Transcript PROPAGANDA - ozminkowski

PROPAGANDA
Definitions of Propaganda
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From Latin propagatio:
to grow, to spread, to multiply.
Origins: 1622 – the Roman Catholic Church
Congregatio de Propaganda Fide (Congregation
for Propagating the Faith)
Continues today (renamed 1982) as Congregation
for the Evangelization of Peoples
The most powerful element: “Faith”
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Propagandist believes in his/her position no matter
what…
Thus propaganda is most often associated with
dogmatic movements: such as Nazism,
Communism, Racialism, Fascism, ultraconservatism, evangelical movements, etc
The propagandist is not open to compromises
Propagandist’s “Axioms”:
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The Public Doesn’t Know “The Truth”
Propagandist Knows “The Truth”
“The Truth” is Important
Thus:
The Public Must be “Enlightened”
The Public Must be “Educated”
Different meaning to different
people…
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For some propaganda is disseminating,
propagating, educating…
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For others propaganda is distorting,
manipulating, brainwashing…
From Rational Persuasion to Propaganda
SCIENCE
◄---------------------------------►
DOGMA
RATIONAL PERSUASION ◄-------------► PROPAGANDA
Not all must be extreme and sinister…
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Anti-smoking campaigns: uncompromising but
mostly accurate
Drink More Water campaign: exaggerated but
with good intentions
Public Diplomacy: usually moderate, fairly
accurate, reasonable
Public Diplomacy
Facilitative communication
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To explain and promote U.S. domestic and
foreign policy, cultural life, artistic and
scientific accomplishments, American way of
life, etc.
Through broadcast, print publications,
organizing cultural events, subsidizing U.S.
artists abroad, etc.
The United States Information Agency (USIA)
USIA maintains 190 posts in 142 countries
Successful public diplomacy:
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Voice of America popularizing jazz music
abroad (since the 1950s)
Sponsoring opinion journals
Teaching English language
Subsidizing Scientific Conferences and
Research
Fulbright Program for scholars
Even promoting counterculture
BROADCASTING
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Voice of America: 660 hours of programming
weekly in 53 languages
Radio and TV Martí (in Spanish to Cuba),
WORLDNET Television,
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Radio Free Asia.
Or, maybe propaganda is:
any statement from a source we don’t like
(Joseph Schumpeter, 1966)
Or, maybe…
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We cannot define it but we know
when we see it.
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When in 1964 Supreme Court Justice Potter
Stewart tried to define what is obscenity, he said,
"I shall not today attempt further to define the
kinds of material I understand to be embraced,
but I know it when I see it . . .”
Kellner’s definition.
Propaganda is
a mode of discourse
intended to persuade, to manipulate, and to
indoctrinate its audience
into accepting policies
that they might not otherwise support.
Kellner’s definition.
Propaganda is a discourse that legitimates certain
interests and polices while providing a onesided, simplified, and distorted, but not
necessarily totally untrue, view of events or
people.
A lot depends on our own point of
view…
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Person’s ideology, religion, worldview,
culture…
Socialization as propaganda
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Socialization is a lifelong process of
inheriting and disseminating norms,
customs and ideologies: assuring social
and cultural continuity…
EDUCATION / SCHOOLING
PROPAGANDA?
The war over textbooks: Texas case
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“What happens in Texas doesn’t stay in Texas
when it comes to textbooks,”
As a market, the state is so big and influential that
national publishers tended to gear their books
toward whatever it wanted.
For example back in 1994, the board requested
four hundred revisions in five health textbooks
The war over textbooks: Texas case
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Ever since the 1960s, the selection of schoolbooks
in Texas has been a target for
the religious right which worried that
schoolchildren were being indoctrinated in godless
secularism
political conservatives who felt that their kids
were being given way too much propaganda about
the positive aspects of the federal government.
Government has responsibility to
reduce income differences
UK
US
NL
NZ
CAN
Defini43
tely yes
18
39
35
28
Probably yes
38
28
40
30
33
Probably not
10
25
13
15
20
Definitely no
7
27
6
18
17
Sexual relations before marriage
UK
US
NL
DK
CAN
Always
wrong
11
30
7
6
12
Almost
always
wrong
7
11
3
3
7
Sometimes
14
20
20
9
15
Not
wrong at
all
66
38
70
83
65
Religion brings
more conflict than peace
UK
US
NL
DK
CAN
Agree
78
35
70
86
63
Neither
12
21
16
7
17
Disagree
9
43
14
6
20
There is hell
YES
UK
US
NL
DK
JAP
13
55
13
8
6
34
12
48
60
21
Maybe
NO
Believe in God
UK
US
NL
DK
JAP
NO
41
18
48
55
55
Sometimes
14
5
8
11
32
YES
with
doubts
23
15
18
20
9
YES
without
a doubt
26
63
26
14
4
Are in favor of the death penalty for a
person convicted of murder?
Gay Marriage
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YEAR Favor
2004 30%
2006 39%
2008 38%
2010 42%
2012 47%
2013 53%
Oppose
58%
51%
49%
48%
43%
39%
Unsure
12%
10%
13%
10%
10%
8%
Europe vs. U.S. on death penalty
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1997: 75% of Americans supported death
penalty
2011: 61% of Americans support death
penalty.
