PROPAGANDA PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES

What is propaganda?What is propaganda?The ideas The ideas spread by any spread by any organized organized group for the group for the purpose of purpose of influencing influencing human human behavior.behavior.

How does propaganda How does propaganda reach you?reach you?

NewspaperNewspaperssMagazinesMagazinesRadio Radio TelevisionTelevisionInternet Internet

Propaganda Propaganda appeals to …appeals to …

The desire to succeed The desire to succeed in our ambition or in our ambition or careercareer

The wish to be popular, The wish to be popular, have friends, be “in”have friends, be “in”

The urge to marry, to The urge to marry, to be accepted by the be accepted by the opposite sexopposite sex

The need to earn a living, The need to earn a living, have money to spendhave money to spend

The craving to possess The craving to possess finer thingsfiner things

The desire for security in The desire for security in old ageold age

The eagerness to be The eagerness to be

healthy and attractivehealthy and attractive

The desire to move in The desire to move in respectable circlesrespectable circles

The hunger for foodThe hunger for food

How to judge How to judge whether a whether a

statement is true statement is true or false.or false.

Is the writer or speaker a Is the writer or speaker a recognized authority in the recognized authority in the particular field?particular field?

Can the statement be Can the statement be presented as a personal point presented as a personal point of view or as the considered of view or as the considered opinion of a group?opinion of a group?

Are there a sufficient number Are there a sufficient number of cases of sufficient evidence of cases of sufficient evidence to justify the conclusion to justify the conclusion drawn?drawn?

Has the truth been somewhat Has the truth been somewhat slanted or deliberately slanted or deliberately distorted by means of distorted by means of evasions, half-truths, or evasions, half-truths, or omissions?omissions?

Does the statement depend on Does the statement depend on reason or solely on emotion to reason or solely on emotion to appeal to reader or listener?appeal to reader or listener?

Is the source of the statement Is the source of the statement a reliable corporation or a reliable corporation or individual?individual?

Types of Types of Propaganda Propaganda TechniquesTechniques

BandwagonBandwagonIt suggests an imaginary vehicle It suggests an imaginary vehicle carrying leaders of a cause or a carrying leaders of a cause or a candidate who has a large following.candidate who has a large following.

It uses such phrases as:It uses such phrases as:

–““Everybody’s doing it!”Everybody’s doing it!”

–““Join the crowd.”Join the crowd.”

–““This is the latest and best for you.”This is the latest and best for you.”

CARD STACKINGCARD STACKING

Shows only the product’s Shows only the product’s BEST features, telling BEST features, telling half-truths and omitting (or half-truths and omitting (or lying about) potential lying about) potential problemsproblemsEx.: Drug manufacturers Ex.: Drug manufacturers gloss over side effects, gloss over side effects, concentrating instead on concentrating instead on the medicine’s benefitsthe medicine’s benefits

Glittering Glittering GeneralizatioGeneralizatio

nnA A statement that jumps from a statement that jumps from a few cases to a conclusion that few cases to a conclusion that is supposed to fit all cases.is supposed to fit all cases.

It is called “glittering” because It is called “glittering” because it is falsely attractive.it is falsely attractive.

Name Name CallingCalling

This is a way of This is a way of smearing an opponent. smearing an opponent. Calling him names can Calling him names can damage his reputation damage his reputation or arouse suspicions or arouse suspicions about his character.about his character.

Plain FolksPlain Folks

This is the corny kind of This is the corny kind of appeal to the man in the street appeal to the man in the street made by identifying either a made by identifying either a person or a product with his person or a product with his particular locality or country.particular locality or country.

““I’m one of you folks, born and raised in I’m one of you folks, born and raised in these mountains and I can still shuck these mountains and I can still shuck corn with the best of you.”corn with the best of you.”

Snob AppealSnob AppealThe opposite of plain folks is The opposite of plain folks is the “snob appeal,” which the “snob appeal,” which aims to flatter those who aims to flatter those who would like to satisfy their would like to satisfy their ego by assuming that they ego by assuming that they are better than the rest of are better than the rest of mankind in looks, wealth, mankind in looks, wealth, taste, position, etc.taste, position, etc.

ScapegoatScapegoatA scapegoat is a person A scapegoat is a person carrying the blame for carrying the blame for others.others.

Sometimes a failing Sometimes a failing student blames the school student blames the school or a teacher.or a teacher.

““Slogan”Slogan”A slogan is a catchword or A slogan is a catchword or phrase loaded with phrase loaded with emotion.emotion.

Slogans are usually clever Slogans are usually clever and easy to remember.and easy to remember.

TestimonialTestimonialA statement endorsing a A statement endorsing a product or an idea when product or an idea when signed by a prominent person signed by a prominent person

A popular favorite carries A popular favorite carries undue weight when it is used undue weight when it is used to sponsor something outside to sponsor something outside his particular field.his particular field.

This device transfers the good This device transfers the good impression we have of something impression we have of something we already know to something else we already know to something else that we don’t know.that we don’t know.

By associating the two we merge By associating the two we merge our personal reactions without our personal reactions without examining the unknown person or examining the unknown person or thing by itself.thing by itself.

TransferTransfer

Satire Notes

““The satirist is to be regarded as our The satirist is to be regarded as our physician, not our enemy.” Henry Fieldingphysician, not our enemy.” Henry Fielding

Think of The Simpsons, SNL (Saturday Think of The Simpsons, SNL (Saturday Night Live) and The Onion. Night Live) and The Onion.

What is Satire? What is Satire?

A literary technique in which behaviors

or institutions are ridiculed for the sake

of improving society.

Its use of humor makes it a unique form

of social protest.

Began in Ancient Greece

Characteristics of SatireCharacteristics of Satire

Attempts to bring about change throughHumor

Often targets social or politicalInstitutions

Uses irony and exaggeration

Typically attacks hypocrisy, arrogance,greed, vanity, etc.