponents, rather than attacking their arguments.

2. Repeat an idea, especially a simple slogan, so that it is taken as the truth.

3. Appeal to fear by instilling anxieties and panic in the general population.

4. Appeal to the common man by convincing the audience that the propagandist's positions reflect the common sense of the people.

5. Demonizing the enemy through suggestion or false accusations.

6. Flag-waving is an attempt to justify an action on the grounds that doing so will make one more patriotic.

7. Glittering generalities are emotionally appealing words, but which present no concrete argument or analysis.

8. Persuade a target audience to disapprove of an action or idea by suggesting that the idea is popular with groups hated, feared, or held in contempt by the target audience.

9. Use virtue words that are in the value system of the target audience which tend to produce a positive image when attached to a person or issue. Peace, happiness, security, wise leadership, freedom, "The Truth", etc. are virtue words.

Others that come to mind are: Over simplification, quotes out of context, name calling, and scapegoating.

All of these were on full display at the recent RNC, the media buzz and emails following the Republican vice presidential selection.