2008: about 30% of Europeans support death
penalty
Types of Methods / Techniques
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Source Credibility
Reward and Punishment
Fear, Intimidation
Arousal of Emotions
Visual Symbols
Language
Music
Legitimizing information through
legitimate sources
Publicizing
Propagandist
Planting
Receiving
Legitimate
source
The Public
Manipulation
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V.I.Lenin 5/5/1920
The original picture (right) with Trotsky
Manipulation
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O.J. Simpson 1994
Weapons of intimidation
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For example
Aztec’s terror of religious blood sacrifice
and cannibalism (some orgies lasted days
and killed thousands victims)
They sharply lowered Aztec’s enemies will
to resist
Hernando Cortes’ use of horses against
Aztecs.
Weapons of intimidation
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Terror of rape when the Red Army entered
German territory in 1945 (officially
prohibited)
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Terror of rape in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the
early 1990s
Weapons of intimidation
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Portsmouth Peace Treat 1905 between
Russia and Japan
Organized by Roosevelt in Portsmouth to
show the might of the U.S. Navy
Language Used
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Propaganda uses language that tends to
deify a cause and ‘satanize’ opponents.
Exaggeration is often associated with
propaganda. Likewise, innuendo
The Use of Language
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The way an object is described directs our
thoughts and channel our cognitive
responses (positive or negative)
Example of “Name Calling”: The
condemning of an idea on its face by giving
it a bad label regardless of the evidence.
The use of myth
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A story or event that illuminates the key values of
some society or association: the original events
can be real, but they serve unreal imaginary
beliefs (e.g., that of national superiority)
National glory and national suffering
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“Suffering” of American Colonists in the late
1700s.
“Glorious victory” against the British
September 11, 2001
D-Day, Pearl Harbor, “Remember Alamo!”
Reshaping myths / images
Japan: from militaristic aggressor in the 1930s
and 1940s to a victim of the atomic bomb
East Germany: from former center of Nazism to
an anti-fascist peace loving
Prejudice / Hate
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The cult of hatred and xenophobia is the
cheapest and surest method to persuade
masses.
The use of myth:
national stereotypes
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Backward: Poor, Lazy, Ignorant, Indolent,
Submissive, Inefficient (but: Proud, Polite,
Traditional, Easygoing)
Advanced: Enterprising, Ambitious, Industrious,
Intelligent, Progressive, Efficient, Successful (but:
Ruthless, Aggressive, Money-hungry, Cunning)
The Use of Language
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“voodoo-economics” Bush Sr.
“Death tax” (inheritance tax)
Boston Massacre March 5, 1770
“Red Menace and the Jewish Problem”
“A kindlier, gentler America” (Bush Sr.)
“Honorable peace” (Nixon)
“The Man from Hope” (Clinton)
The Use of Language
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The War or the Defense Department
Collateral damage
The war against drugs, terrorism…
The war on poverty
Big business, Big oil, Tax on the Rich
75% lean or 25% fat?
“New and Improved”
Asymmetrical definition
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The deliberate use of audience-familiar words that
evoke shared meanings but are not shared by the
source of the message for the purpose of
deception.
“Peace” used by the Nazis. Hitler always
portrayed himself as “peace-loving”
“Democracy” used by the communists.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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What offers did I make them! How I begged them
to be reasonable! I begged them to see reason. My
speeches were all governed by the one idea: it
must be possible to find a method for a peaceful
solution. What we are doing is making a sacrifice
in the interest of peace. We make this sacrifice,
but we, at least, want to have peace in exchange
for it.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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I held out my hand, again and again. We have
not asked them for anything, not demanded
anything, again and again I offered my hand for
negotiations. It was in vain. I held out my hand to
England. I was received with derision. They
practically spat at me. They were indignant.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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We are involved in a war which we did not
want. Otherwise one could not stretch out one's
hand to the other side. However, if those financial
hyenas want war, if they want to exterminate
Germany, they will get the surprise of their lives.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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The year which lies behind us has been a year of
great successes, but also, it is true, one of many
sacrifices. Our whole sympathy, our love and care
belongs to those who had to make these sacrifices.
That the Lord should not abandon us in this
struggle of the coming year—Let that be our
prayer.
Music as Propaganda
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Music combines sound and language and is
repeated until it becomes familiar.
It touches the emotions easily, suggestions
associations and past experiences, invites us to
sing along and embraces ideology in the lyrics.
Power of Sound and Music
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National Anthems
Patriotic Songs
Religious
Sales
Military
Police
National anthems:
Casablanca - French National Anthem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM-E2H1ChJM
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Arise children of the fatherland
The day of glory has arrived
Against us tyranny's Bloody standard is raised
Can you hear in the fields
The howling of these fearsome soldiers?
They are coming into our midst
To cut the throats of your sons and consorts!
To arms, citizens, Form in battalions,
March, march! Let impure blood
Water our furrows!
National anthems: Japan
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May your Imperial reign
Continue for a thousand years,
And last for eight thousand generations,
Until pebbles
Turn into boulders
Covered in moss.
European Union:
Ode to Joy (Beethoven’s 9th)
Joy, your magic reunites
What custom strictly parts;
All people become brothers,
Where your gentle wing alights.
Be embraced, you millions!
All creatures drink joy
Ode to Joy / Street Mob
Visual Symbols
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Symbols of power, nationalism, patriotism, unity,
etc.
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For example:
flags, monuments, historical figures, battle scenes,
the use of colors
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Posters
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Chairman Mao is the Red Sun in Our
Heart (China 1969)
Visual Symbols
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The 1968 Olympics Black Power salute Tommie
Smith and John Carlos (200m runners)
Buildings
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Acropolis
Hitler’s Chancellery