PROPAGANDA

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE MESSAGES FOR SOCIETY

PROPAGANDA

Propaganda- Definition

Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position.

Not impartial Presents information primarily to influence an audience. Presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a

particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented.

Desired result is a change of attitude toward subject in target audience to further a political agenda. Propaganda can be used as a form of political warfare.

While the term propaganda has acquired a strongly negative connotation by association with its most manipulative and jingoistic examples, propaganda in its original sense was neutral, and could refer to uses that were generally benign or innocuous, such as public health recommendations, signs encouraging citizens to participate in a census or election, or messages encouraging persons to report crimes to the police, among others.

How? With words, images, usually through mass media (posters, tv, movies, internet, radio)

Propaganda in the Past

Propaganda became a negative tool used by the Nazis before and during WWII. Hitler used it to achieve power, maintain control, and manipulate ideas. Hitler understood the power of propaganda, devoting two chapters to it in Mein Kampf (his book).

Propaganda in the Present

In the twenty-first century, the use of propaganda has accelerated as we are bombarded with negative, neutral and positive images from many sources.

Why is this important?

It is imperative that we can tell the difference between fact vs. opinion and education vs. indoctrination.

More importantly, we must understand that

negative or politically motivated propaganda can promote bias and, on a large scale, racism.

Questions: How can propaganda be a tool for good?How can it be misused?

Advertising and Propaganda

Advertising is considered a ‘mild’ form of propaganda.

Companies try to sell a product through adsSome ads are truthful, but others can be

misleading.Many of the same techniques are used- you

have to recognize them.

Task

Find 1-3 examples of propaganda in the media; look for visual examples.

In your reader’s response journal, record your observations about these examples; include a copy in the journal.

For each journal entry:1. Name the topic 2. Identify the target audience 3. Describe each example by visual and language

content. 4. How is the effective is the example?5. What is the emotional feeling of each?