PROPAGANDA
What is propaganda? There are numerous definitions. The definition below encompasses most of them.
"The term "propaganda" covers all deliberate action taken with the intent to persuade a number of persons to do or think what the propagandist wishes. […] An attempt by one individual to persuade another to buy a motor car is not propaganda in the ordinary sense. Propaganda is addressed to groups of people, or to nations. […] It is of the essence of propaganda that it should influence persons to do or to think things which they would not do or think if left to themselves."
Richard S. Lambert "Propaganda" 1938
Is propaganda good or bad? This is a philosophical question that each reader will have to decide. Generally propaganda does not deal with scientific facts; it is geared towards invoking emotional responses. Emotions cloud reason and can overcome any scientific fact.
Propaganda has been used for centuries by the powerful and the wannabees. It is used in times of war and in times of peace. It has become so pervasive in today’s societies that some colleges offer four-year degrees in the subject. It is a tool of enormous power.
The primary problem with propaganda is that it is an opinion formed by a person or small group. This opinion is formulated and packaged in such a way as to emotionally lead people to a conclusion that the person or small group advocating the opinion desires. Again, this conclusion is not based in fact. This differs dramatically from advertising a product. Although "permissible puffery" is allowed in advertising a product there are laws governing advertising. There are few laws that address propaganda. Note: we do have laws forbidding opinions that incite "Hate" or racial intolerance. Propaganda falls under Article I of the Constitution, Freedom of Speech because it is an opinion.
Throughout this page are pictures from World War II, a time associated with the dissemination of propaganda. People will recognize and associate the pictures with propaganda. Propaganda comes in many forms; pictures, words, and music. How do you tell what is propaganda? As a general rule if an advertisement or editorial contains a picture of a child, or words that intentionally are trying to invoke some emotional response, or music that instills an emotional feeling than you can bet the farm that you are being subjected to propaganda.
Political factions and the "ANTI’s", today, use propaganda, to disseminate disparaging half-truths, lies, and biased information. The "ANTI’s" are people who believe that everyone should adhere to and avoid the same things, social planners. The U.S. government too is in the business of propaganda.
The U.S. Government has a "Ministry of Propaganda", the U.S. Information Service Agency. In addition there are over 20,000 Federal employees who are classified as "Public Affairs" officers who specialize in propaganda. They believe that their propaganda is justified because it is disseminated for our own good. The U.S. Government is the largest film producer in the world. The U.S. Government is the largest publisher in the world. Aren’t there laws forbidding this kind of activity? Yes. But no one cares, the beauty of propaganda.
Conclusion: Don’t believe everything you see, hear, or read. Check it out. You can find out the truth if you just look. And, watch out for the "children". Is this page propaganda? You decide. Yes, it is an attempt to show the links between propaganda and children and to sway you into believing that propaganda is not the path to follow. And, to illustrate that what many of us believe may not necessarily be the truth but another’s, perhaps unscrupulous, view of how things should be.